ADL prez blasts Dem 'Squad' for 'unconscionable' defunding of Israel's Iron Dome: 'Emboldens Hamas, Hezbollah'

The president of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) blasted the members of the Democratic "Squad" for the defunding of Israel's Iron Dome defense system from the massive spending bill. 

Responding to an op-ed published by The Times of Israel titled "The immorality of Democratic ‘progressives’ targeting Iron Dome," ADL president Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted, "It is unconscionable that a small group of Members of Congress -- the so-called 'Squad' -- demanded that the House leadership strip out funding for Israel’s Iron Dome before they would approve the [continuing resolution]."

DEMOCRATS STRIP $1B FOR ISRAEL'S IRON DOME FROM GOVERNMENT FUNDING BILL

"The Iron Dome is a defensive system designed to protect civilians. Innocent people of all ethnicities & faiths -- Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze and others -- depend on the Iron Dome for protection when terror groups like Hamas + Hezbollah launch thousands of rockets at them," Greenblatt wrote on Wednesday. "It is a disgrace that the Squad succeeded. It emboldens Hamas & Hezbollah and others enemies of peace. To the MOCs who made the demands, look at the below. Every intercepted rocket was fired indiscriminately toward civilian centers with 1 goal: the brazen murder of innocents."

Greenblatt predicted the "shameful act" by the progressive lawmakers will "fuel further campaigns by anti-Zionist activists" as well as inflame anti-Semitic violence like what took place last spring amid the Israel-Gaza conflict. 

"Make no mistake – human lives are at stake. Lawmakers are promising action and we demand Congress follows through. This funding has been delayed by both Democrats & Republicans for too long. We need an immediate bipartisan effort to fund the Iron Dome now," Greenblatt added. 

The "Squad," which includes Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., were able to scrub the proposed $1 billion meant to continue funding the Iron Dome.

However, several moderate Democrats, including Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin, slammed the progressive victory. 

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"Iron Dome is a purely *defensive* system — it protects civilians when hundreds of rockets are shot at population centers. Whatever your views on the Israeli-Pal conflict, using a system that just saved hundreds, if not thousands, of lives as a political chit is problematic," Slotkin tweeted on Tuesday. "So to target Iron Dome now means the issue isn’t a genuine concern over the system, but rather the desire to attack something - anything - related to the State of Israel; it’s devoid of substance and irresponsible."

On Wednesday, House Democrats introduced a separate bill that would provide the $1 billion in funding towards the Iron Dome.