More than 100 House Democrats support failed Massie bid to cut military aid to Israel

More than 100 House Democrats support failed Massie bid to cut military aid to Israel.

A slight majority of House Democrats voting on Wednesday backed Rep. Thomas Massie's amendment to cut military aid to Israel -- with even the party's leaders split in their votes. The amendment was soundly defeated after getting no support from Republicans with the exception of its sponsor.

In total, 103 Democrats voted in favor while 98 voted against, with another 10 abstaining. There are 212 Democrats currently in the House.

A number of progressive groups pointed to the widespread support among Democrats as a sign that the U.S.-Israel relationship is in need of a fundamental change. "This is a moment that signifies an end to the era of paying lip service to the need to change the reality in the region," the liberal Jewish Middle East policy group J Street wrote in a statement. J Street did not support the amendment, calling it "overly broad" and a "poorly drafted political stunt designed to divide Democrats."

Both the Democratic Majority for Israel and the Republican Jewish Coalition celebrated the amendment being blocked. "The House was right to reject Representative Thomas Massie's reckless amendment. It would have weakened Israel, emboldened Iran and its terrorist proxies, and undermined American security interests," DMFI said in a statement. In its response, the RJC wrote that "vociferous hostility to Israel is not the fringe, it is their future," and added, "Make no mistake, Thomas Massie is a voice of one in the Republican Party."

Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, wrote that Republicans pushed the vote forward as "a cynical political ploy," and that "Republicans and Democrats alike -- even many of those who voted for it -- haven't turned their back on Israel, recognizing there's a distinction between the people of Israel and the current Israeli government."

Rep. Katherine Clark wrote that she would be voting yes -- "not because I agree with the entirety of the amendment, or the GOP's cynical motivations for its consideration, but because I believe we must change course."