A long exposure picture shows iron dome anti-missile system fires interception missile as rockets fired from the Gaza Strip to Israel, as it seen from the southern Israeli city of Ashdod, May 16, 2021.
After several delays, funding for Iron Dome missile defense system approved by House; bill still must be passed by U.S. Senate.
By World Israel News Staff
After months of delays, the U.S. House of Representatives approved $1 billion in funding for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system on Wednesday.
In addition to the funding for the Iron Dome, Israel will receive an additional $3.8 billion in defense aid.
The funds were included as part of a massive $1.5-trillion spending bill for the American government in 2022.
“Thank you to the U.S. Congress for your overwhelming commitment to Israel’s security & for passing the critical security package — including the replenishment of the life-saving Iron Dome,” wrote Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Twitter.
“Thank you @POTUS for your leadership & friendship. Together, we are stronger.”
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid thanked lawmakers on Twitter for “the lifesaving Iron Dome missile defense system, and for your commitment to the security of the State of Israel over the years.”
The funding bill still must be approved by the U.S. Senate before taking effect.
While in recent years such bills have easily passed in both the House and Senate, this year’s vote on the Iron Dome funding was initially delayed by members of the so-called “Squad” in September 2021.
Several far-left Democratic lawmakers, including Reps. Rashida Tlaib (MI), Ilhan Omar (MN) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY), insisted that the bill be split from a general spending bill, so that it would be subject to additional scrutiny.
Tlaib, who is Palestinian-American, railed against the allocating of funds for the missile defense system. “I will not support an effort to enable war crimes and human rights abuses and violence,” she said.
“We cannot be talking only about Israelis need for safety at a time when Palestinians are living under a violent apartheid system, and are dying from what Human Rights Watch has said are war crimes.”
In 2021, the American government gave more than $1.1 billion in foreign aid to Ethiopia and $1 billion Jordan, some $860 million to Afghanistan and an additional $821 million to South Sudan.
Egypt received $1.3 billion in military aid from the U.S.
Proposed coalition would also need Shas support, despite its endorsement of Netanyahu.
The agency last estimated Iran held over 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity.
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