US House passes bill to crack down on university boycotts of Israel

The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation on Thursday to block federal aid for universities that boycott Israel, the latest Republican-backed pro-Israel measure amid growing Democratic criticism of the Israeli government over the war in Gaza.



The Republican-majority chamber voted 237-169 in favor of the "Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act," which would have to pass the Senate in order to become law.



The war in Gaza has devastated much of the Palestinian enclave since Hamas-led fighters killed 1,200 people during an attack on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli tallies. Israeli attacks since then have killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry.