The U.S. Senate has overwhelmingly voted down three measures introduced by independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont that sought to halt roughly $20 billion in planned arms sales to Israel. The resolutions, brought forward nearly a year after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, were intended to challenge the continuation of U.S. military support amid mounting humanitarian concerns in Gaza.
Sanders’ Joint Resolutions of Disapproval aimed to suspend the transfer of tank rounds, precision guidance kits, and other military equipment used in Israel’s ongoing operations. Despite his appeal for restraint and accountability, the Senate rejected his primary proposal, S.J. Res. 111, in a decisive 18–79 vote on Wednesday evening.
In a passionate speech before the vote, Sanders urged his colleagues not to overlook what he described as a deepening humanitarian disaster, citing reports that more than two million Palestinians face severe hunger and the imminent threat of famine. He argued that U.S. assistance has enabled policies contributing to “mass starvation” and violations of international law.
Although the measures were not expected to pass given Israel’s strong bipartisan backing in Congress, the effort reflected growing divisions within the Democratic Party over President Joe Biden’s continued support for Israel’s military actions. Sanders, a longtime critic of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strategy, contended that Israel’s military conduct has exceeded the bounds of self-defense and undermined international humanitarian principles.
Standing alongside Senators Peter Welch, Chris Van Hollen, and Jeff Merkley during a press briefing, Sanders asserted that the U.S. must stop being “complicit” in civilian suffering. His resolutions sought to compel Washington to reassess its role in the conflict and align military policy with established human rights standards.
