Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
United States of America remove aid for military Israel amounting to US$1 billion or around Rp. 14.2 trillion from the draft budget law because a number of members of the parliament objected.
Reuters reported that lawmakers removed the aid from the draft state budget at a meeting on Tuesday (21/9).
Initially, there was a heated debate between the two parties within the Democratic Party in the DPR. Several Democrats objected to one of the provisions in the interim budget bill.
The point relates to the provision of additional funding for Israel to refresh their Iron Dome missile defense system.
Members of the House of Representatives from the Democratic party objected to this policy because many Palestinian victims fell during attacks between Israel and the Hamas group in the Gaza Strip.
The Iron Dome itself plays a role in repelling rockets fired by Hamas. Israel claims, as many as 4,350 rockets launched successfully repelled Iron Dome.
Meanwhile, another camp in the Democratic Party considers this aid to the Israeli military important amid regional tensions.
As a result of this dispute, the DPR Regulation Committee temporarily suspended the session. In the end, the House Feasibility Committee stated that the additional funds would be included in the next budget, not the current one.
After that, the leader of the majority of the House, Steny Hoyer, said that he would submit a bill to fund Israel’s missile defense system at the end of this week. He hopes this bill can pass.
“We have to do it, it’s very important,” Hoyer said.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Foreign Minister, Yair Lapid, considered the abolition of the budget only a delay due to technical reasons.
Lapid said that members of the House of Representatives from the Democratic Party had assured him that the funds for the Iron Dome would be sent soon.
(isa/has)
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