The Vermont lawmaker and more than a dozen Democrats sought to put legislation up for a Senate vote that would block the sale of some tank and mortar rounds and smart-bomb kits to Israel. The first attempt to block the sales was rejected overwhelmingly, and two more efforts also went down to defeat.
Sanders, in making the case for stopping the sales, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government “has not simply waged war against Hamas. It has waged an all-out war against the Palestinian people.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor that he will “strongly oppose” the measures.
“Israel needs to protect itself not just today, but also tomorrow and next year and beyond,” Schumer said. “It has been a cornerstone of American policy to give Israel the resources it needs to defend against its enemies. We should not stray from that policy today.”
According to a report in the Jewish Insider, more than a dozen Democrats voted to support all or some of Sanders' three resolutions.....
"Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Rafael Warnock (D-GA) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) voted in favor of all three resolutions.
Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) voted in favor of two, regarding the tank rounds and mortar shells, but against the JDAMs resolution. Appointed Sen. George Helmy (D-NJ) voted in favor of the resolution on the mortar shells, but against the other two.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), who just won a close re-election contest, voted present on all three."
The move to block arms to the U.S. ally came at a delicate time in Middle East cease-fire negotiations and would “put wind in the sails of Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas at the worst possible moment,” Cardin quoted the White House as warning.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham also argued for defeat of the bills. “This signal will be seen by the enemies of Israel, and the enemies of peace, that if they just stick with it they will win,” he said.
The U.S.'s roughly $18 billion in military support for Israel during the war was a politically divisive issue in the U.S. presidential campaign, with Republicans vowing to keep up undiminished backing for Israel.
Trump has vowed strong support for Israel and has called on Netanyahu to bring the Gaza war to a quick close. He has offered few specifics on his plans on that.
