House GOP Aims To Condemn Biden Action On Israeli Aid

Republicans in Congress are bashing President Biden’s decision to withhold certain weapons included in the recently approved aid package to Israel, and they’re hoping to make Democrats pay a price for that decision, politically.

For months now, the Biden administration has tried to walk a fine line between supporting its longtime ally Israel, while also working to prevent a full-blown humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where more than 30,000 people have been killed since the October 7 terror attack by Hamas that started the war.

With Israel poised to make an all-out strike on the southern Gaza city of Rafah -- against the repeated urgings of the administration -- President Biden decided to hold off on delivering some of the most lethal weaponry included in the aid package Congress approved in April. Specifically, high payload bombs that the administration and many Democrats say have already caused indiscriminate loss of life and will potentially cause the deaths of even more civilians.

"I worry that the number of civilians that are dying is ultimately going to provide permanent recruiting material to Hamas," said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on CNN Sunday, "and Hamas will remain a threat for years to come to Israel."

But rather than a humanitarian gesture, many Republicans see the President's decision as a political calculation.

"Joe Biden would rather stand with the terrorist sympathizers of his base…than deliver the critical arms Israel needs to defeat Hamas," said Congressman Kevin Hern (R-Okla. 1) on X.

And Hern's not alone in that thinking.

"I would say the President is trying to cater to his left flank," said Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-Okla. 5) in an interview Tuesday.

Bice believes that reflects, not only a misunderstanding of where the American people stand on the issue but a misunderstanding of the directive Congress sent in passing legislation -- which the President signed -- that put defensive weaponry and offensive weaponry in the same package.

"So, he knew what the directive was," said Rep. Bice, "and has decided not to move forward with that particular piece of it, and I don’t know that he really has the authority to do that."

Republican leadership in the House is expected to bring a resolution condemning the President's actions to the floor for a vote as soon as Wednesday -- a vote that will be uncomfortable for many moderate Democrats.