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The White House is speaking out against a Republican-led bill that would force President Biden to stop withholding military shipments to Israel.
Republicans in the House of Representatives introduced the Israel Security Assistance Support Act over the weekend, which would “[compel] the expeditious delivery of approved defense articles and services to Israel, including third-party deliveries.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre spoke out against the bill at her Monday press conference, claiming it put restraints on the president’s ability to fulfill foreign policy objectives.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
“We strongly, strongly oppose attempts to constrain the president’s ability to deploy U.S. security assistance consistent with U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives,” said Jean-Pierre at the Monday press briefing.
Biden has so far withheld one shipment of weapons covered by the Israeli aid package passed in Congress last month.
Jean-Pirre told reporters at the press conference that the Biden administration intends to eventually follow through with all $17 billion of aid approved by Congress.
BIDEN UNDER INVESTIGATION AFTER THREAT TO ISRAEL’S OFFENSIVE AID: ‘PLAYING POLITICAL GAMES’
Israeli soldiers gather near the Israeli-Gaza border in southern Israel before they enter Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
“It is our objective, as well, that we plan to spend every last cent appropriated consistent with legal obligations, including in the recent […] national security supplemental that was just passed,” she said.
The White House’s unclear intentions regarding fulfilling the Israeli aid package has threatened to rupture the Democratic Party.
Twenty-six Democrats signed a letter to the president last week expressing concern about “the message the Administration is sending to Hamas and other Iranian-backed terrorist proxies.”
President Joe Biden walks on the tarmac as he arrives on Air Force One at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
After President Biden gave his ultimatum of withholding offensive weapons to the Jewish state if Israel were to launch an invasion of Rafah, rocket attacks rained down on Israel on Friday from Rafah, with more rockets fired on Saturday.
Hamas launched rockets from Rafah at the southern Israeli city of Beersheva on Friday for the first time since December, as Iranian proxy Hezbollah sent a barrage of rockets into the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona, causing a massive fire.
Fox News Digital’s Benjamin Weinthal contributed to this report.
Timothy Nerozzi is a writer for Fox News Digital. You can follow him on Twitter @timothynerozzi and can email him at timothy.nerozzi@fox.com
