The Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed three resolutions sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) that would block the sale of certain offensive weapons to Israel in protest of ongoing military operations in Gaza. It was rejected by a majority.
The Senate defeated SJ Res. 18-79. 111 would prevent sales of 120mm tank ammunition.
They also voted 18-79 against a resolution to block the sale of 120mm howitzer mortar shells, and a similar vote to block the sale of kits to convert “dumb” bombs into precision-guided weapons.
Sanders emphasized that the resolution was aimed at “assault weapons that have been used to have devastating effects against civilians in Gaza and Lebanon.” He insisted the restrictions would not affect Israel's ability to defend itself from attack, a claim disputed by colleagues who opposed his proposal.
Sanders said that under the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Control Act, the United States cannot provide arms to countries that violate recognized human rights at home or obstruct U.S. humanitarian assistance. He accused them of doing so.
“According to the United Nations, much of the international community, and all the humanitarian organizations on the ground in Geiz, Israel is clearly in violation of these laws,” Sanders said on the floor. “Under these circumstances, it would be unlawful for the U.S. government to provide Israel with additional offensive weapons.”
Israel has launched a war in Gaza against Hamas, Gaza's governing authority. They did so after Hamas attacked Israel, killing more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians.
Sanders cited more than 40,000 deaths in Gaza and the destruction of much of Gaza's infrastructure, figures compiled by the Palestinian Ministry of Health, a government agency run by Hamas.
“The United States cannot be complicit in these atrocities,” Sanders declared.
Sanders claimed that the destruction in Gaza was worse than the destruction inflicted on Dresden, Germany, which was bombed with incendiary bombs during World War II.
J Street, a center-left pro-Israel organization, supported Sanders' proposal, breaking with many other Jewish and pro-Israel groups.
“This debate and vote will ensure that the United States will hold Israel accountable for its actions and use of U.S.-provided weapons in the same way that it enforces U.S. law against all other recipients of U.S. security assistance. It represents another step towards a relationship that can be inflicted,” Jeremy said. Ben Ami is the president of J Street.
Sanders faced strong opposition from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (New York) and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin (D-Md.).
Schumer strongly opposed Sanders' proposal, arguing that Israel needs weapons to protect it from its enemies. He said providing such munitions to Israel has been a “cornerstone” of U.S. policy for decades.
“Israel is surrounded by enemies dedicated to its annihilation, from Hamas to Hezbollah to the Houthis and, most threateningly, Iran. These threats have been around for a long time and will continue to be for years to come. ” Schumer warned.
Cardin also expressed strong opposition to Sanders' proposal. He said these, if implemented, would impact arms shipments for years to come. He warned that the restrictions could have the unintended consequence of holding Israel back against unknown future adversaries.
“The delivery date for these tank munitions is three years from now. They are a replenishment. “This is to equip them with the ability to protect themselves,” he asserted.
He also said restrictions on the use of high-powered mortars could leave Israel “unable to protect itself from future threats.”
Kardan said further civilian casualties were likely if sales of guided bomb kits were restricted.
Without precise guidance, the bomb “is very likely to miss its target.
“I don't understand why Israel wouldn't want to prevent them from having the technology to use their weapons with precision,” he said.
Haley Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, which opposed the resolution, praised the “vast majority of Senate Democrats” for voting against the bill.
“As the Biden White House said in a memo to the Senate, “now is the time to focus pressure on Hamas to release the hostages and end the war.'' Separating arms from Israel further accomplishes this goal. It would make it impossible and prolong the war rather than shorten it,” Soifer said in a statement.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (South Carolina), a leading Republican voice on foreign policy, has called out Israel seven or eight times, by his own recollection, since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israeli settlements. However, Hamas continued to pose an existential threat. Threat to Israel.
“Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th, killing more Jews than any time since the Holocaust. What were they doing? Their pledge to destroy the Jewish state, they were religious Nazis,” he declared.
J Street President Ben Ami disputed claims from Democratic senators who warned that restricting arms sales would jeopardize Israel's security.
“Contrary to the opposition's claims about today's vote, America's support for Israel's security was never in jeopardy,” he said. “All of the senators who voted for the resolution of disapproval today have supported tens of billions of dollars in security assistance to Israel over their careers.
“No senator is calling for anything close to an arms embargo, and all support continued support for Iron Dome and other defense systems,” he added.
Updated at 9:15pm EDT
