The Scoop
Rep. Jamaal Bowman thinks it’s time to break up Israel and Ukraine aid.
In a new video set to be released this week, the progressive Democrat from New York says he’s opposed to the Senate’s $95 billion foreign aid bill, which combines support for the two countries, due to Israel’s conduct in Gaza.
“We cannot stand by and allow children to be bombed, to die of starvation, or to see their entire families wiped out,” he says, according to a partial transcript shared with Semafor. “We must withdraw our material support, not increase it. That is why I cannot support the Senate’s aid bill, and why we need a standalone vote on Ukraine funding.”
Bowman isn’t alone. In recent weeks, a number of top progressives have suggested they would not join a discharge petition to force a vote on the Senate bill, which is currently stalled in the House, over their concerns about Israel. “I’m a no if it’s got Israel aid,” Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal told CNN. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-N.Y. similarly told Axios earlier this month she was a no “right now.”
“I keep saying to the administration, give us a standalone on Ukraine,” Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill. told Semafor last week. “When you’re tying it to Netanyahu because that’s who you’re giving it to, to continue to kill families and children and Israel, it makes it impossible for me to be able to sign that discharge petition.”
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House Speaker Mike Johnson has repeatedly floated the idea of “bifurcating” Israel and Ukraine aid, ostensibly to satisfy conservatives skeptical of giving aid to Kyiv. As recently as this month, he told Politico it was still possible he would try to pass support using two separate bills.
Democrats have largely resisted the idea, and voted down a recent standalone Israel bill in the House. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has called the Senate-passed bill “the only way forward” on Israel and Ukraine.
Kadia’s view
The comments by Bowman, who is facing a primary challenge over his criticisms of Israel, and other progressives show that there’s now a left-right coalition that would favor separating the aid packages. Whether that group is large enough to determine the final shape of what makes it to the floor is unclear.
What’s certain is that many Democrats are feeling increasingly ill at ease over giving no-strings-attached money to Israel.
“I’m for defense of Israeli civilians,” Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas told Semafor. “I’m for humanitarian assistance in Gaza. I’m for funding for Ukraine. It’s just the offensive Israeli weapons being used in Gaza that I have real concerns with.”