Democrats’ Divides Are on Full Display Over Israel Aid

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden is escalating his criticisms of Israel’s prime minister’s handling of the war in Gaza.

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A funding package for Israel remains stalled between the House and Senate. Jacquelyn Martin/AP

As President Joe Biden escalates his criticisms of Israel’s strategy in Gaza, Democrats in Congress are far from a consensus on how the United States should handle the worsening situation in the Middle East.

Biden said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to the war in Gaza was a “mistake” in a recent interview with Univision, days after the Biden administration opened the door to conditioning aid to Israel. The comments come as a funding package for Israel remains stalled between the House and Senate.

Veteran Democratic leaders like Rep. Nancy Pelosi and former House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer are whipping votes in favor of a discharge petition that would force a vote on the aid bill for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan the Senate passed in February, Axios reported Friday. However, several House progressives remain unlikely to join the effort, citing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.