MORE than half the House Democrats voted to strip $3.3 billion (£2.4bn) in US aid from Israel on Wednesday, the most substantial signal yet that the once staunch support for the Middle Eastern country is disintegrating in the aftermath of the Gaza genocide.

The vote tally, 104-314, was not enough to attach the amendment to a broader national security spending Bill, but stands as a stark accounting of the shifting attitudes that are dividing the Democratic Party and the nation over its relationship with Israel.

The house’s Democratic leadership split over the issue in what was largely seen as a test vote ahead of the US mid-term elections that will determine control of Congress.

More than 100 Democrats voted for the amendment to strip the foreign military aid money, and almost as many voted against. Most Republicans voted to preserve the Israel aid.

One who didn’t was Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who lost his own bid for re-election after US President Donald Trump backed his challenger.

During the floor debate, Mr Massie said that the $3.3bn could be better spent at home on US roads, bridges and veterans’ needs, especially as national deficits are on the rise. He said that the US weapons were used on “oftentimes innocent civilians.”

“I think we should stop it — we should put them on a diet,” he said.

According to a poll earlier this month, about one-third of US adults — including roughly half of Democrats — believe Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians during its war on Gaza.

Meanwhile, Israel launched air strikes on Gaza and Lebanon again yesterday, an almost daily occurrence despite its ceasefires with both.

US-relations with the Israeli government were strained yesterday after Vice-President JD Vance accused the latter of scuppering the peace talks with Iran.

“You have seen this very discreet, extremely well-funded campaign to try to derail the negotiation and try to derail the deal,” he told the Joe Rogan podcast.

“A bunch of people who have quite literally been paid by a former Trump campaign person who was himself paid by certain elements within the Israeli government. And those people are attacking me viciously,” he said.