The Iron Dome is Israel’s missile-interception system. Its purpose is purely defensive, i.e., to protect Israeli civilians from incoming rockets. Late Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 395-8 for a $225 million package to help Israel replenish the Iron Dome system. The bill, which was approved earlier by the Senate in a voice vote, now goes to President Obama.
One of the eight House members to vote against funding was Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-Texas. Via the El Paso Times:
“I could not in good conscience vote for borrowing $225 million more to send to Israel, without debate and without discussion, in the midst of a war that has cost more than a thousand civilian lives already, too many of them children,” O’Rourke said in a statement.
…
O’Rourke added that he is not opposed to the Iron Dome, and has voted for its funding in the past. On June 14, he voted for the National Defense Authorization Act that allowed an additional $15 million to improve Iron Dome capabilities, he said.
Before the House vote on Friday, a tweeter who believes Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians urged O’Rourke to “vote no” on the grounds that funding the Iron Dome means “funding atrocities.” Although the tweet does not explicitly state that the Iron Dome is an atrocity, it is clearly implied:
Recommended
@RepBetoORourke Vote no on any funding to the Iron Dome or to Israel. Stop funding atrocities.
— Mosh Miller (@Mosh_Lives) August 1, 2014
That got a RT from O’Rourke, which he quietly deleted 36 minutes later. Here’s that screencap again:
Of course, retweets are not necessarily endorsements, but they certainly can be interesting.
(Image of deleted tweet via Politwoops.)
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