Funding for Israel's Iron Dome Cut from U.S. Spending Bill

(New York Post) Juliegrace Brufke - A group of anti-Israel lawmakers forced the House Democratic leadership Tuesday to cut $1 billion for Israel's Iron Dome from a short-term government funding bill. The move prompted a call from Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who reassured Lapid that the cut was a "technical postponement" and that the aid "will be transferred soon." Hoyer later announced that he would bring a stand-alone bill on funding the Iron Dome program to the House floor before the end of this week. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said, "The United States must fully live up to our commitments to our friend and our ally, Israel." Moderate House Democrats slammed their colleagues for their anti-Israel stance. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) called removing the funding "irresponsible." "Iron Dome is a purely 'defensive' system - it protects civilians when hundreds of rockets are shot at population centers. Whatever your views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, using a system that just saved hundreds, if not thousands, of lives as a political chit is problematic." Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said, "Just a few months ago, Israel was attacked by over 4,000 rockets launched by Hamas. The Iron Dome saved lives and helped limit civilian casualties during this terrifying escalation. There is strong bipartisan support to supply our friend and ally Israel with the tools to defend itself against future threats." News Alert from Israel http://www.dailyalert.org/