The United States Senate has rejected a bill that aimed to block a US weapons sale to Israel amid the country’s war on Gaza. While the resolution to halt the sale of tank rounds failed to advance, similar measures to block other weapons sales are still pending. The push to condition aid to Israel is growing, with prominent progressives and mainstream Democratic senators backing the effort.
Despite bipartisan support for unconditional US aid to Israel, the rejection of the weapon sale represents a shift in this consensus. Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to reject the sale of offensive weapons to Israel. The Biden administration has spent $17.9bn on security assistance to Israel over the past year, despite concerns raised by United Nations experts.
The White House lobbied Democratic senators to vote against the resolutions, with Biden administration officials pushing for continued military assistance to Israel. Advocacy groups, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations, have condemned this lobbying effort. Proponents of the resolution argue that there is a moral, legal, and political obligation to stop arming a government accused of genocide.
While the resolution did not pass the Senate, Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives voiced support for similar measures. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine remains a key issue, with calls for peace, de-escalation, and a shift towards a sustainable solution in the region.
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