Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska has been one of the most devoted supporters of Israel in Congress, a position largely shaped by the nearly half a million dollars—$491,184 to be exact—that she has received from AIPAC. Fischer has repeatedly voted in favor of Pro-Israel legislation, including sending $41 billion in military aid to Israel despite its ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people. The Lancet projecting that 180,000 Gazans will die as a result of Israel's brutal military campaign. Yet, Fischer continues to use her political power to bolster Israel's unchecked aggression, disregarding the genocide unfolding in Gaza.
Fischer's voting record is a clear reflection of her financial ties to AIPAC. She not only voted to send massive amounts of U.S. tax dollars to Israel's military but also supported cutting U.S. federal funding to UNRWA, the United Nations agency providing essential aid to Palestinians trapped in the besieged Gaza Strip. This decision directly impacts access to food, water, and medicine for the Gazan population, intensifying the suffering of civilians caught in the crossfire of Israel’s relentless attacks. Fischer’s actions are not only a betrayal to tax paying Americans, but also an endorsement of war crimes and human rights abuses committed by the Israeli government.
In her defense of unconditional military aid to Israel, Fischer dismissed calls from her constituents and fellow lawmakers to impose restrictions, stating, "This administration has said from the beginning that it would not tell Israel how to protect itself — President Biden and Democrats in Congress should stay the course. The political whims of a far-left minority shouldn’t erode American support for our ally." This rhetoric not only undermines efforts to end the violence but also reveals Fischer’s unflinching loyalty to Israel, even as it carries out egregious violations of international law.
Related Links
Counting the dead in Gaza: difficult but essential, The Lancet, July 2024
Gaza infrastructure damages estimated at $18.5bn in UN-World Bank report, Al Jazeera News, April 2024
How each US senator voted on the $95 billion foreign aid package, CNN Politics News, April 2024
Fischer Statement on Conditioning U.S. Support for Israel, Deb Fischer Gov., November 2023
Fischer Joins “Mornings with Maria” to Discuss Biden and Israel, Deb Fischer Gov., May 2024