House Democratic leadership on Tuesday opted not to whip votes on a controversial amendment that would cut billions in U.S. aid to Israel, a move that underscores the party’s growing internal rift over the Jewish state. The amendment, sponsored by fiscal conservative Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), targets $3.3 billion in annual security assistance provided under a 2016 U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding.
The measure is attached to a pending national security and State Department spending bill, and its text explicitly prohibits any funds from the act from being used for Israel. Massie’s proposal has exposed a generational and ideological split among Democrats, with younger progressives increasingly critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and its conduct in the Gaza war.
‘Never Seen Anything Like It’
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), a veteran lawmaker, expressed astonishment at the intensity of the debate during a closed-door caucus meeting. “I’ve been around a long time, I’ve never seen it,” he said, adding that discussions centered on Netanyahu’s leadership and the deep unpopularity of the Israeli leader among young Democratic voters. Many in that demographic view Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, launched after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack, as a genocide, and they have also raised alarms about Israeli policies in the West Bank.
Thompson described the core question as whether to “cut off resources for Israel at this point” or pursue a more diplomatic approach. The divide is reflected in polling: a March Pew survey found that 80% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents hold an unfavorable view of Israel, up from 69% in 2025 and 53% in 2022. Among Democrats under 50, 47% have a very unfavorable view.
Mixed Reactions Within the Caucus
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) called the amendment “poorly drafted,” arguing it would inadvertently cut funding for U.S. embassy operations in Israel. Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) echoed that concern, describing it as “overly broad.” Yet both sought to downplay the discord. “We all agreed that, however people vote, we’re all on the same team,” Jacobs said.
Progressive Reps. Greg Casar (D-Texas) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) have voiced support for the Massie bill. Casar, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, wrote on X that Israel committed war crimes in Gaza and dragged the U.S. into conflict with Iran, adding, “Americans should not be financing more weapons for Netanyahu.” He acknowledged the amendment’s potential to cut both military and diplomatic funding but said opposing the billions in military aid is paramount.
The amendment is expected to fail, with most Republicans backing strong U.S.-Israel ties. But the vote will put a spotlight on vulnerable Democrats, as activist groups on both sides of the issue target incumbents. The recent primary defeat of five-term Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) by a democratic socialist who criticized Israel, and the ouster of Rep. Cory Bush (D-Mo.) by AIPAC-backed challenger Wesley Bell, highlight the electoral stakes. For more on how these dynamics play out in races, see our coverage of Maine Democrats facing reckoning over a candidate's past.
Broader Political Context
Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) urged members not to lose sight of the larger goal: countering President Trump’s domestic agenda. The amendment vote comes amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which took effect in October 2025 but has been marred by violations. Trump’s peace plan, under his “Board of Peace,” has made little progress on disarming Hamas or reconstruction. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party’s internal battles over Israel are part of a broader ideological struggle, as seen in the surge of democratic socialism driven by anti-Trump unity.
The Massie amendment may ultimately fail, but it has already laid bare a party in transition—one where the once-unquestioned support for Israel is now a source of fierce debate.
