Blinken found it almost impossible to speak as participants in the protest -who were removed by Capitol Police- began to stand up one by one with placards and also demanded an end to U.S. government funding for Israel.

Others, seated in the hall, raised their arms painted red with the inscription: Gaza, in reference to all the Palestinian blood spilled by the indiscriminate bombing in the occupied territories which, since October 7, has left more than eight thousand dead.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Blinken appeared Tuesday before the Democratic-led Upper House committee because their testimony is critical to the drafting and passage of a bill to respond to the $105 billion request from Joe Biden’s administration.

The request would not encounter as many stumbling blocks there as in the Republican-led House of Representatives, where the new Speaker, Mike Johnson, proposed cutting aid to Ukraine and focusing only on Israel.

Johnson announced last Sunday that the legislative body would move forward this week with a separate $14.5 billion “aid” package for Tel Aviv.

The initiative grew out of a huge request for supplemental funding of that $105 billion that Biden wants to pay for multiple, active and imminent wars.

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