US Senate Rejects Effort to Block Arms Sale to Israel Amid Gaza Conflict.
The US Senate has voted against a resolution seeking to halt a weapons sale to Israel, a move aimed at opposing its military operations in Gaza.
The resolution, introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders, sought to block the sale of tank rounds and offensive munitions to Israel as part of a broader $20 billion weapons deal approved by the Biden administration.
The advocacy group Jewish Voice for Peace called the vote an “inflection point” in the campaign to reevaluate Washington’s long-standing support for its Middle Eastern ally.
Among those backing the resolution were progressive leaders and mainstream Democratic senators, including Tim Kaine, Chris Van Hollen, and Brian Schatz.
This stance contrasts sharply with the Biden administration’s robust backing of Israel. Reports suggest the White House lobbied Democratic senators to oppose the resolutions, with critics accusing the administration of prioritizing military alliances over addressing alleged human rights violations.
The resolutions gained support against a backdrop of increasing scrutiny over US military aid to Israel, which totaled $17.9 billion in the past year, according to a Brown University study.
Critics, including United Nations experts, have accused Israel of committing atrocities in Gaza, with allegations of genocide, widespread destruction, and human rights abuses.
Advocacy groups like the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the Joe Biden administration’s efforts to block the resolutions, calling its Middle East policy a “disastrous failure.”
While Republicans unanimously opposed the measures, the resolutions sparked debate within the Democratic Party, reflecting a growing divide on US-Israel policy.
Sanders, in a Senate floor speech, urged lawmakers to hold Israel accountable for its actions in Gaza, questioning the credibility of condemning human rights abuses globally while turning a blind eye to US-funded operations in the region.
Despite its failure, the resolution has been lauded as a symbolic step forward, signaling a shift in the political landscape and a call for greater accountability in US foreign policy.
