US aid to Israel takes a partisan turn

Julian Pecquet

Sep 20, 2016

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 20: Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) (L) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) hold a news conference about military assistance to Israel at the U.S. Capitol September 20, 2016 in Washington, DC. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is threatening to stall approval of an agreement on military assistance between the U.S. and Israel by introducing legislation that would boost the aid above what the countries agreed on. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) — Republican Sens. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire (L) and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina hold a news conference about military assistance to Israel at the US Capitol in Washington, Sept. 20, 2016. — GETTY/Chip Somodevilla

US assistance to Israel took a partisan turn Sept. 20 as a hawkish group of Senate Republicans tore into President Barack Obama's record-breaking $38 billion aid package.

Seven lawmakers signed on to legislation from Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., that would provide an extra $1.5 billion in missile defense and direct assistance to Israel's military next fiscal year. They object to the White House's efforts to short-circuit unsolicited annual aid hikes by Congress as well as the elimination of a 26% carve-out for Israel's domestic defense industry instead of US weapons-makers.