Outrage over slain aid workers deepens Democratic resistance to arming Israel

Outrage Over Israeli Military Strike in Gaza Fuels Resistance to Arms Funding

WASHINGTON — Outrage over a strike by the Israeli military that killed seven aid workers in the Gaza Strip has supercharged resistance among congressional Democrats to sending arms and fresh military funding to Israel.

The mounting concern has added uncertainty to a pending foreign aid package for Ukraine and Israel that has been stalled in the House for months. It has also fueled calls by Democrats for the administration to stop sending Israel offensive weapons already in the pipeline, some of them for many years.

Until recently, the $14.1 billion that President Joe Biden requested in the fall for Israel’s war against Hamas was regarded as a popular and bipartisan sweetener to a broader spending package that includes $60 billion in military aid for Ukraine, which faces stiff resistance from many House Republicans. But that dynamic appears to have shifted substantially in recent days, particularly after the killing Monday night of aid workers for the anti-hunger organization World Central Kitchen.

Democrats Call for Investigation and Conditions on Aid

Forty House Democrats including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, sent a letter on Friday to Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressing displeasure with their approach to Israel. The group called on the administration to deny Israel weapons until the completion of an inquiry into how the strike happened and tie any new aid to conditions “to ensure it is used in compliance with U.S. and international law.”

“In light of this incident, we strongly urge you to reconsider your recent decision to authorize the transfer of a new arms package to Israel, and to withhold this and any future offensive arms transfers until a full investigation into the airstrike is completed,” they wrote.

The letter, led by Reps. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, Jim McGovern of Massachusetts and Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, was one of the largest rebukes of Biden’s approach to Israel by his allies on Congress since Israel declared war in response to the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.

“We want to see the president be more aggressive in protecting the assistance and trying to stop the hostilities,” Pocan said in an interview Friday.

Impact on Security Spending Package

There is broad bipartisan support in Congress for aiding Israel, and that is unlikely to change even amid widespread discontent among Democrats about the conduct of the war. But the mounting frustration could further bog down the stalled security spending package, which the Senate passed in February but is frozen in the House amid Republican opposition to the Ukraine funding.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said he plans to bring up the security package in the coming weeks, and he would need substantial Democratic support to push it through the House.

Progressive Democrats Push for Concrete Actions

A growing chorus of Democratic lawmakers, mostly from the party’s progressive wing, has become impatient with the president and repeatedly pushed him to leverage U.S. weapons sales to pressure Israel to better protect civilians and guarantee that more aid will make its way to displaced Palestinians in the region.

“The U.S. has a responsibility to stop financing the Netanyahu government’s strategy, which has so disproportionately killed civilians, aid workers and medical personnel,” Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., said in a statement Thursday, referring to Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu. He echoed his many calls to restrict offensive weapons transfers to Israel.

For weeks, the group of progressives calling on Biden to take more concrete actions against America’s closest ally in the Middle East has been small but vocal. Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, the only Palestinian American member of Congress, has repeatedly pressed her colleagues to join her vocal opposition to the administration’s policy in Israel and Gaza.

Last month, she and Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri, another left-wing Democrat, sent a letter to the president urging him to end “any additional transfer of funds, weapons, military equipment, and any other material support.”

Friday’s letter, signed by Tlaib and Bush, highlights how frustration on Capitol Hill has begun to spread beyond the far-left flank of the party. Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, a longtime supporter of Israel and one of Biden’s closest Democratic allies in Congress, said Thursday that he would vote to place conditions on aid to Israel if Netanyahu conducted an offensive in Rafah “at scale” without making provisions for civilians or humanitarian aid.

“I would vote to condition aid to Israel,” he told CNN, adding: “I’ve never said that before. I’ve never been here before.”

Biden’s Response and Netanyahu’s Lobbying Efforts

During a call with Netanyahu on Thursday, Biden threatened to condition future support for Israel on how it addresses concerns about civilian casualties and the humanitarian situation. The same day, Israeli government officials announced the opening of additional aid routes between Israel and northern Gaza. It was unclear how soon these routes would open.

Also Thursday, Netanyahu used a visit to Jerusalem by 15 House Republicans to lobby for quick approval of the emergency military aid package for Israel.

“Give us the tools faster, and we’ll finish the job faster,” Netanyahu told the group, whose visit was organized by AIPAC, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office. “I hope you find a way to give it as fast as you can.”

Shortly after the meeting, Johnson, who was not on the trip, said on social media that “Biden should not undercut our ally amidst an existential threat by conditioning our support.”

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 16, which focuses on promoting peace, justice, and strong institutions. The article discusses the outrage over a strike by the Israeli military that killed aid workers in the Gaza Strip, which has led to resistance among congressional Democrats to sending arms and military funding to Israel. This highlights the need for equal access to justice, responsive decision-making, and non-discriminatory laws and policies.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The issues discussed in the article also relate to SDG 17, which focuses on partnerships for achieving the sustainable development goals. The article mentions the pending foreign aid package for Ukraine and Israel, highlighting the importance of international support and cooperation in providing financial resources to developing countries.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all

The article highlights the mounting concern and calls for an inquiry into the strike that killed aid workers in the Gaza Strip. This reflects the need to promote the rule of law and ensure equal access to justice for all parties involved.

Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory, and representative decision-making at all levels

The article mentions the letter sent by a group of House Democrats to President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken expressing displeasure with their approach to Israel. This highlights the importance of responsive, inclusive, participatory, and representative decision-making at all levels.

Target 16.b: Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development

The article discusses the frustration among Democratic lawmakers about the conduct of the war and calls for leveraging U.S. weapons sales to pressure Israel to better protect civilians and guarantee aid for displaced Palestinians. This reflects the need to promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development.

Target 17.2: Developed countries to implement fully their official development assistance commitments

The article mentions the pending foreign aid package for Ukraine and Israel, highlighting the need for developed countries to implement their official development assistance commitments. This target emphasizes the importance of providing financial support to developing countries.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

No specific indicators are mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators