Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and progressive allies filed “resolutions of disapproval” to protest $20 billion in U.S. arms sales to Israel, teeing up a Wednesday vote in the Senate.
The resolutions are privileged, which means the senators sponsoring them can force votes without the consent of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). While they are not expected to pass, supporters want to send a message to the Biden administration to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza during his final days in office.
Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, said it is time to bring the resolution to the floor, citing what he called Israel’s violation of international law to adequately provide aid amid the war against Hamas.
The Biden administration in October called on Israel to improve the flow of aid to Gaza in 30 days or risk military aid being withheld. After that time, the United States concluded that Israel was making progress and did not impede assistance. Sanders, speaking with reporters at a press conference Tuesday, pointed out that many aid groups disagreed with that assessment.
.@BernieSanders with @SenJeffMerkley @SenPeterWelch @ChrisVanHollen are holding a press conference about their plan to bring several joint Resolutions of Disapproval to block certain offensive weapons sales to Israel. @dcexaminer pic.twitter.com/IUwhCLjEiV
— Samantha-Jo Roth (@SamanthaJoRoth) November 19, 2024
“What is taking place today now, as we speak, is even worse as a result of Israel blocking desperately needed humanitarian aid,” Sanders said, standing alongside Sens. Peter Welch (D-VT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
“In recent weeks, the volume of aid getting into Gaza is lower than at any point since the war began,” he said. “More aid is needed, less aid is getting through.”
The Vermont senator cited a recent United Nations report, calling the situation in Gaza “apocalyptic” and criticizing Israel’s decision to ban UNRWA. Two of Sanders’s resolutions, cosponsored by Merkley and Welch, would block the sale of 120-millimeter mortar rounds and joint direct attack munitions. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) sponsored a third that would block the sale of tank rounds.
Sanders maintained that Israel has a right to defend itself in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack but said its retaliatory offensive over the last 13 months has led to the deaths of over 43,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas and does not distinguish militants from civilians.
The senators said they want to send a message to Biden, whose term ends in January 2025, accusing the administration of ignoring international law and changing the rules when it comes to American-supplied weapons. This spring, the senators sent Biden a letter demanding the U.S. stop sending military aid to Israel until more humanitarian aid flowed to Gaza.
“I think the Biden administration has failed to follow the law and has failed to follow its own policies,” Van Hollen said. “The facts are very clear on this point, and the reason I want to mention the letter is — you’d think after a letter like this was sent, things would at least get a little better, but they got a lot worse.
“So, what’s the point of sending a letter if you don’t mean what you say?” Van Hollen asked.
The three resolutions are likely to fail but are a show of force by the Democratic Party’s left flank as many are reflecting on recent election losses. Sanders was asked whether offering the resolutions could amplify conditions that led to some voters abandoning the Democratic Party this cycle.
“I don’t want to get into the political implications of an election,” Sanders said. “People can draw their own conclusions why there was a decline in young people voting and Democrats aren’t doing particularly well with young people. I really don’t want to get into it.
“I happen to believe that the American people will not be sympathetic to any member of Congress who is turning his or her eyes on the kind of horrendous suffering that is going on in Gaza and in fact, going out of the way to block humanitarian movement.”
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Sen. John Thune (R-SD), the incoming Senate majority leader, reiterated that Republicans will continue to stand with Israel once they regain the majority and pointed out fractures within the Democratic Party, calling out Sanders’s resolutions.
“We are expecting Sen. Sanders to offer a resolution,” Thune said, speaking with reporters on Tuesday. “Denying lethal aid to Israel, the refusal to have our allies’ back, and the hesitation to call out antisemitism in our own country has consequences. It enables bad behavior and bad actors around the world, and it encourages others to abandon Israel in their time of need.”
