A vote in the US House of Representatives has exposed deep divisions within the Democratic Party over military support for Israel, with more than half of Democratic members voting to remove USD 3.3 billion in military aid from a broader national security spending bill.

The amendment was defeated by 314 votes to 104 on Wednesday, but the result underscored changing political attitudes following Israel’s war in Gaza, which has killed thousands of Palestinians, and highlighted growing differences within the Democratic Party ahead of the US midterm elections.

More Than 100 Democrats Backed Aid Cut

More than 100 Democrats supported the proposal to eliminate military assistance to Israel, while almost as many opposed it. Most Republicans voted against the amendment, ensuring its defeat.

The amendment sought to remove USD 3.3 billion in military aid from the spending legislation.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries opposed reducing the assistance to zero but said US policy in the Middle East required significant changes.

In a letter to Democratic lawmakers before a private caucus meeting, Jeffries wrote that “for the good of Israel and the Palestinian people, American policy in the Middle East must change”.

He added that he believed “there are more decisive ways to achieve the urgent change necessary when it comes to the far-right Netanyahu government”.

Gaza War Deepens Divisions Within Democratic Party

The debate over military aid has emerged as a major dividing line within the Democratic Party.

While many establishment Democrats continue to support US backing for Israel, a growing number have distanced themselves from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Democratic Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts said she supported withholding the military assistance.

Republicans have sought to portray the Democratic divisions as evidence of growing influence from the party’s left wing, even as House Speaker Mike Johnson faces disagreements within Republican ranks over foreign military spending.

Public Opinion On Gaza Continues To Shift

An AP-NORC poll conducted this month found that around one-third of US adults, including roughly half of Democrats, believe Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians during the war in Gaza.

The allegation has also been made by several human rights organisations but has been strongly rejected by both Israel and the US government.

Lawmakers Offer Contrasting Arguments

The amendment was introduced by Representative Thomas Massie, a libertarian-leaning Republican from Kentucky who lost his re-election bid after President Donald Trump backed his challenger.

During the debate, Massie argued that the USD 3.3 billion could instead be spent on domestic priorities such as roads, bridges and veterans’ services.

Referring to the conflict in Gaza, he said American weapons were being used on “oftentimes innocent civilians” and added, “I think we should stop it – we should put them on a diet.”

Democratic Representative Steny Hoyer of Maryland opposed the amendment, saying, “I rise in strong opposition to this amendment, which would dangerously undermine American national security.”

Hoyer argued that reducing military aid would weaken the United States’ ability to confront groups including Hamas and Hezbollah, which he said “expressly target American citizens and military personnel”.

Lobby Groups Weighed In Before Vote

Lawmakers faced pressure from advocacy groups on both sides of the debate as the midterm elections approach.

The pro-Israel organisation AIPAC urged supporters to lobby members of Congress to defeat the amendment.

J Street, while opposing the amendment because it considered it overly broad, acknowledged that the vote offered many Democrats an opportunity to register their opposition to the way US military assistance had been used by the Israeli government.

J Street president Jeremy Ben-Ami said the organisation recognised “that, for many Democrats, this is one of the few opportunities to cast a recorded vote expressing opposition to the way American military assistance and American-supplied weapons have been used by the Israeli government in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and elsewhere.”

He added that most Democrats remained united in supporting “the security and rights of both Israelis and Palestinians.”

The vote highlighted the increasingly complex debate over US support for Israel, revealing a growing divide within the Democratic Party over military aid and Washington’s broader Middle East policy.

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