A divide among Democrats over whether to halt defense aid to Israel is growing more fierce, causing a crisis and headache for Biden strategists ahead of the presidential election, which has only intensified in the wake of last week's Israel Defense Forces (IDF) attack on the World Central Kitchen convoy in Gaza, which left seven international workers dead, including an American.
This intensifying fragmentation of Biden's base has been on display this weekend also given former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi - still very influential among Dems - has publicly come out against Biden's policy to continue arming Israel. The issue is entering the heart of the Democratic establishment, threatening unity.
Axios reports that she "signed onto a call by progressive members of Congress for the U.S. to stop transferring weapons to Israel over a strike that killed seven aid workers in Gaza."
The letter she signed, and which was led by Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), included the signatures of some 40 Democrats.
"In light of the recent strike against aid workers and the ever-worsening humanitarian crisis, we believe it is unjustifiable to approve these weapons transfers," the lawmakers stated in the letter addressed to President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
"If this strike is found to have violated U.S. or international law, we urge you to continue withholding these transfers until those responsible are held accountable," the lawmakers wrote.
No comments:
Post a Comment