DISGRACE: Senate Votes Down Measure to Defund Those Who Deny Israel’s Right to Exist

WASHINGTON (VINnews) — The Senate on Thursday rejected a measure by GOP Senator Rand Paul to prohibit federal funding to the West Bank and Gaza unless they met certain stipulations, including acknowledging Israel’s right to exist.

In a 44-50 vote, senators rejected the conservative Kentucky senator’s amendment to the stopgap funding bill (which ultimately passed). The amendment would have prohibited US assistance to governing entities in the West Bank and Gaza unless their leadership met certain requirements including acknowledging Israel’s right to exist, renouncing Hamas and the Oct. 7 attacks and ensuring all hostages are released.

“That kind of barbarism cannot and should not be rewarded with American taxpayer dollars,” Paul said.

Democrat Sen. Benjamin Cardin (Md.) argued against the amendment, saying it would cut off access to critical supplies like medicines for innocent Palestinians.

“Our ally Israel is at war with Hamas terrorists, not at war against the Palestinian people,” he said.

The Paul amendment had a 60-vote threshold.

“The only thing consistent about American foreign aid is that the money continues to flow, regardless of the behavior of the recipients,” Paul said. “You would think with the massacre and everything else why would we be giving any money to the Palestinians … shouldn’t they have to do something to earn the money?”

He added: “The time has come for the United States to mean what it says in the defense of human rights.”

Paul’s amendment would also have required a report from the State Department on human rights practices by the Palestinian Authority within 30 days of the passage of the bill.

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