'Unconscionable': Republicans slam effort to couple aid to Israel with aid to Ukraine

'Our primary focus should be on addressing those who are openly chanting Death to America'

Joe Biden meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023, in the Oval Office. (Official White House photo by Adam Schultz)

By Arjun Singh Daily Caller News Foundation

• Several House Republicans oppose an aid package to Israel for its war against Hamas that includes funding for Ukraine, saying that the two threats are “completely different in their size, scope, aims and tactics,” in comments to the Daily Caller News Foundation.

• The Biden administration signaled on Wednesday that it would present a military aid package to Congress that includes funding for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan as well as funding for security of the U.S. border with Mexico.

• “The suggestion of combining aid for Israel and Ukraine into one package, as proposed by some Department of Defense officials, is unconscionable,” said Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado to the DCNF.

Several House Republicans are unwilling to support a proposal that would appropriate foreign military aid to both Israel and Ukraine, according to their comments to the Daily Caller News Foundation.

After Israel was attacked by Hamas terrorists from the Gaza Strip beginning on Oct. 7 — which has left nearly 2,000 people dead, including 22 U.S. citizens, and led to Israel declaring war against the group — the Biden administration and leaders of both parties in Congress have signaled their willingness to provide Israel with military aid for its operations against Hamas. However, some conservative Republicans in Congress have said they are unwilling to support an aid package to Israel that also includes funding for Ukraine, which they have repeatedly opposed, according to their comments to the DCNF.

“I don’t support tying funding together for Israel and Ukraine. This administration always seems to try and find a work-around to get Ukraine their money. Israel is one of our strongest allies – Ukraine is not,” said Republican Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee in a statement to the DCNF.

A report by NBC News on Wednesday claimed that the Biden administration plans to submit a supplemental appropriations request to Congress regarding Israel that includes funding for aid to Ukraine, as well as aid to Taiwan and enhancements to border security along the U.S. border with Mexico, which have been a top demand for conservatives.

Disagreements over aid to Ukraine have been a top issue during negotiations to fund the government for Fiscal Year 2024, with conservative Republicans staunchly opposing any more money for the country, which is currently at war with Russia. However, many centrist Republicans in the House as well as most senators of both parties support maintaining aid to Ukraine.

“The suggestion of combining aid for Israel and Ukraine into one package, as proposed by some Department of Defense officials, is unconscionable. Ukraine has already received over $100 billion in unaudited dollars from us,” said Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado to the DCNF. “Israel is facing a crisis unlike any they’ve experienced before … [o]ur primary focus should be on addressing those who are openly chanting ‘Death to America,'” she said, referring to Hamas.

Israel has reportedly requested military assistance from the Biden administration for its response to Hamas. A source speaking on background with the DCNF said that the U.S. government has the flexibility to provide military assistance to Israel in the short term even without congressional authorization.

“Washington has a bad habit of lumping aid packages/bills together so members can avoid explaining contentious votes to constituents,” wrote a spokesperson for Republican Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado to the DCNF, indicating that he would not support a unified aid package. “Hamas and Russia are both grave national security threats to the U.S. but are completely different in their size, scope, aims, and tactics,” the spokesperson added.

On Tuesday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey introduced a bill that would send $2 billion in U.S. military aid to Israel for its “Iron Dome” system, an anti-missile battery that protects the country from rocket attacks from Gaza. The bill does not contain any funding for Ukraine, which has since lapsed following the enactment of a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown on Sept. 30, which did not include such funding.

The White House did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.

This story originally was published by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

https://www.wnd.com/2023/10/unconscionable-republicans-slam-effort-couple-aid-israel-aid-ukraine/