Rep. Maxine Waters dismissed Iran’s recent attack on Israel as “fake” during a House Democrat Conference meeting. She claimed that Israel did not need to retaliate for what she deemed as a fabricated attack from Iran. Iran launched 320 drones and missiles at Israel in response to a previous strike in Damascus, which resulted in minimal damage and only one injury, with the majority of the missiles intercepted by defense systems from Israel, US, British, French, and Jordanian forces.
Iran had reportedly given the US 72 hours notice prior to the attack, although American officials have denied receiving any communication from Tehran. The attack led House Speaker Mike Johnson to move forward with foreign aid bills, including $26.38 billion in assistance for Israel, with a final vote expected on Saturday. The House Democratic conference has become divided over the Middle East conflict, with tensions rising during discussions on Israel, prompting Rep. Rashida Tlaib to leave the meeting.
Tlaib has been outspoken about her opposition to providing aid to Israel, accusing the country of carrying out genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and criticizing her colleagues for wanting to send more tax dollars to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, called for unity among colleagues but did not provide specific directives on handling the Republican infighting over proposed aid to Ukraine. Tlaib previously supported a campaign in Michigan where over 100,000 voters marked themselves as “uncommitted” in protest of Biden’s support for Israel.
The House Democratic conference continues to be divided on the issue of Middle East conflict, particularly regarding aid to Israel and the ongoing violence in Gaza. Waters and Tlaib have expressed strong views against providing financial assistance to Israel, accusing the country of genocide and calling out their colleagues for supporting aid packages. Tensions have been high in recent meetings, with Tlaib storming out of one session in response to discussions on Israel. The upcoming vote on foreign aid bills, including assistance for Israel, is expected to further exacerbate these divides within the party.
The situation in the Middle East, particularly with regard to Israel and Gaza, has sparked strong reactions and tensions within the House Democratic conference. Waters’ dismissal of Iran’s attack on Israel as fake and Tlaib’s accusations of genocide have added fuel to the debate over providing aid to Israel. The planned vote on foreign aid bills, which includes substantial assistance for Israel, is expected to be contentious, with members divided on how to proceed. The ongoing conflict in the region, combined with differing views on US involvement and support for Israel, has created rifts within the party that could impact future decisions and relations with foreign partners.
