US House defeats bid to cut off Israel aid in vote dividing Democrats

By Patricia Zengerle and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON, July 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives defeated an amendment to cut off aid to Israel on Wednesday, despite nearly half of Democrats supporting it, reflecting a growing rupture between U.S. progressives and Israel over its attacks in Gaza. The House voted 314 to 104 to defeat the measure, offered as an amendment to a State Department spending bill by Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky.