Senate Rejects Blocking Arms Sales to Israel Despite Over One Third of Democrat Support

The US Senate has rejected a resolution led by Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) to block the proposed sale of arms to Israel. 

If passed, the resolution would have blocked the sale of over thirty-two thousand 120mm tank cartridges and munitions-weapons Israel could use in its war against Hamas.

Israel’s Prime Minister and former Defense Minister are both currently facing arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court (ICC), expanding the arms sale’s momentousness. 

The resolution was rejected by an overwhelming 79-18 vote, but the 18 votes in favor of the resolution, all from progressive Senators, raised eyebrows amongst conservatives. 

Given the 18 votes represent over one third of the Democrats’ Senate presence, the seemingly growing anti-Israel sentiment within the Democrat party has alarmed some lawmakers.

US Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) was one such lawmaker, warning that Israel support within the Democrat party is slowly deteriorating. 

“Despite what Schumer or others might say, the anti-Israel hold on the Democrat Party is strong and growing by the day,” said Senator Scott. “Look at their actions! 35% of Senate Democrats just voted to stop an arms sale to Israel.”

Democrat criticism of Israel’s war against Hamas has been present since the war’s onset, but grown as casualties and destruction increase. 

Senator Sanders, for example, has criticized Israel’s war tactics, claiming that the Israeli government “has violated international & U.S. law, violating human rights and blocking humanitarian aid,” and that “it is illegal for our government to provide him with more offensive weaponry.”

The ICC’s recent arrest warrants against Israeli officials have been considered by some as legitimizing such claims. 

Now that the ICC has approved the arrest warrants, all 125 countries that are part of the ICC are presumably legally obligated to detain and extradite Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant if they are found within their borders. 

In response, some US lawmakers are calling for sanctions to be applied to the ICC and countries that cooperate with the ICC’s prosecution of Israeli officials. 

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called on President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump, who both condemned the ICC’s arrest warrants, to ensure such sanctions are imposed on the ICC.