The US House of Representatives rejected a bill proposed by Republicans to provide $17.6 billion in aid to Israel.
According to the American channel Alhurra, 250 representatives voted in favor of the bill while 180 opposed it, but it was not passed due to being introduced under a fast-track procedure requiring a two-thirds majority for approval.
Democrats in the House stated that they want to vote instead on a more comprehensive bill that also provides assistance to Ukraine and international humanitarian financing efforts, and allocates new funding for border security.
The initiative to provide aid to Israel, one of the largest recipients of US foreign aid, enjoys strong support from both Republican and Democratic parties in Congress.
Many critics described the House bill as a political maneuver by Republicans to deflect attention from their opposition to the Senate bill, which includes $118 billion in funding and combines reforms to US immigration policy with providing new funding for border security and billions of dollars in emergency aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Washington’s partners in the Indo-Pacific region.
Democratic President Joe Biden, who supports the Senate bill, threatened to use his veto power against the House bill solely focused on supporting Israel.
