US House minority leader to oppose bid to cut off Israel aid

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Tuesday he will oppose Republican Rep. Thomas Massie's amendment that would cut off all US assistance to Israel.

The amendment, which the House of Representatives is expected to consider in the coming days as part of a broader foreign operations spending bill, would mark the first standalone vote of the current Congress on ending US military and other assistance to Israel.

The measure is expected to expose deep divisions within the Democratic Party on support for Israel.

Dozens of Democrats are expected to back the proposal, which would eliminate the $3.3 billion in annual US assistance to Israel.

In a letter, Jeffries argued that the amendment would limit the US' ability to counter militant groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah, which he described as terror organizations hostile to the US and Israel.

"In my view, there are more decisive ways to achieve the urgent change necessary when it comes to the far-right Netanyahu government. Republican leaders are desperately trying to weaponize an amendment they do not support for nakedly partisan reasons.

"However, given the strongly held views throughout the Caucus in this important area of foreign policy, we are not whipping this vote," he said.

The Democratic leader argued that "American policy in the Middle East must change" for the benefit of Israelis and Palestinians, criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

"The far-right Netanyahu government has isolated Israel from much of the world, severely damaged its standing in the U.S., jeopardized normalization efforts in the region and repeatedly undermined prospects for peace," he said.

The US has long been criticized for providing support to Israel in its war in the Gaza Strip, where more than 73,000 victims, mostly women and children, have been killed since Tel Aviv initiated a genocidal war beginning Oct. 7, 2023.