Although this amendment failed, it brings up an important question: Should we even be funding the Palestinian government in the first place?
From Fox News. Senate Democrats voted down an amendment on Thursday to freeze aid to any Palestinian government until hostages held by Hamas are released and the Palestinian Authority renounces the terrorist group.
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The measure, proposed by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., failed to reach the required 60 votes needed. The final tally was 44 in favor and 50 against the measure.
A total of 47 Democrats, plus the three independent senators, voted against the amendment. Only one Democrat — Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V. — cast a vote in favor of the amendment.
… Sens. Lindsey Graham, John Barrasso, John Kennedy and Rick Scott — did not cast a vote. …
The amendment would have barred aid to the Palestinian Authority, or any other Palestinian governing entity in the West Bank and Gaza, until certain conditions were met — like formally renouncing the Ot. 7 terror attacks on Israel.
“We speak of human rights but reward those who violate them,” Paul said on the floor. “We can no longer afford empty rhetoric. It makes no sense to borrow money from China and turn around and give that money away to foreign countries. It is fiscally irresponsible, and it is weakening our national security. America must demand a change, a change in behavior from those who do not accept Israel’s right to exist from those who actively seek the destruction of the State of Israel and murder innocent Israelis.”
Paul proposed the amendment to the short-term spending bill that extends funding for government agencies until March. Congress is anticipated to pass the bill by the end of Thursday before sending it to President Biden’s desk. …
According to the amendment, the Department of State’s West Bank and Gaza 2022 Human Rights Report identified significant human rights issues with the Palestinian Authority, “including credible reports of unlawful or arbitrary killings.” …
What do you think of the amendment? Would you have wanted it to pass? Share your thoughts and prayers below.
(Excerpt from Fox News. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America – Rand Paul, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons)