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Iron Dome will be funded, but more ‘Squad' trouble is on the way - analysis
 [JPost] Recent events should concern Israel of trouble with the "Squad" even as statements by Israeli officials tried to minimize the problem.The Iron Dome may ultimately receive the American funding it needs, after progressive pressure led Democratic Party leadership in the House of Representatives to remove it from a broader bill, and then vowed to propose the aid as its own bill within days. But that doesn’t mean that the drama surrounding it is over. Tuesday’s events in the House should ring alarm bells in Jerusalem that more trouble with the "Squad" is on the way, even as public statements by Israeli officials tried to minimize the problem. US President Joe Biden has been promising Israel for months that a billion dollars in batteries for the missile defense system would be forthcoming. He said it first in May, at the close of Operation Guardian of the Walls, the latest round of war in response to Gaza terrorists shooting rockets at Israeli civilians; and he promised it again to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett during his visit to the Oval Office a month ago. Jerusalem was satisfied with those promises, and presented them as one of the prime minister’s achievements in his first meeting with the president. Bennett’s advisers and Israeli diplomats got word late Tuesday that things were moving smoothly toward a vote that would include the aid. Progressive Democrats then refused to support the legislation — which was mostly meant to provide funding that would prevent a government shutdown — if it also included the Iron Dome funding. Interestingly, none of these progressive members of Congress have thus far identified themselves publicly. Politico reported that it is the same group that pushed to block arms to Israel during Operation Guardians of the Wall in May, which would mean Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) of New York, Mark Pocan of Wisconsin and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. Pocan’s office, however, denied to The Jerusalem Post that he was involved in the latest move. In contrast to that small group, a bipartisan group of 56 members wrote to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in June, calling on him to "ensure that the Iron Dome remains able to protect Israel without running the risk that its stockpile of interceptors becomes depleted. Israel must always have the resources it needs to defend itself from incoming rockets when it is targeted again." But with only a narrow majority in Congress, and Republicans refusing to save the Democrats from a government shutdown — even if that entails delaying Israel’s Iron Dome resupply — the Democrats didn’t have enough votes to pass the bill. They gave in to the Progressive demands and removed the Iron Dome from that vote. Hours afterward, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer tweeted that "the House will consider legislation this week to fully fund Iron Dome. We will act to ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself, and I expect strong bipartisan support for this effort." Hoyer seemingly confirmed what Foreign Minister Yair Lapid’s spokesman said after the two spoke on the phone Tuesday night: that it was only a "technical postponement that came from an argument in Congress about the American debt ceiling." Everything is fine, was the message Lapid conveyed. Hoyer, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer still support Israel and will make sure the Iron Dome is funded as soon as possible for Israel’s security needs. The real problem, Lapid said, is former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "After years in which the previous government abandoned Congress and the Democratic Party and caused significant damage to Israel-US relations, we are rebuilding trust with Congress," Lapid said. "I thank the [Biden] administration and Congress for their strong commitment to Israel’s security." Although the technical aspect of getting the money for the Iron Dome seems like it will be resolved quickly — with the progressives probably not having permanently derailed missile defense funding — the problem certainly is broader than that. And the incident proves that his pointing fingers at Netanyahu for souring ties between Israel and parts of the Democratic Party is an explanation that falls short. The influence of progressives in the Democratic Party is growing. Hoyer, Pelosi and Schumer are close to retirement, while Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib and other members of The Squad are at the start of their political careers, in very liberal districts. These pretentious tw@ts and Bro-f*ckers represent a small, but vocal minority of Joooo haters. If Dem-supporting American Juice had any self-awareness, they would know it's about the crocodile eating them last... Posted by: Frank G 2021-09-23 |
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