10 Oct, 2023 04:47

White House hopes to merge Ukraine and Israeli aid -- media

The measure could push pro-Israel Republicans to support new assistance for Kiev

Top White House officials are considering whether to include more Ukraine funding in an emergency aid package for Israel, multiple news outlets have reported. One staffer suggested the move would force “far-right”lawmakers to authorize additional aid for Kiev.

Though President Joe Biden had already announced that military assistance was “on its way” to Israel following a surprise attack by Palestinian militants over the weekend, the White House has signaled that it would soon ask Congress to approve additional aid for the Jewish state.

Lawmakers in both parties and senior administration officials have hinted that the aid package could also include provisions for Ukraine, unnamed sources told the Washington Post, NBC News and other outlets on Monday.

Though no final decision has been made, one anonymous official told the Post that the move would be wise because it “jams the far right” -- referring to Republicans who vocally support Israel but are skeptical of continued aid to Ukraine. White House spokesman John Kirby, meanwhile, declined to say whether the two aid packages would be linked, only stating “We believe both are important.”

While debate over the aid is likely to be contentious, the Pentagon has insisted that it has plenty of weapons for all US partners. During a background briefing on Monday, a senior defense official told reporters thatWashington could “continue our support both to Ukraine, Israel, and maintain our own global readiness,” noting that the US has been able to meet “every request that our Israeli counterparts have made.” (Really? What has been the Pentagon been doing with the foreign invasion of terrorists into out southern border? This is how much this government hates the American people!)

Israel is among the largest recipients of US foreign aid, taking in some $3.3 billion in American tax dollars in 2022 alone-- a comparable amount to previous years – according to US government statistics. Since the conflict with Russia escalated in February 2022,Ukrainehas also become a major beneficiary, with the White House approving at least$45 billion in direct military aidthrough 47 separate transfers.

Both Republicans and Democrats have largely voiced support for Israel after the deadly Hamas attack early on Saturday morning, which has prompted harsh retaliation by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and an intense bombing campaign on Gaza. More than 1,500 people have been killed on both sides of the conflict so far, while Palestinian fighters claim to have captured more than 100 Israeli and foreign hostages during their raids.

Thousands of Israelis and Palestinians have evacuated their homes due to the violent flare-up, while the IDF has called on 300,000 reservists as it mobilizes for a larger conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that his country was in a state of “war” as the attack unfolded, and said on Monday thatthe military response was “just getting started.”

(I suspect Bidan Admin allowed this attack on Israel, along with Israel allowing it to divert attention to all of Bidan’s failures and poor polling. Israel ignored it because they really want to glass Gaza out of existence along with Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. Bidan is using it because first, his money laundering through Kiev is coming to and end and will now work with Israel to become the new tap. Bidan is also doing it because Trump is far ahead of him in all polls; and they cannot do another indictment because that is having the opposite effect. Bidan can never be a wartime president, he actually creates wars, but the NWO is desperate to continue the charade he is president.)

https://www.rt.com/news/584507-israel-ukraine-aid-package/