Senate rejects Bernie Sanders’ effort to block arms sales to Israel

The Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly rejected three disapproval resolutions filed by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Ban on arms sales to Israel,

Sanders, 83, had sought to halt a $20 billion arms deal sending US military tank rounds, mortar rounds and Joint Direct Attack Weapons (JDAMS) to the Jewish state over what he described as “unacceptable civilian death and damage” in Gaza. .

The deal had already been authorized by Congress and was expected to fail in a vote, but it provided a test to gauge Democratic support in the upper chamber for the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of Israel’s war against Hamas. Also worked as.

Nineteen senators – 17 Democrats and two independents – voted in favor of at least one of the three disapproval resolutions, including Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii). , Tim included. Kaine (D-Va.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga. .), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), George Helmy (D-NJ), Angus King (I-Maine) and Sanders.

Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) voted “present.” Vice President-elect J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and Senator Mike Braun (R-Ind.) abstained.

Before the vote, Sanders accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of waging an “all-out war against the Palestinian people” and “not just against the Hamas terrorist group.”

progressive senator charged forward Netanyahu, 75, said it “violated international and US law,” arguing that “it is illegal for our government to provide them with more offensive weapons.”

Sanders filed the resolution following a 30-day deadline imposed by the Biden-Harris administration for Netanyahu to improve his treatment of Palestinian civilians in Gaza after the Israeli government did not meet demands for more humanitarian aid in Gaza. Was done. According to leading global aid organizations,

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin strongly opposed the proposals.

“Israel needs to defend itself not only today, but tomorrow and next year and beyond,” Schumer said. “Giving Israel the resources it needs to defend itself against its enemies has been a cornerstone of American policy. We should not deviate from that policy today.”

Cardin argued that blocking arms sales to Israel would “create a worst-case scenario for Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas.”

Several Republicans criticized Sanders’ effort, including Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark), who called the move “absolutely shameful and morally bankrupt.”

“Hamas invaded Israel and killed the most Jews since the Holocaust. Israel is fighting for its existence against the terrorist proxies of Iran. Bernie Sanders’ response? *Arms embargo against Israel,*” Cotton Written on X.

Senator Lindsey Graham warned that if the resolutions passed it would “signal to Israel’s enemies and to the enemies of peace that if they stand by this they will win.”

The Republican Jewish Coalition, a major pro-Israel group, described the effort to block the arms deal as “a dangerous new low for anti-Israel Democrats in the U.S. Senate.”

The group said that “history will judge the 18 senators” who supported the effort “and their supporters harshly.”