The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday defeated an amendment that would have halted $3.3 billion in aid to Israel, much of which was designated for its military. The measure, proposed by Republican congressman Thomas Massie, was rejected by a 104-314 vote, with 10 lawmakers voting present. Massie was the only member of the GOP to vote in favor of the amendment.
Despite the failure of the measure, the vote revealed a deep divide within the Democratic Party. More than 100 Democrats, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, backed the effort to block the aid. While the chair of the progressive caucus encouraged colleagues to support the defunding, House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries described the amendment as overly broad. This intraparty fight has split the party's top leadership and highlighted a growing disconnect between the Democratic establishment and its left wing.
The symbolic vote reflects a significant shift in Democratic politics and eroding support for the longtime U.S. ally. This rupture is driven by progressives' anger over Gaza and accusations that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government green-lit genocide. Such sentiment has already fueled the defeat of several congressional incumbents in recent primaries and has become a central campaign issue ahead of November’s midterm elections.