Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz thanked the Senate for approving $13 billion in military aid, saying the initiative sent a “strong message” to the country’s enemies.
Star Online Desk
Wednesday April 24, 2024 11:28 AM Last Updated: Wednesday April 24, 2024 11:28 AM
The US Parliament building known as the US Capitol. Photo: AFP
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The US Parliament building known as the US Capitol. Photo: AFP
After the US House of Representatives passed a bill to provide military aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, it easily passed the upper house, the Senate. It has already been nearly seven months of Israel’s all-out, indiscriminate assault on Gaza.
The news agency AFP reported this information on Wednesday.
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These approvals come as the 201st day of the Gaza war has passed.
The Palestinian armed organization Hamas launched an ambush on Israeli territory on October 7. About 1,170 people were killed in this attack. 250 people were taken hostage by Hamas.
In response to this attack, Israel has been conducting indiscriminate ground and air strikes on Gaza for nearly seven months.
According to the data provided by the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 34 thousand 183 people have been killed so far in this attack, most of them women and children.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz thanked the Senate for approving $13 billion in military aid, saying the initiative sent a “strong message” to the country’s enemies.
“I thank the US Senate for approving the Israeli aid package tonight based on bipartisan majority consensus,” he added.
Katz made the announcement in a social media post shortly after the US Congress gave final approval.
He added, ‘The Israel aid package has now been approved by both houses of Congress and is a clear demonstration of the strength of our coalition; Which sends a strong message to all our enemies.’
He thanked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrat, and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, for their “unwavering commitment to Israel’s security.” “No one can ever break the Israel-US strategic partnership,” he noted.
After months of delay, the US Congress (House of Representatives and Senate) easily passed the Foreign Aid Bill on Tuesday. The bill also includes military aid for Israel as well as Ukraine and Taiwan.
The upper house of Congress, the Senate, approved four bills worth $95 billion (9,500 crore) to US partners in Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region. The bills were approved by a vote of 79-18. While most of the aid is military, it also includes some humanitarian aid.
Earlier on Saturday, Republican leaders in the lower house of Congress passed these bills in a vote, changing their previous position.
In the Senate, the bill was presented as a package of four. The first bill calls for the largest amount of $61 billion (6,100 crores) in emergency funding for Ukraine.
The second bill calls for $26 billion (2,600 million) in humanitarian aid to Israel and civilians in conflict-affected areas.
Joe Biden on the campaign trail in Atlanta. Photo: Reuters
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Joe Biden on the campaign trail in Atlanta. Photo: Reuters
The third bill includes $8.12 billion (8.12 billion) in aid to ‘counter China’s influence’ in the Indo-Pacific region, primarily intended for Taiwan.
The fourth bill was added to the package by the House of Representatives last week. The bill includes measures to ban the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok, move to transfer seized Russian assets to Ukraine, and impose new sanctions on Iran.
Senate approval was required for these bills to take effect. The bills will now be sent to Biden for his signature. After his signature, the bill will become law. Then there will be no obstacles for the Biden administration to provide military and humanitarian aid to Israel and Ukraine.
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