Blinken to testify to US Congress under shadow of Israel policy divides

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to make his case for President Joe Biden’s $64 billion foreign affairs budget request in four congressional hearings this week, amid deep divides with Republicans over spending priorities and Israel policy.

Blinken testifies on Tuesday in the Democratic-controlled Senate to the Foreign Relations Committee and to the appropriations subcommittee that oversees diplomatic and foreign aid spending.

He returns to Capitol Hill on Wednesday for two more rounds of testimony at hearings of the Republican-led House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee and a House appropriations subcommittee.

The hearings are expected to focus on Israel policy, after Biden earlier this month said he would delay a shipment of bombs to Israel and consider withholding others if Israeli forces launched a major invasion of Rafah, a refugee-packed city in southern Gaza.

The developments prompted angry denunciations from Republicans, some of whom have accused Biden of abandoning Israel.

But Biden has also faced criticism from many of his fellow Democrats, who want him to do more — including putting conditions on arms exports — to push Netanyahu’s government to protect Palestinian civilians.