House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters a top Democrat will no longer try to block the Biden administration from a $735 million sale of precision-guided missiles to Israel.
Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks had been considering sending a letter to the Biden administration to halt the sale in the wake of the violence in the region.
But he’s dropped those plans, Hoyer said.
“It is my understanding from Chairman Meeks that he’s not going to send a letter, and the reason is the administration has agreed to have some discussions with the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee,” Hoyer said.
The arms sale angered some liberal Democrats who want Israel to stop firing missiles at Gaza.
Israel fired the missiles at Gaza against a barrage of rocket attacks launched by the terrorist group Hamas.
Meeks told Democrats that the arms sale caught him by surprise.
Congress was notified of the sale on May 5, and a chance to issue a nonbinding resolution of disapproval has lapsed.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, tweeted that the $735 million munitions sale “would be appalling … in the wake of escalating violence and attacks on civilians.”
Other Democrats said President Joe Biden’s decision to provide more weapons to Israel would undercut a ceasefire.
Meeks “indicated that he is going to pursue discussions with the administration on this,” Hoyer said.
The Israeli-Gaza fight has divided Congress.
Republicans say calling for a ceasefire equates Israel with Hamas, a recognized terrorist group that initiated the fighting over a disputed land.
Hoyer said he sides with Biden, who on Monday repeated congressional Democrats’ calls for a ceasefire in the region. Hoyer said he supports the right of Israel to defend itself against the attacks.
“I support the president in his efforts to work to bring the violence to an end,” Hoyer said. “However, I reiterate what president has reiterated — that the terrorist Hamas, a terrorist organization who has made it very clear that they want to see Israel obliterated from the Middle East and the Jewish state to be destroyed.”
