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Netanyahu thanks U.S. after House approves new military aid for Israel
By Niha Masih The Washington Post
Published April 22, 2024
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Israeli leaders thanked the United States after the House passed a foreign aid bill Saturday that provides $26.4 billion in military aid to Israel and humanitarian assistance, including some for Gaza.
Calling it a "much appreciated" step, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on X that the measure "demonstrates strong bipartisan support for Israel and defends Western civilization." Israeli President Isaac Herzog thanked members of Congress and President Biden: "When the U.S. is strong, Israel is stronger; when Israel is strong, the U.S. is more secure," he wrote in a statement.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that at a time when Israel is facing threats on several fronts, including from Iran, the United States showed "unwavering support."
The package includes, among other items, $4 billion for replenishing the Iron Dome and David's Sling defense systems and $1.2 billion for procuring the Iron Beam defense system.
It also includes $9 billion in humanitarian assistance, some of which will be allotted to Gaza. None of the assistance, however, can go toward the largest humanitarian group serving Gaza, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), for which the United States suspended funding after Israel alleged that a handful of its employees participated in Hamas's Oct. 7 attacks.
The measure received bipartisan support, passing 366 to 58 in the chamber that's narrowly controlled by the GOP. Twenty-one Republicans and 37 Democrats voted against the bill. More than a dozen of those Democrats said in a statement that, while they support Israel's right to self-defense, supplying more offensive weapons to Israel "could result in more killings of civilians" in Gaza. "Most Americans do not want our government to write a blank check to further Prime Minister Netanyahu's war in Gaza," they said.
The Senate is expected to take up the bill this week, and Biden is expected to sign it.
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