Groups Urge Congress to Drop US-Israel Tech Pact

Fifty-six civil rights and advocacy groups urged Congress on Thursday to remove a provision from the defense bill. The letter targets Section 219 of the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act which strengthens military technology ties between Washington and Tel Aviv.

The provision passed the House in July and now awaits Senate approval. It aims to create frameworks for joint ventures and co-production partnerships. Critics argue this move creates dangerous new points of influence for Israel within the American defense technology ecosystem.

Signatories include Amnesty International and the National Lawyers Guild alongside Arab and Jewish organizations. They condemn ongoing violence in Gaza and settler attacks in the West Bank. The groups state these violations of international law should prevent any expansion of military cooperation.

Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna previously tried to scrap the clause. Their amendment failed in the House. The Senate version differs slightly by requiring ongoing consultation with the Israeli defense minister rather than just designating an executive agent.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Senator Ted Budd introduced the bipartisan measure. It seeks to permanently integrate military advancements in areas like artificial intelligence and cyber warfare. This shift would transform Israel from an aid recipient into a full-scale partner with say in US security mechanisms.

Lobbying group A New Policy warns the initiative exposes sensitive capabilities to counterintelligence risks. They argue it harms national security and hides continuing support from public view. Lawmakers must negotiate a compromise before the final bill reaches President Donald Trump for signature.