US House passes bill to force Biden to continue Israeli arms shipments

WASHINGTON

The US House of Representatives passed the Israel Security Assistance Support Act on Thursday, which was designed to pressure President Joe Biden on delivering weapons to Israel

The measure was approved by a vote of 224 to 187 and is expected to head to the Senate, where party leaders are vowing not to consider it at all.

The Republican-led bill came after Biden told CNN last week that he paused arms shipments to Israel amid concerns about its offensive on Gaza's southern city of Rafah, where 1.5 million displaced Palestinians have sheltered from Israel’s onslaught on the enclave.

The bill specifies that no federal funds may be used to withhold, halt, reverse or cancel the delivery of defense articles or defense services to Israel. Also, no funds may be used to pay the salary of any Pentagon or State Department employee who acts to limit defense deliveries to Israel.

Earlier in the day, House Speaker Mike Johnson urged Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to bring the act to the Senate floor for a vote.

Johnson also criticized Biden for not standing with Israel despite the US expressing "ironclad support" for Tel Aviv and demanded the elimination of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

"Now it's clear that Biden and Schumer have turned their back on Israel," he added.

Biden last month signed a $95 billion foreign aid package which includes $26 billion for Israel.

His administration notified Congress on Tuesday about a new more than $1 billion arms package -- including $700 million for tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles and $60 million in mortar rounds -- that it plans to deliver to Israel, according to media reports.