Senate Strikes Down Bernie Sanders’ Resolution to Block Arms Sale to Israel
The U.S. Senate has rejected three legislative measures proposed by independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders that aimed to prevent the sale of approximately $20 billion in American weapons to Israel.
A year after Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Sanders introduced three Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRDs) in late September. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israel’s subsequent military operations—both aerial and ground-based—have resulted in more than 43,000 deaths, based on some estimates.
Gaza has suffered immense devastation. United Nations officials have issued stark warnings that famine is imminent, with over 2 million Palestinians experiencing “extremely critical” levels of hunger.
In an impassioned speech on the Senate floor, Sanders made a final appeal to his colleagues, urging them not to disregard the humanitarian catastrophe and the role of the U.S. in supporting “mass starvation.”
Sanders’ S.J. Res. 111 bill was overwhelmingly defeated in the Senate on Wednesday night, with only 18 votes in favor and 79 against. Given Israel’s strong backing in the upper chamber, the measures were widely expected to fail. However, their introduction highlights divisions among Democrats regarding President Joe Biden’s handling of the war.
The Jewish senator has repeatedly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s military tactics and restrictions on humanitarian aid. Sanders asserts that Israel is violating international law and exceeding the boundaries of its right to self-defense.
Additionally, he has voiced his disapproval of the Biden administration’s stance on the war and its continued support for Israel, expressing frustration over the lack of accountability for Israel’s actions.
The three resolutions sought to block the transfer of U.S. military equipment—including tank rounds, water rounds, and precision guidance kits used in the “bombs dropped in Gaza,” Sanders stated during a press conference alongside Senators Peter Welch, Chris Van Hollen, and Jeff Merkley.
Sanders further declared that the U.S. is “complicit” in the war, as well as in its associated crimes and violations of international law.
The proposed measures aimed to halt arms sales totaling about $20 billion. According to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), the U.S. has provided Israel with over $310 billion in economic and military aid, including at least $228 billion specifically for military assistance. The United States remains one of Israel’s strongest allies.
“The United States government is currently in violation of the law, and every member of the U.S. Senate who believes in the rule of law should vote for the resolutions,” Sanders asserted before the vote.
The Vermont senator accused the U.S. of breaching the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Export Control Act by supplying arms to nations engaged in human rights violations or those obstructing U.S. humanitarian aid.
The United Nations and several humanitarian organizations have condemned Israel’s actions, particularly its restrictions on humanitarian assistance. Meanwhile, Israel has stated that it is facilitating the delivery of food and essential aid.
In an opinion piece for The Washington Post this week, Sanders wrote, “The need is greater than at any other time in the conflict; the volume of aid getting into Gaza in recent weeks is lower than at any point since the war began.”
He continued, “All of this is unspeakable and immoral. But what makes it even more painful is that much of this death and destruction has been carried out with U.S. weaponry and paid for by American taxpayers. During the last year alone, the United States has provided $18 billion in military aid to Israel and delivered more than 50,000 tons of armaments and military equipment. Something has to be done and something must be done by the United States.”