U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander was among more than half of Democrats who voted to cut off $3.3 billion in American aid to Israel.
Goodlander, who represents the second district and has received endorsements and campaign contributions from pro-Israel groups, said sending taxpayer money to Israel was incongruent with her vision of what “advances the interests and values” of the United States.
The vote came on an amendment to a State Department spending bill, in which Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky sought to strike $3.3 billion in aid to Israel. Despite the effort failing due to broad Republican support for Israel, 103 of the 211 House Democrats supported cutting off that funding — a notable shift, given just 37 of them voted for a similar crackdown two years ago.
U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, who represents the first district and is running for the Senate, abstained, voting simply that he was “present.”
Goodlander sought to straddle what has been a sticking point for Democrats, as the progressive wing of the party advocates against U.S. support for Israel in the midst of its war with Hamas, which has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians in Gaza.
In a statement released after the vote, Goodlander reiterated her “ironclad” support for Israel’s right to exist and for American support of its air-defense systems, which she said defend against shared enemies. At the same time, she called for a “reset” of the alliance between the U.S. and Israel and said it’s both unnecessary and antithetical to American values to continue subsidizing the Israeli military.
“My vote today reflects my belief that the United States and Israel should forge a more normal partnership, built not on dependence and aid, but on shared interests, shared principles and mutual accountability as we promote the dignity and security of Israelis and Palestinians alike,” Goodlander said.
Pappas, like Goodlander, has received thousands of dollars from pro-Israel groups. He did not support or oppose the move to cut off funding.
He argued that cutting off aid to Israel would also “hamstring our humanitarian efforts” by limiting funding for programs that support Palestinians. He echoed concerns that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions could undermine U.S. security.
“This path won’t lead to peace, only to more war and instability,” Pappas said in a statement. “The United States must stand for security and self-determination for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
Some progressives, nationally and in New Hampshire, are making the U.S.’s relationship with Israel part of their campaigns, calling on Congress to both stop supporting Israel’s war with Hamas and stop taking money from Israel-aligned organizations.
Goodlander’s and Pappas’s left-leaning challengers — Nashua Democratic state Rep. Paige Beauchemin and Exeter scientist Karishma Manzur, respectively — have echoed some of those sentiments.
Manzur, for example, writes on her campaign website that she’d oppose sending weapons to any foreign government that violates human rights and would advocate for strict oversight of U.S. military aid. Beauchemin espouses a “people first, not war” philosophy and supports doing more to support Palestinians.
