United States: Congress forces Biden to send weapons shipment to Israel

The US House of Representatives approved this Thursday a bill that forces the White House to send to Israel the shipment of weapons that the Joe Biden’s government paralyzed last week.

The bill was approved with 224 votes in favor and 187 against. Sixteen Democratic congressmen supported the project that seeks to overcome the criteria of Biden despite the fact that the party leadership had promoted the opposite vote.

Biden He has already announced that if the text passes the legislative process – which also requires the approval of the Senate, with a Democratic majority – he will use his veto power to stop it.

Biden rejects the US Congress project.

“We strongly oppose attempts to restrict the president’s ability to deploy emergency assistance. US security consistent with US foreign policy and national security objectives.“, noted the White House.

Most likely Biden do not have to use that power, since the leader of the majority in the Senate, Democrat Chuck Schumer, said he has no intention of putting the text to a vote.

In a press conference prior to the vote, the president of the House of Representatives, Republican Mike Johnson, stated that “it is clear that Biden and Schumer have turned their backs on Israel”.

“They have turned their backs on Israel”

“We want the president to hear this loud and clear: This is a catastrophic decision with global implications. Obviously, it is being done for political calculations“Johnson said, accusing Biden of “defy the will of Congress”.

The Republicans, who control the Lower House, presented this bill after it became known last week that the White House had braked a arms shipment to Israel to avoid a military incursion into the Rafah enclave.

What did the US shipment have?

The detained shipment consists of 3,500 bombs, mostly of 2,000 pounds (907 kilos) and high destructive power. In an interview after the announcement, Biden admitted that civilians have died in Gaza as a result of the use of American weapons.

The measure was widely criticized by Republicans, questioning Biden’s commitment to Israelbut also by sectors of the Democratic Party aligned with the Israeli State.

In addition to forcing the Government to “prompt“handover of weapons to Israelthe bill approved in the Lower House also provides for freezing the budgets of the Pentagon, the State Department or the National Security Council until the shipment becomes effective.