The House overwhelmingly voted to support Israel and condemn Hamas in its first legislative action in over three weeks, but a handful of Democrats voted against the resolution.
In the 412-10-6 vote, the House demonstrated support for Israelis after Hamas launched an attack that left 1,400 dead and more than 200 held hostage.
But progressives have criticized Israel’s aggressive and far more deadly response aimed at wiping out Hamas.
Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., Al Green, Texas, André Carson, Ind., Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., Summer Lee, Pa., all voted against the resolution.
Ilhan Omar, center, voted against the resolution
Reps. Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib also opposed the resolution
Six other Democrats voted ‘present,’ not taking a position either way – Reps. Joaquin Castro, Texas, Chuy Garcia, Ill., Greg Casar, Texas, Ayanna Pressley, Mass., and Pramila Jayapal, Wash.
One Republican – Rep. Thomas Massie, Ky., – also voted against the resolution.
He said on X he opposed it because ‘it calls for sanctions on a sovereign country. Sanctions are a prelude to war and hurt the citizens of the country more than the government of the country that’s being sanctioned.’
He also opposed the resolution’s foreign aid commitment and ‘open-ended promise of military support that is so broad that it could be interpreted to commit US soldiers to the conflict.’
The resolution reaffirms the U.S.’s ‘commitment to Israel’s security, including through security assistance’ and calls on all countries to ‘unequivocally condemn Hamas’ brutal war.’
A victim covered in blood is seen after being pulled from under the rubble in the city of Khan Yunis, Gaza, where some buildings collapsed or were heavily damaged in Israeli airstrikes on October 26, 2023
A view of the area in the city of Khan Yunis, Gaza, heavily damaged in Israeli airstrikes on October 26, 2023
Progressives have criticized Israel’s aggressive and far more deadly response aimed at wiping out Hamas. Pictured: The heavily damaged city of Khan Yunis, Gaza, as a result of Israeli airstrikes on October 26, 2023
It also slams Iran for ‘support for terrorist groups and proxies, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad’ and demands ‘full enforcement’ of sanctions on Iran.
Some 7,000 have died in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza in the aftermath of the attack, including nearly 3,000 children, according to Gaza officials.
The Israeli army has launched an overnight ground invasion to target Hamas with tanks.
In a joint statement, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said that the right to self defense does not justify Israel breaking law and violating the rights of Palestinians. They condemned what they saw as a forced displacement and collective punishment in the Gaza strip.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., also introduced a resolution to censure Tlaib for her assertion last week that Israel bombed a hospital despite U.S. intelligence signaling it was the result of a misfired rocket from Hamas.
The bombing resulted in hundreds of deaths.
She accused Tlaib of inciting an ‘insurrection,’ referring to last week’s pro-Palestinian protest on Capitol Hill.
Hundreds of protesters swarmed the Capitol campus last week to demand a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian territory, and more than 300 were arrested. Tlaib spoke at the protest.