U.S. Senate Ignores Child Casualties,
Sends More Funding to Israeli Military

Washington, D.C. | www.adc.org | August 1, 2014 – The United States Senate unanimously passed a bill this morning that grants Israel an additional $225 million dollars for their Iron Done missile defense system. The Israeli funding bill was divvied from a failed measure addressing the humanitarian crisis occurring at the Southern border of the United States. The Senate unanimously voted to provide more funding to Israel’s violence despite international outcry over Israeli aggression that has resulted in the death of nearly 2,000 innocent Palestinian civilians, many of whom are woman and children. 

The hypocrisy of the United States Congress is on clear display with this vote. Over the past month members have ignored the growing humanitarian crisis on the border, and have failed to pass a stimulus bill before leaving for the summer recess. Initially, the $225 million for Israel was attached to a $2.7 billion border aid package, which Senate Republicans, including John Cornyn (R-TX) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), were reluctant to pass for fear of increasing the national debt.

Yet, the additional funding to Israel is a clean bill. The aid is in addition to the daily $8.5 million of US aid provided to the Israeli Occupation Forces. On an annual basis, the U.S. provides Israel with nearly $3.5 billion dollars. 

ADC President Samer Khalaf states, “Votes like this are a reminder that many members of the U.S. Congress put the interests of Israel before the interests of U.S. citizens. One is left to wonder, where is the voice the fiscal conservatives who want to limit spending? It is appalling that Congress would leave with unfinished business, yet find a way to give additional money to a country that is committing war crimes.”  

As cited in “The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy” by John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt, “Since the October War in 1973, Washington has provided Israel with a level of support dwarfing the amounts provided to any other state. It has been the largest annual recipient of direct U.S. economic and military assistance since 1976 and the largest total recipient since World War ll. … This largesse is especially striking when one realizes that Israel is now a wealthy industrial state with a per capita income roughly equal to South Korea or Spain.”

Take Action: ADC calls on Congress to stop funding Israeli war crimes. Contact your Congressional member now and tell them enough is enough – it is time to end the siege of Gaza and stop military aid to Israel!