Senate rejects Sanders’ effort to impose arms embargo on Israel

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders speaking with attendees at the 2019 California Democratic Party State Convention at the George R. Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, June 2, 2019. Gage Skidmore/Flickr.

by JNS and Israel InSight reports

Jewish groups applauded the Senate’s decision on Nov. 20 to reject a bid by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to block weapon sales to Israel.

The Senate voted 18 to 79 against a resolution blocking the sale of tank rounds, 19 to 78 against a resolution barring the sale of high-explosive mortar rounds and 17 to 80 against a resolution banning the sale of Joint Direct Attack Munitions guidance systems that enable “dumb” bombs to instead make precision strikes.

The Democratic Majority for Israel said on X that “Sanders et al are voting for more civilian casualties” by blocking the JDAMs.

Both of Georgia’s senators voted in favor of the ban — Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is Jewish, and Sen. Raphael Warnock. All of the votes in favor of blocking aid were Democrats, except for Sanders. Fellow Independent Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona voted present.

The resolutions were introduced in September by Sanders and co-sponsored by Sens. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). They would prevent the transfer of more than $20 billion in offensive weapons to Jerusalem.

Ahead of the vote, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) denounced the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval, saying the Israel’s war against Hamas and Hezbollah is directly linked to the “coordinated efforts of Russia, Iran, North Korea and China” against the United States.

Israel Ambassador Michael Herzog told lawmakers that “anyone urging you to ban critical arms to Israel during an existential war is NOT pro-Israel.”

When introducing the resolutions in September, Sanders condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli offensives in general. He reiterated these sentiments in a Nov. 18 op-ed in The Wall Street Journal.

“Netanyahu has bombed hospitals and schools, starved children, destroyed infrastructure and housing stock, and made life unlivable in Gaza. The United States must end its complicity in this atrocity,” he wrote, adding that “sending more weapons is not only immoral, it is also illegal.”

During his remarks before the Senate, a poster behind him showed an emaciated Gaza youth, implying that Israel is starving Gazans through a refusal to facilitate humanitarian aid. The poster is the same one which Rep. Rashida Tlaib used a few days earlier in the House to charge that Israel was deliberately staving civilians. Tlaib and Sanders were widely condemned for using the misleading photo, which is actually of Fadi, a patient showing the effects of cystic fibrosis, whose evacuation from Gaza was facilitated by Israel, and he is receiving advanced treatment at a U.S. hospital.

Reactions to the votes

Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana said he voted no because “Israel’s enemies desire to wipe them from the face of the earth. Limiting Israel’s ability to defend itself helps its enemies. It certainly doesn’t help Israel. The United States should stand with Israel.”

Mississippi Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith said “I support Israel and her right to defend herself against the constant threat of terrorism. Our alliance goes beyond partnership — it’s a reflection of our shared democratic values and mutual respect. We must ensure that Israel has the resources needed to protect her people.

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas called Sanders’ efforts “absolutely shameful and morally bankrupt.”

“AIPAC commends the U.S. Senate for standing with Israel and overwhelmingly rejecting proposed bans on critical weapons sales to the Jewish state as it fights to protect its families from Iran and its terrorist proxies,” the pro-Israel group stated. “We applaud the Biden administration for approving these sales and helping ensure Israel has the resources it needs to win.”

AIPAC added that most Senate Democrats and Republicans “again demonstrated profound American support for our ally and rejected the dangerous efforts” of Sanders “and his allies to weaken Israel and undermine the U.S.-Israel relationship.”

“The Jewish state is on the front lines of the fight against common enemies. These arms sales help strengthen our ally, deter further Iranian aggression and create American jobs,” AIPAC said. “America must continue to stand with our democratic ally as Iran continues to escalate its seven-front war and its proxy holds 101 hostages, including 7 Americans.”

Mark Mellman, president and CEO of Democratic Majority for Israel, stated that the “dangerous and counterproductive resolutions are a betrayal of our ally, Israel, as it fights a defensive war. That’s why the clear and decisive majority of Democratic senators voted to defeat them.”

“Today, Democrats reaffirmed, once again, that the majority of our party stands firmly with the Israeli people and supports Israel’s security, especially in this critical time,” he stated. “While a few vocal anti-Israel voices in our party often get outsized attention, the majority of Senate Democrats remain steadfast in support of Israel’s sovereignty and right to self-defense.”

“The civilian deaths in Gaza and Lebanon are tragic — and the responsibility for those deaths lies squarely with Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran,” Mellman added. “Had they not deliberately provoked a war on Oct. 7 last year, almost all those civilians would be alive today.”

Matt Brooks, CEO of the Republican Jewish Coalition, stated that “today marks a dangerous new low for anti-Israel Democrats in the U.S. Senate, who voted to cancel $20 billion in pending arms sales to Israel that were already authorized by Congress.”

Brooks — who noted that all of the “anti-Israel Democrats” who voted for the resolutions were endorsed by J Street, Jewish Democratic Council of America or both — added that it is “shameful that self-proclaimed ‘shomer’ Chuck Schumer refused to whip votes against this anti-Israel measure.”

“The American people overwhelmingly support Israel in this fight of good versus evil,” he stated. “Senate Democrats would do well to listen.”