Smith says he was pressured to vote against Israel aid by violent, far-left activists

Representative Adam Smith (D-WA), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, stated he voted to cut military aid to Israel due to a “violent and relentless campaign of intimidation by far-left anti-Israel activists.” Smith, who previously opposed such measures, supported an amendment to strip $3.3 billion in U.S. aid from the 2027 State Department appropriations bill. He detailed that his “family and I have had our home vandalized, a fire has been set in my driveway, my neighbors’ lives have been disrupted by demonstrations in the middle of the night, town halls meant to be forums for dialogue have been shut down, and a staff member has been physically assaulted.” Smith also indicated his vote was an attempt to “get the attention of the Netanyahu government” to change its actions in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon, despite his continued support for Israel’s right to exist.