The U.S. Senate strongly rejected three measures proposed by independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders aimed at blocking about $20 billion in U.S. arms sales to Israel.
Sanders introduced three Joint Resolutions of Denial (JRD) in late September, almost a year after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, whose military and ground and air campaign in Gaza has killed more than 43,000 people, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. .
Much of Gaza has been destroyed. United Nations officials have warned that with more than 1.8 million Palestinians there experiencing “very critical” levels of hunger, famine is imminent. On Wednesday evening, in a final push for senators’ support, Sanders urged them not to “turn a blind eye” to the humanitarian crisis and US complicity in supporting “mass starvation,” in a speech on the Senate floor.
The Senate on Wednesday evening voted 18 to 79 to defeat Sanders’ SJ Res. 111 size. Given Israel’s strong support in the upper chamber, they are not expected to pass, but the move signals internal Democratic disagreement over President Joe Biden’s position on the ongoing war.
Jewish senators have been outspoken against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s military actions and restrictions on aid shipments, accusing Israel of acting beyond its right to self-defense and violating international law. Sanders has also repeatedly criticized the Biden administration’s handling of and support for the war, and expressed frustration with the administration’s failure to hold Israel accountable.
The three resolutions seek to block the transfer of US tanks, water rounds and guidance kits attached to “bombs dropped on Gaza” from being sent to Israel, among other military aid, Sanders said at a press conference on Tuesday when he was joined by Senator Peter Peter. Welch, Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley. He said the US is “complicit” in war, atrocities and violations of international law.
The move would block about $20 billion in U.S. arms sales to Israel. The US is a strong ally of Israel and has provided more than $310 billion in economic and military aid, according to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), which includes at least $228 billion in military aid.
“The United States government is breaking the law, and every member of the US Senate who believes in the rule of law should vote for this resolution,” Sanders said the day before the vote.
Image by Kevin Dietsch/Getty
He referred to the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Export Control Act, concluding that the US violated them: “The United States cannot provide weapons to countries that violate internationally recognized human rights or obstruct US humanitarian aid,” said the independent Vermont.
The United Nations and many humanitarian organizations have reported Israeli violations, specifically noting restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid. Israel says it is committed to providing aid and humanitarian assistance.
In a Washington Post opinion article this week, Sanders wrote, “The need is greater than at any other time in the conflict; the volume of aid to get to Gaza in recent weeks is lower than at any point since the war began.”
The senator continued: “All this is unspeakable and disgraceful. But what is more painful is that many of these deaths and destruction are carried out by US weapons and paid for by American taxpayers. In the last year alone, the United States has provided military aid of $ 18 billion to Israel and delivered more than 50,000 tons of weapons and military equipment.
Democrats, Independents Who Support Sanders
17 Democratic and independent senators joined Sanders in supporting the resolution:
Tim Kaine; Martin Heinrich; Angus King; Jon Ossoff; Tina Smith; Jeff Merkley; Mazie Hirono; Brian Schatz; Elizabeth Warren; Peter Welch; Chris Van Hollen; Dick Durbin; Jeanne Shaheen; Ben Ray Luján; Raphael Warnock; Chris Murphy; and Thomas Carper.
