The Senate on Thursday rejected a pair of measures from Sen. Bernard Sanders to block arms sales to Israel, thwarting the progressive senator’s latest stand against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions in the war in Gaza.
Mr. Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with Senate Democrats, has repeatedly used joint resolutions of disapproval to block weapons sales – one of the few legislative procedures not controlled by leadership – to highlight his opposition to Mr. Netanyahu’s policies.
In the process, he has divided the left, although a majority of Democrats have sided against him.
Mr. Sanders forced three similar votes last year under the Biden administration to halt U.S. transfers of offensive weapons to Israel that all failed amid overwhelming bipartisan opposition.
Thursday’s votes were no different. He earned support from only 15 Democrats and both resolutions failed.
Mr. Sanders cited the more than 50,000 people who have been killed in Gaza as a result of Mr. Netanyahu’s offensive against Hamas. He said he supports Israel’s right to respond to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack but that the offensive has gone too far.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu’s racist and extremist government has waged an all-out barbaric war against the Palestinian people and made life unlivable in Gaza,” he said.
Mr. Sanders also painted his effort as part of a broader fight against the “billionaire class,” citing wealthy donors funding the pro-Israel political action committee AIPAC. The group has played a significant role in a handful of Democratic primaries, including House races last cycle ousting progressives Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush.
Senate Foreign Affairs Chairman James Risch, Idaho Republican, called Mr. Sanders’ resolutions “misguided.”
“They would abandon Israel, our closest ally in the Middle East, during a pivotal moment for global security,” he said, citing Israel’s successful efforts to confront Iran and its proxies.
“Through President Trump’s tough negotiations and Israel’s courage, Iran is at its weakest point in decades and hostages are returning home,” Mr. Risch said. “At the same time, Israel is contending with its operations against Hamas, efforts to maintain a fragile ceasefire in Lebanon, and the ongoing threats from Iran. Now is not the time to deprive our ally of the tools it needs to protect American interests.”
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Maryland Democrat, backed Mr. Sanders’ resolutions and said that the effort should not be viewed as anti-Israel but simply a rebuke of Mr. Netanyahu’s policies and actions that have violated international and American law.
He said opposing the transfer of more than $8 billion worth of U.S. taxpayer-financed bombs to Israel is about supporting an end to the fighting and bringing remaining hostages from the war home, which he said is not Mr. Netanyahu’s principal objective.
“It is very well understood in Israel that Netanyahu’s priority is not bringing them home,” Mr. Van Hollen said. “His priority is his own political survival.”
