House Speaker plans vote on Israel aid, IDF vows retaliation for strikes

Israeli artist Ruth Patir has announced she will shut the Israeli pavillion at the Venice Biennale, where she planned to exhibit her work ”(M)otherland,” an exploration of ”womanhood and the burdens of the female body,” until a cease-fire is reached and hostages are released.

In a statement posted to Instagram, the artist said she wants to ”stand with” protesters calling for an immediate truce deal. A sign affixed to the door of the Israeli pavilion reads ”The artist and curators of the Israeli pavilion will open the exhibition when a cease-fire and hostage release agreement is reached.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson spoke to reporters after a GOP conference meeting that he said was “fruitful and productive” and outlined his plan to put four national security bills on the House floor: Israel aid, Ukraine aid, Indo-Pacific aid and a fourth measure that includes GOP national security priorities that would include more sanctions on Iran.

“Every member ultimately will be able to vote their own conscience on all of these matters and everyone have an opportunity to weigh in and bring the amendments that they think are suitable,” said Johnson, R-La.

He said that he would prefer to send each bill to the Senate individually but that no final decision has been made. 

If bill text comes out tomorrow, as is the hope, Johnson said, the House might not vote on the packages until Friday. The House is scheduled to leave Thursday afternoon and be in recess next week, but that could change.

Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi spoke to officers at Nevatim airbase in southern Israel yesterday. He vowed Israel would respond to Iran’s attack over the weekend.