The majority of new Republican representatives in Congress have signed on to a letter committing to current levels of defense assistance to Israel.
Among the 87 first-year members, 65 have signed the letter initiated by Reps. Robert Dold (R-Ill.) and Austin Scott (R-Ga.) to the party’s House leadership.
“As Israel faces threats from escalating instability in Egypt, Hezbollah rockets in Lebanon, Hamas terrorists in Gaza and the existential danger posed by Iran’s nuclear program, full U.S. security assistance to Israel, including supporting Israel’s acquisition of the Iron Dome defense system, has never been more important for our own national security interests,” said the letter, which was still accruing signatures as of Feb. 22.
The appeal — and the support it garnered — is significant because it answers questions pro-Israel groups had about the 2011 class of GOP freshmen, many of them spurred to office by the tea party movement, which has cost cutting as its central focus.
The letter is a sign that President Barack Obama’s proposal last week to maintain levels of funding for Israel, currently at about $3 billion annually, will be untouched. — jta