Austin and Blinken call on Congress to approve assistance for Israel and Ukraine.
YUG News – Austin and Blinken call on Congress to approve assistance for Israel and Ukraine. As the House of Representatives prepares to examine legislation that would exclusively assist Israel, the Biden administration asked Congress on Tuesday to accept its $105 billion national security supplemental request that includes backing for both Israel and Ukraine.
Separating aid for Ukraine from backing for Israel, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, may give opponents like Russia and Iran more confidence.
Separating aid for Ukraine from backing for Israel, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, may give opponents like Russia and Iran more confidence.
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2. Blinken said before a Senate hearing ( Austin and Blinken )
Blinken said before a Senate hearing on Tuesday that for our opponents, whether they are states or non-state actors, this is all one battle, and we must react accordingly. They’ll notice it if we begin to take portions of this box apart. They will realize that we are playing whack-a-mole when they collaborate with us more and more.
The proposal includes cash for border security, humanitarian relief, and Indo-Pacific projects, with $61.4 billion going to Ukraine and $14.3 billion going to Israel. The Defense Department provides financing for Israel’s military and the Ukraine’s military to equip them with weaponry.
A number of senators voiced worry that Hamas would obtain the approximately $10 billion allocated for humanitarian relief in the proposal.
We are collaborating with the Egyptian government, the Israeli government, the UN agencies, and other stakeholders to ensure that help reaches Gaza’s needy while avoiding Hamas, the group that doesn’t deserve it, Blinken added.
Blinken was questioned about his ability to ensure that Hamas would not utilize any public funds provided by the United States to help Gaza. A “robust inspection” of any humanitarian money is conducted, Blinken stated, without providing a clear response.
In testimony alongside Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin argued in favor of continuing to back Ukraine in its counteroffensive against Russia.
Austin warned the senators that Putin is hoping the United States loses interest in the long term and said, “I can guarantee you that without our support, Putin will be successful.”
Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, urged that help for Ukraine be remembered, cautioning that the country was now at “the bottom of the barrel” and that soon its weapons would run out of ammunition.
3. The Pentagon
Since Russia invaded in February 2022, the Pentagon has drawn down around $44 billion worth of materiel from Defense Department inventories for Ukraine. The Pentagon stated on Tuesday that until Congress approves more funds, there is only around $5.4 billion in drawdown authority remaining. These drawdowns have been ongoing since the end of the fiscal year.
Republicans in Congress are split on whether to combine assistance for Ukraine with support for Israel, which is why there will be a push for Ukraine help during Tuesday’s Senate session.
Recently appointed House Speaker Mike Johnson has voted against aid to Ukraine, while House Republicans this week unveiled a bill that would only back Israel. However, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell stated on Tuesday that he thinks funding for border security and the Indo-Pacific region should be combined with funding for Israel and Ukraine’s shared issues.
More information concerning Americans stuck in Gaza who are still unable to leave via the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt was also given by Blinken. He informed Congress that around 400 American citizens—1,000 total, including family members of the citizens—are attempting to flee Gaza at the moment. According to Blinken, American people have received communications from the State Department via What’s App, emails, and phone calls.
4. Senator Jeff Merkley ( Austin and Blinken )
Senator Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon, reported that the State Department texted a family in his state three times telling them to travel to the Rafah border crossing. However, the gate was never open when the family visited the border crossing.
Blinken said that Hamas was the “impediment” to letting the Americans go. According to Blinken, there were times when the State Department believed it would be able to evacuate Americans only to discover that Hamas was impeding the processes that would have allowed them to go.
Throughout his first speech, Blinken was repeatedly stopped by demonstrators yelling “ceasefire now” and “The United States is endorsing a heinous slaughter.” Blinken identified these protestors as he wrapped up his speech.
I can also definitely hear the emotions being conveyed both within and outside of this room,” he remarked. All of us are committed to protecting civilian life. We are all aware of the misery that exists right now. We’re all committed to seeing it through. ( Austin and Blinken )
