In a letter sent Friday to White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, 26 Democrats in Congress said they're "deeply concerned" about the message the Biden administration is sending to Hamas and other Iranian-backed terrorist proxies by withholding weapons shipments to Israel at a critical moment.
The representatives called for a classified briefing about the White House's decision to "better understand how and when" the aid authorized and appropriated by Congress for Israel will be delivered.
The representatives said they fear US public disputes with Israel only emboldens mutual enemies like Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and other Iranian-backed proxies and buttresses their agenda of "chaos, brutality, and hate" and makes a hostage deal even harder to achieve.
The push to support Israel amid cooling ties
"With democracy under assault around the world, we cannot undermine our ally Israel, especially in her greatest hour of need. America’s commitments must always be ironclad," the letter said.
The US has a duty to equip Israel with the resources it needs to defend itself and "crush the terrorists" who also seek to do America harm, free all hostages, continue delivering critical humanitarian aid to innocent civilians in Gaza and "stand by our democratic allies around the world," the letter said.
The letter was signed by reps. Josh Gottheimer (NJ), Jared Golden (ME), Costa (CA-21), Davis (NC-1), Lois Frankel (FL), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA) Vicente Gonzalez (TX), Steven Horsford (NV), Greg Landsman (OH), Susie Lee (NV), Kathy Manning (NC), Grace Meng (NY), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Donald Norcross (N), Frank Pallone (NJ), Jimmy Panetta (CA), Patrick Ryan (NY), Brad Schneider (IL), Darren Soto (FL-9), Haley Stevens (MI), Tom Suozzi (NY), Norma Torres (CA), Ritchie Torres (NY), Juan Vargas (CA), Marc Veasey (TX) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL).