US House passes $14.5bn military aid package for Israel

The United States House of Representatives has approved a Republican plan to give $14.5 billion in military help to Israel. This sets up a disagreement between political parties about supporting Israel, which is usually a bipartisan issue.
The plan got the green light with 226 votes in favor and 196 against, mostly along party lines. This plan is the first significant action led by the new Republican House Speaker, Mike Johnson. He took over his role just last week after Kevin McCarthy was removed by a faction of his party.

This funding includes $4 billion to renew Israel's missile defense systems and military equipment. They'll get the money by cutting the budget of the Internal Revenue Service.

On Thursday, Speaker Johnson urged the Senate and the White House to approve the plan quickly. He wants them to act just as the House did.

But there's a small chance that this plan will become a law. That's because President Joe Biden and the Democrats in the Senate don't support it. They don't like that it involves cutting spending and doesn't provide help to Ukraine.

To become a law, the plan needs to pass the Senate, where the Democrats have more seats, and President Biden needs to sign it.


Before the vote, the White House said that this plan would be harmful to the safety of the United States and its alliances in the future. President Biden wants Congress to pass an emergency spending package of $106 billion, which includes support for Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine.


While most Republicans still strongly support helping Ukraine, a small group of the party doesn't think it's necessary to provide financial assistance to Ukraine right now, considering the budget deficits.

A House Democrat, Rosa DeLauro, accused the Republicans of delaying help to American allies with their plan. She said they are leaving Ukraine behind, but she stressed the importance of not abandoning both Israel and Ukraine because their situations are connected.

The United States has given more military aid to Israel than any other country since World War II, providing over $124 billion in aid. Israel is already receiving $3.8 billion per year in military support under a 10-year plan that started in 2016. We kindly request you to disseminate this news and provide your insights in the comments section. Thank you