A group of conservative House Republicans plans to introduce a resolution condemning the White House’s push for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, and advocating for Israel to determine the course of action.
The measure from Rep. Bob Good, the chair of the House Freedom Caucus, comes as the Biden administration and negotiators continue to push for a cease-fire in the region ahead of the beginning of Ramadan.
Administration officials said Israel has seemingly signed-off on a pause in fighting, but whether a cease-fire comes to fruition depends on Hamas agreeing to release hostages.
But Mr. Good, Virginia Republican, contends that President Biden’s calls for a cease-fire are emblematic of him being influenced by the “left wing, Hamas wing of his party.” Notably, no Democrats have co-sponsored the resolution.
“What do we have the Biden administration doing? The Biden administration is calling for a cease-fire,” Mr. Good told reporters on Tuesday. “They can’t decide are they for Israel, not for Israel?”
The resolution seeks to condemn the push for a cease-fire, the administration’s calls for a two-state solution in the region, and to defund the United Nations Relief Works and Agency following allegations that at least a dozen staff members from the organization participated in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
Mr. Biden’s push for a cease-fire comes amid intensifying criticism of Israel’s handling of the conflict, and the disbursement of aid into Gaza. The U.S., along with Jordan and Egypt, air dropped food into the region on Saturday following a deadly interaction between Israeli forces and Palestinians rushing for aid from a supply truck that left more than 100 dead and hundreds more wounded.
Co-sponsors of the measure said it will make clear that the U.S. supports Israel whichever way the country chooses to approach the conflict, which has raged in the region for nearly five months.
Rep. Andy Ogles, Tennessee Republican, accused a faction of the Democratic Party of being “pro-Hamas, Palestinian sympathizers” for wanting to interfere with the conflict.
“If Israel decides that the next step is to go biblical on its enemies, that is for Israel to decide without being undermined by Biden, [Secretary of State Antony] Blinken or anyone else,” Mr. Ogles said.
Foreign aid packages that would provide Israel, among others, with billions of dollars to help in its fight against the terrorist organization have ground to a halt in Congress.
House Republicans successfully passed a $14 billion standalone Israel aid bill last year with offset funding from the IRS, but the bill has not budged because the White House and Democrat-led Senate have eyed a broader package that includes aid for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan.
A second attempt to pass a standalone Israel bill failed, in part from resistance from Mr. Good and the House Freedom Caucus, who argued that it lacked a mechanism to pay for it.
But attempts to move the more-sweeping aid packages have stalled in the House. Rep. Andy Biggs, Arizona Republican, noted that he has a new standalone Israel bill with a so-called “pay for” that would claw back money from the IRS and Department of Commerce. But that legislation would likely face a similar fate to the already-passed $14 billion bill.
Mr. Good blamed the Senate for not acting on Israel aid, arguing that they were holding out for foreign aid that had nothing to do with the Jewish State’s conflict with Hamas.
“The Senate has ignored it ever since,” Mr. Good said. “The Senate [is] unwilling to fund Israel without holding support for Israel hostage to other foreign aid that has nothing to do with this.”
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.
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