Trump has ignited a firestorm of debate with a new policy, linking federal disaster preparedness aid to states’ and cities’ opinions on Israel at the same time as Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to pursue a full-scale invasion of Gaza.
According to Reuters, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will deny at least $1.9 billion in funding to states and cities that boycott Israeli companies, a move targeting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement aimed at pressuring Israel for its genocide in Gaza.
The policy, detailed in FEMA grant notices issued on Friday, mandates that applicants certify they will not sever “commercial relations specifically with Israeli companies” to qualify for funds critical for search-and-rescue equipment, emergency manager salaries, and backup power systems.
Boycotting Israel is now antisemitism
An additional $553.5 million for terrorism prevention in high-risk urban areas, such as New York City, is also contingent on this pledge. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees FEMA, has framed the BDS movement as “expressly grounded in antisemitism,” a claim that has drawn sharp criticism from free speech advocates and human rights groups.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called the policy “patently unconstitutional and un-American,” arguing that it punishes states and cities for exercising First Amendment rights to boycott over human rights concerns.
The National Desk
Robert McCaw, CAIR’s Government Affairs Director, stated, “Denying disaster aid to states and cities that stand for human rights could cost lives after hurricanes, floods, and wildfires.”
Critics, including some of President Trump’s MAGA supporters, also decried the move as prioritising foreign interests over American needs. Conservative commentator Candace Owens described it as “denying Americans who won’t support the genocide being conducted by your friends [the Netanyahu cabinet].”
The policy’s reversal came swiftly, with DHS clarifying that FEMA grants would not be conditioned on Israel-related stances, and the relevant language was removed from the agency’s website.
However, the initial announcement highlighted the administration’s broader strategy of leveraging federal funding to promote its pro-Israel agenda, which has included withholding billions in research grants from universities failing to meet similar criteria.
The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing genocide and full-scale invasion of Gaza, which has killed between 60,000 and 600,000 Palestinians, depending on the source, and triggered widespread starvation and destruction.
The American-led ‘Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’ massacred 64 starving Palestinian people & bullet-wounded over 400: holocaustal https://t.co/0k6IvvmjKb
— Sarah Wilkinson (@swilkinsonbc) July 31, 2025
The humanitarian crisis has drawn international condemnation, with the World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus describing it as “man-made mass starvation” caused by Israel’s blockade of aid.
Adding fuel to the debate, conservative commentator Tucker Carlson has openly discussed allegations of Israeli war crimes and the full-scale invasion of Gaza on his platform, a stance echoed by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who became the first House Republican to label Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide.
Donald Trump himself has acknowledged the dire situation in Gaza, recently contradicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim of no starvation by stating, “Anyone could tell that there was real starvation in Gaza unless they’re pretty cold-hearted or, worse than that, nuts.”
Despite this, the administration’s policies, including the brief FEMA aid condition, have been criticised as enabling Israel’s actions by prioritising political alignment over humanitarian concerns.
Netanyahu signals full-scale invasion of Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to pursue a full-scale invasion of Gaza, according to a report by The Times of Israel published on Monday. The decision includes plans for Israeli forces to operate even in areas where hostages are believed to be held, despite objections from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to pursue a complete military occupation of the Gaza Strip, according to a report by The Times of Israel, August 4, 2025. pic.twitter.com/1UdW0QlMPP
— T. Sassersson, Editor@NewsVoice (@newsvoicemag) August 5, 2025
A senior official close to Netanyahu was quoted, “The die is cast — we are going for a full occupation of the Gaza Strip,” with the Prime Minister’s Office reportedly telling IDF Chief of Staff Lt. General Eyal Zamir to resign if he opposes the move.
The IDF currently controls about 75% of Gaza.
The announcement comes amid stalled ceasefire talks and growing international criticism of Israel’s handling of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Netanyahu’s plan has divided his cabinet, with hardline ministers supporting the occupation while others advocate for prioritising hostage negotiations.
The decision has drawn condemnation from former Israeli security chiefs, who called for an immediate end to the war, labelling it “pointless” after achieving initial military objectives.
Text and compilation by T. Sassersson, Editor-in-Chief, NewsVoice | Image source of starving man