North Columbus News

Senate leadership is using the crisis in Israel as a "Plan B" to push the Biden administration's funding request across the finish line, according to an op-ed written by Senator JD Vance and Dr. Kevin Roberts published in The Hill. The horrific terrorist attack by Hamas, funded by Iran, has resulted in the deaths of over 1,400 Israelis and at least thirty American citizens.

In response to the escalating war in Israel, the United States' closest ally in the Middle East, the U.S. will need to provide military support in the coming weeks. However, Senate leadership's attempt to tie the funding request to the Ukraine crisis is unwarranted.

"Israel is a democratic, historic U.S. partner and key ally in the Middle East, whereas Ukraine is still shedding Soviet-era corruption and is not a NATO partner," states the op-ed. It highlights the fact that Israel does not have wealthy neighbors who can assist in its war efforts, unlike Ukraine. Furthermore, the U.S. has already provided $113 billion in aid to Ukraine, much of it economic aid, while the Biden administration has not clearly defined a strategic case or end goal for the assistance.

The op-ed emphasizes the need for Europe to take the lead in supporting the war in Ukraine, as Americans overwhelmingly oppose Vladimir Putin's invasion. It also points out that the U.S. has redirected resources from allies like Israel to Ukraine, impacting Israel's readiness and leaving the U.S. with a flawed military industrial base and a broken supply chain.

Instead of holding up aid to Israel for additional Ukraine funding, the op-ed argues that Congress should give the situation in Israel the separate debate and vote it deserves. It also calls for a focus on securing the U.S. borders and fully enforcing immigration laws to prevent terrorist organizations from infiltrating the country.

"We honor this founding principle by standing with Israel, our strongest regional ally," the op-ed concludes. It expresses the conservative movement and the American people's readiness to support Israel in its hour of need.

In summary, Senator Vance and Dr. Roberts argue against holding up aid to Israel for further Ukraine war funding, emphasizing the distinct nature of the two conflicts and the importance of supporting Israel as a key ally in the Middle East. They call for a separate debate and vote on aid to Israel and emphasize the need to secure U.S. borders to prevent terrorist infiltration.

To find out more, go to this link: https://www.vance.senate.gov/press-releases/senator-vance-kevin-roberts-dont-hold-up-israel-aid-to-further-ukraine-war-funding