US Aid: House Rejects Amendment to End Military Assistance to Israel Amid Growing Democratic Divide
More than 100 Democrats backed a proposal to cut US aid to Israel, highlighting deepening divisions within the party over the Gaza conflict.
US House lawmakers vote on an amendment seeking to end military aid to Israel.
US Aid to Israel remained unchanged after the US House of Representatives rejected an amendment that aimed to end American security assistance, even as a growing number of Democratic lawmakers called for tighter restrictions on military funding because of the war in Gaza.
The House defeated the amendment by a 314-104 vote after Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced it during debate on a State Department appropriations bill. Although the proposal failed, 103 Democrats and one Republican voted in its favour, marking one of the most significant congressional challenges to US military support for Israel in recent years.
Massie, a longtime critic of foreign aid, said the humanitarian consequences of the conflict in Gaza also influenced his decision to put forward the measure.
“There have been 70,000 casualties in Gaza, and I don’t think we should be part of that,” Massie told lawmakers during the House debate.
The proposal sought to prevent any funding in the spending bill from supporting Israel, effectively halting the $3.3 billion in annual US security assistance provided under a long-standing bilateral agreement.
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According to Gaza health authorities, Israel’s military campaign, which began after the October 2023 conflict, has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians. The offensive has devastated large areas of the territory, while repeated displacement has forced most of Gaza’s population to live in temporary shelters or damaged buildings.
The vote highlighted widening divisions within the Democratic Party over US policy toward Israel. Progressive lawmakers have increasingly called for limiting or ending military assistance, while many moderate Democrats continue to support aid, particularly for defensive purposes.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries opposed the amendment, calling it too broad. In contrast, Representative Katherine Clark, the second-ranking House Democrat, backed the proposal, arguing that the United States should not provide unrestricted military assistance to countries that fail to uphold US laws, interests and values.
Despite the growing support, the proposal stood little chance of becoming law. Even if the House had approved it, the Senate would still have needed to pass the measure, and President Donald Trump would almost certainly have vetoed it because he has made support for Israel a central pillar of his foreign policy.
The debate also reflected shifting political dynamics ahead of the US midterm elections. Several progressive candidates have campaigned against Israel’s military operations in Gaza, while Democratic leaders remain divided over the future direction of US policy in the region.
The issue is expected to remain a key election topic, particularly in Michigan’s primary contests on August 4, where voters will choose candidates for the US Senate, the House of Representatives and the governor’s office amid continuing debate over Washington’s support for Israel.
