United States: House approves $ 1 billion for Israel's "Iron Dome"

The US House of Representatives on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a new billion dollar envelope to fund Israel's "

" missile shield

, after controversy sparked earlier this week by its sudden withdrawal from another vote.

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The text was approved by 420 votes to nine (eight Democrats and one Republican), while two Democratic parliamentarians present abstained. It must then be submitted to the final vote of the Senate, on a date which has not yet been fixed. The United States has participated regularly for ten years in the financing of this anti-missile system.

By the end of 2020, Congress had approved $ 1.6 billion in spending on maintenance and components for the "

," through votes each time supported broadly in the Democratic and Republican camps. But on Tuesday, that new billion dollar envelope was suddenly taken out of a budget bill in the House. According to American media, this decision was taken under pressure from certain elected officials in the left wing of the Democrats, who threatened to vote against the finance law if it contained this measure.

Party leaders, who have a very fragile majority, immediately said the funds would be approved quickly through another channel.

"

" said Democratic President of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi in the hemicycle.

“

"

," she insisted, as if to respond to criticism from Democrats who are opposed to its funding.

Read alsoControversy in the US Congress over funds intended for the Israeli "iron dome"

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett thanked the House after the vote for "

."

“

” he said in a statement.