US measure to deepen Israel military cooperation faces bipartisan pushback

Democrat Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie say they will try to remove the pro-Israel section from US defence bill.

Two lawmakers in the United States Congress are pushing to repeal a section in an upcoming defence budget that would deepen integration between the US and Israeli militaries.

Their effort comes amid outcry against the latest draft of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a bill that sets the budget for the US military.

It includes a provision, dubbed Section 224, that would boost ties between the two militaries through the appointment of an “executive agent” to oversee joint technological development and coordination.

On Sunday, Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna said he would use his seat on the House Armed Services Committee to put forward an amendment to remove Section 224 from the bill.

His Republican colleague Thomas Massie also warned that, if the bill is approved by the committee, he would work to oppose it on the floor of the House of Representatives. He framed the issue as a question of US independence from foreign governments.

“We are a sovereign country,” Massie wrote on the social media platform X.

Khanna responded to Massie’s post, pledging to stand by the Kentucky Republican in opposing Section 224. He also denounced Republican President Donald Trump for attacking Massie, contributing to his primary defeat earlier this month.

“Trump can’t kill the Massie/Khanna partnership no matter how much he posts on Truth Social,” Khanna wrote.

Massie, a libertarian, and Khanna, a progressive, have formed an unlikely alliance to push forward anti-war measures and scrutinise US-Israeli policy. They also led the campaign to release government files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

It is not uncommon for the annual US military budget to be loaded with pro-Israel measures.

But the technological integration provision, which comes at a time of increased scepticism towards the US’s unconditional support for Israel, raised questions and protests over the past week.

Section 224 “would require the Secretary of Defense to designate an executive agent responsible for synchronising cooperative efforts between the United States and Israel,” the budget bill reads.

The executive agent would be in charge of overseeing a range of joint initiatives, “including bilateral defence technology research, development, testing, evaluation, integration, and industrial cooperation”.

Critics have expressed concern that the push may make US military aid to Israel less transparent, concealing it as cooperation rather than