Democrat fails to block US measure to deepen Israel military cooperation

Key points

• Congressman Ro Khanna says integration push only boosts Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, but his push to revoke the measure fell short.
• A congressional panel in the United States has rejected an effort to revoke a provision from the defence budget that would further integrate the US and Israeli militaries.
• An amendment to sink the pro-Israel measure, introduced by Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, failed in a voice vote on Thursday in the House Armed Services Committee.
• That defeat paves the way for the proposal to advance to the floor of the House of Representatives.
• Khanna had argued that the provision in the Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), formally called Section 224, rewards Benjamin Netanyahu at a time when the Israeli prime minister is trying to dictate US policy in the Middle East.