(i24 News) The American Israel Political Action Committee (AIPAC) hailed the US lawmakers after a bill including $3.8 billion in defense assistance for Israel cleared both chambers of Congress, Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported Friday.
The funding comes as part of the National Defense Authorization Act; its House version was approved Tuesday 295 to 125, while the Senate cast its votes, 86 in support and 14 against the bill, Thursday.
Earlier this year, the aid for Israel emerged as one of the points of contention on the left wing of the US political scene.
A number of progressive Democrat presidential candidates, including, most notably, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, said they were willing to leverage this assistance in the ties with the Jewish state as a pressure tool.
However, Joe Biden, the presumptive challenger to US President Donald Trump, said on multiple occasions that he would not make the aid conditional on any policies by Israel.
While the White House threatened to veto the bill as it orders renaming all military facilities bearing names of Confederate leaders and generals. However, both the House and the Senate appear to have enough votes to override the veto.
AIPAC praised the defense funding for the Jewish state, saying it “will help Israel protect itself against continuing security threats.”
