Omar and ‘Squad’ members squash Israeli Iron Dome funds

If the bill does not pass the Senate, the government will shut down until Democrats and Republicans can agree on the bill's terms.

Left: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez/Facebook Right: Rep. Ilhan Omar/U.S. House

Members of the so-called “Squad” — including Rep. Ilhan Omar — reportedly led a successful effort to remove $1 billion for Israel’s rocket defense system from a spending bill that seeks to avoid a potential government shutdown.

The Daily Mail reports that Democrats removed a provision funding the Iron Dome from the stopgap spending bill, which passed the House by a 220-212 vote Tuesday night, at the behest of Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Pramila Jayapal.

The report added that Israel “forced” the U.S. into “crisis talks” over the removal of the provision, with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer reportedly reassuring Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid that his country will still receive the Iron Dome funding “in the near future.”

Politico quotes Hoyer as saying that he is still in favor of funding the Israeli defense system and will bring a bill funding the system to a vote “later in the week.”

House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro also told Politico that “there is no interruption in funding for the Iron Dome.”

“We are trying to make this seamless,” she added.

Congressional Republicans were quick to criticize the removal of the Iron Dome funding, calling the move and the progressive Democrats who pushed for it “anti-Semitic.”

“Dem leadership surrenders to the anti-Semitic Left,” tweeted Sen. Ted Cruz. “They hate Israel so much that Dems are stripping $1 BILLION in funding for Iron Dome — a purely defensive system that protects countless innocent civilians from Hamas rockets.”

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy tweeted that “while Dems capitulate to the antisemitic influence of their radical members, Republicans will always stand with Israel.”

Although Republicans have condemned the “Squad” and others for their alleged anti-Semitism, Democrats are slamming Senate Republicans who vowed to oppose the stopgap spending bill on the grounds that it waives the debt limit cap.

If the bill does not pass the Senate, the government will shut down until Democrats and Republicans can agree on the bill’s terms. Politico reports that “a few” Senate Republicans will “likely” vote for the bill, but unless they can persuade at least a few more of their GOP colleagues to join them, it will probably fail to pass.

Update: The House approved a standalone bill Thursday that provides $1 billion for Israel’s Iron Dome. Omar and Tlaib voted against the bill.

 

Evan Stambaugh

Evan Stambaugh is a freelance writer who had previously been a sports blogger. He has a BA in theology and an MA in philosophy.