A faction of U.S. Democratic lawmakers is calling for a halt to military spending legislation until the Senate discusses proposals aimed at strengthening ties with Israel, signaling increasing apprehension within the party regarding support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration.
In a letter obtained by Reuters, led by Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, these lawmakers urged their colleagues to oppose the advancement of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) until measures to enhance U.S.-Israel military and intelligence cooperation can be debated.
This initiative underscores a significant shift among Democrats, where support for Israel has become a more contentious issue leading up to the November elections. Some legislators are re-evaluating a policy that has historically enjoyed broad bipartisan consensus.
"As Senate Democrats, we should not be providing votes compelling him (President Donald Trump) to deepen the U.S. relationship with Netanyahu's extremist government," the lawmakers stated in their "Dear Colleague" correspondence.
Recent polling indicates a changing public sentiment. A Reuters/Ipsos poll last month revealed that one in four Americans considered the conflict with Iran to be worthwhile. Furthermore, Israel's favorability rating among Democrats has declined sharply, falling from 59% in 2018 to 22% in May, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling data.
The letter was also endorsed by Democratic Senators Jeff Merkley (Oregon), Ed Markey (Massachusetts), Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts), and Senator Peter Welch (Vermont), along with Independent Senator Bernie Sanders (Vermont), who aligns with the Democratic caucus.
Congress is currently in the process of formulating this year's NDAA, which authorizes a substantial portion of President Trump's proposed $1.5 trillion military budget. Both House and Senate committee versions of the bill contain provisions designed to deepen U.S.-Israel defense collaboration.
Additionally, an early draft of the fiscal 2027 Intelligence Authorization Act, typically bundled with the NDAA, aims to intensify intelligence-sharing arrangements with Israel, as detailed in the letter.
