From Foreign Policy · Omar Shakir · · 2m
Congress Must Stop Arming Israel
New Congress faces urgent call to end U.S. military aid to Israel after midterm election mandate.
In brief
New Congress faces urgent call to end U.S. military aid to Israel after midterm election mandate. Congress must stop U.S. military aid to Israel by removing $3.8 billion from fiscal 2027 appropriations and blocking supplemental funding. Originally reported by Foreign Policy.
Midterm Election Mandate
Democrats gained historic majorities in both the House and Senate after the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
Public Opposition to Iran War
60 percent of U.S. voters said attacking Iran was the wrong decision according to an Associated Press survey.
Public Opposition to Israeli Aid
56 percent of Americans favor reducing or eliminating U.S. military aid to Israel per a Chicago Council poll.
Public Opposition to Israeli Operations
57 percent of Americans support restrictions to prevent U.S. military aid from supporting Israeli operations against Palestinians.
Trump's Announcement
Trump announced the U.S. would end $3.8 billion in annual military aid to Israel by the end of the calendar year.
Trump's Mixed Messages
Trump admitted Iran was a factor in some voters choosing Democrats but later expressed dislike for Israel.
Military Aid Agreement
The current U.S.-Israel military aid agreement runs through fiscal year 2028, requiring continued funding beyond Trump's announcement.
Congress Must Act
Congress should remove $3.8 billion in military aid from fiscal 2027 appropriations and block supplemental funding.
House Earmark
The House has already passed a spending bill that earmarks billions in arms for Israel.
Section 219 Concerns
Section 219 of the National Defense Authorization Act would expand military cooperation with Israel through joint weapons development.
Rep. Don Bacon's Bill
Congress should reject Rep. Don Bacon's H.R. 10796 bill that would advance similar military cooperation with Israel.
Senate Resolution
Senate should adopt Chris Van Hollen's resolution to bar security assistance to Israel for human rights violations.
Resolution Failure
The resolution failed with 51 senators voting against it despite 47 supporting it.
Next Steps
Congress must pass a joint war powers resolution to end the Iran war and prohibit U.S. military operations on Iran.
What it means
Congress must stop U.S. military aid to Israel by removing $3.8 billion from fiscal 2027 appropriations and blocking supplemental funding.
