WASHINGTON: Protesters advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza caused a significant interruption during a Senate hearing featuring US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.
The hearing, which focused on the White House’s national security funding request of $106 billion, including $14.3 billion for supporting Israel’s military efforts against Hamas, was repeatedly disrupted by demonstrators.
As Secretary Blinken began his testimony, multiple protesters in the room stood up, shouting “Ceasefire now!” This forced several suspensions of the hearing, with Capitol Police ultimately escorting the demonstrators out of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. In total, 12 individuals were arrested for illegal protesting within the Senate building.
Among the protesters were members of the anti-war group CODEPINK, known for their calls to halt the supply of weapons to Ukraine. Many of them wore pink and displayed signs reading “No to the siege of Gaza,” as they urged the US to cease funding to Israel. Some protesters painted their hands red as a symbolic representation of bloodshed.
Secretary Blinken acknowledged the protesters’ presence and the emotions in the room, emphasizing the commitment to protecting civilian lives and acknowledging the ongoing suffering in conflict zones. He highlighted the importance of standing with allies while addressing the challenges of international crises.
The national security package being advocated by Blinken and Austin includes significant allocations for various purposes, such as $61.4 billion for Ukraine’s defence, $9.2 billion for humanitarian assistance, $2 billion for Indo-Pacific security, and $10.9 billion for southern border security and migrant issues.
However, as support for Ukraine has waned among some conservative voters, Congressional Republicans have proposed separate funding for Israel. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson introduced legislation to provide $14.3 billion in emergency funding to Israel, unrelated to the White House’s broader national security priorities. The proposed bill would redirect the same amount from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) budget.
Johnson defended his bill on Fox News, asserting that supporting Israel and protecting innocent lives in the region were national interests of higher priority than IRS funding. The White House responded by accusing Republicans of politicizing national security interests to benefit the wealthy and corporations, emphasizing that such a move is unacceptable.
Democratic Representative Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, who has strong ties to Israel, expressed her deep concern over Johnson’s bill and criticized it as “offensive to all pro-Israel Americans.” The debate over funding priorities reflects the complexities of allocating resources to address pressing national and international issues.
