'Squad' hit$ Israel
Leftists force cuts to Iron Dome defense
A group of far-left lawmakers — including Reps. Alexandria OcasioCortez, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib — forced House Democratic leadership Tuesday to cut $1 billion for Israel’s Iron Dome from a shortterm government-funding bill.
The language was stripped from a continuing resolution that would keep the federal lights on through early December after “Squad” members Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Omar (D-Minn.) and Tlaib (D-Mich.) threatened to withhold their support for the bill if the provision weren’t axed.
Moderate House Democrats slammed their progressive colleagues for their anti-Israel stance, arguing that the Iron Dome is not an offensive weapon but a defense mechanism meant to shield civilians from rocket attacks by Islamist militant groups.
Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee who has worked at the Pentagon and the CIA, tweeted that removing the funding language from the legislation was “devoid of substance and irresponsible.”
“Iron Dome is a purely *defensive* system — it protects civilians when hundreds of rockets are shot at population centers,” she wrote. “Whatever your views on the Israeli-Pal[estinian]
conflict, using a system that just saved hundreds, if not thousands, of lives as a political chit is problematic.”
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), a leading centrist, echoed Slotkin’s sentiments.
“The Iron Dome protects innocent civilians in Israel from terrorist attacks and some of my colleagues have now blocked funding it,” he tweeted.
Republicans were quick to seize on the move, accusing Democrats of turning their backs on the Jewish state.
“While Dems capitulate to the antisemitic influence of their radical members, Republicans will always stand with Israel,” tweeted House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) tweeted that Democrats “do NOT support Israel. Instead they choose to side with the Hamas Caucus wing of their Party.
“Republicans strongly support our ally Israel and #IronDome funding,” she added.