Over 100 Democrats vote against Israel funding in US House as divide within party deepens

A split has formed amongst congressional Democrats over a vote to cut $3.3 billion in US aid to Israel, with 103 Democrats voting to cut the aid, 98 voting not to. 10 Democrats voted present. The proposal to cut aid to Israel was roundly rejected by Republicans.

While House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat, personally voted against the amendment to cut the aid, albeit somewhat timidly and with reservations. He voiced his concerns about the proposal in a "Dear Colleague" letter, leaving the door open for further measures against Israel aid spending.

"In my view, there are more decisive ways to achieve the urgent change necessary when it comes to the far-right Netanyahu government," he said. "As written, it is overly broad in that it prohibits or would limit the use of funds for longstanding initiatives related to humanitarian aid, refugee resettlement, peace-building, and U.S. Embassy operations."

Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, who claimed that he was "detained" in Israel while traveling, voted to cut the more than $3.3 billion in aid. He took to X to claim that the reason former Reps. Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush lost their 2024 seats was due to their stance against the country.

"Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush lost their seats for this stand two years ago," he wrote. "As a colleague told me, Black martyrdom is normalized in America. Today I want to recognize their courage."

Bush, who is currently running to take back the seat from Wesley Bell, who defeated her in the 2024 primary for Missouri's 1st Congressional District, responded on X to Khanna's post.

"The people have spoken. They want to see their tax dollars spent on housing, healthcare, and education here at home, not war and genocide overseas. Wesley Bell's not listening."

Despite Khanna's implication that Bush lost her seat due to "black martyrdom," her 2024 primary opponent and eventual winner, Wesley Bell, is a black man himself.

The Republicans who voted against the cuts included lawmakers like Mario Diaz-Balart, who spoke out against the amendment.

"The same terrorists and terrorist entities that threaten Israel also threaten the United States and our people directly," Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., said Wednesday. "When we give Israel the tools and capabilities to eliminate these terrorist threats … we are making America and the American people safer."