Washington, DC June 27, 2007 164 Republicans voted against expanding aid to Israel last week, opposing the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill (H.R. 2674), ignoring pleas from groups such as AIPAC to support expanding aid to Israel to $2.4 billion. The legislation passed anyway by a margin of 241-178.

In 2004, and 2005 the GOP-run Congress cut aid to Israel.

This year the Democratic Congress proposed expanding aid to Israel $2.4 billion with increases over the next couple of years.

H.R. 2674 also contained strong language condemning the Arab League for its boycott of Israel, calling it an "impediment to peace in the region and to United States investment and trade in the Middle East and North Africa," demanding that "all Arab League states should normalize relations with their neighbor Israel" and calling on the Bush Administration to "report to Congress annually on specific steps being taken by the United States to encourage Arab League states to normalize their relations with Israel to bring about the termination of the Arab League boycott of Israel"
Republican Leadership Opposed Increase in Aid
Pelosi Conyers In a letter sent by the Republican leadership to their Members, Republicans were told: "Please advise your boss that Leadership will be voting NO on final passage of the Democrats' State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, and strongly encourage Republican Members to do the same."

The GOP leadership blamed their opposition to the bill on the repeal of the "Mexico City Declaration," a 1994 ban on foreign aid for family planning and contraception.

"The Republican opposition to the foreign aid bill does not necessarily mean that Republicans are anti-Israel, but it does show that when it comes to choosing between aid to Israel and the right-wing agenda, the GOP has differing priorities," said Congressman Howard Berman, who cited numerous times Democrats voted for Israel appropriation bills with unpalatable but unrelated provisions.

"This is just another sign that when it comes to supporting Israel, GOP action does not match the rhetoric," said Democrats for Israel President Andrew Lachman.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) writes that "by approving the foreign aid bill annually, and earmarking the critical funds for Israel, Congress reaffirms the strength and vitality of the U.S.-Israel relationship, boosts the American economy and helps to fulfill our nation's foreign policy objectives in the Middle East." (AIPAC Issue Brief, "Aid to Israel," 1/19/07).

"For years, support for the foreign aid bill has been a top priority of the pro-Israel community. This vote was a real blow to the bipartisan consensus that we've worked so hard to develop on Israel," said National Jewish Democratic Council Executive Director Ira Forman.