In a significant move highlighting division within the U.S. government, the Senate overwhelmingly rejected three resolutions introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders aimed at halting approximately $20 billion in U.S. arms sales to Israel. The votes come nearly a year after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered an extensive military response in Gaza. Since then, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 43,000 Palestinians have been killed due to Israel’s ongoing air and ground offensive. Humanitarian organizations and United Nations officials have raised alarms about catastrophic conditions in Gaza, warning of an impending famine affecting over two million Palestinians.
Senator Sanders, an independent from Vermont, introduced the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval in late September 2024, citing moral and legal concerns about the U.S.’s role in supporting Israel’s military campaign. He has been an outspoken critic of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions in Gaza, accusing Israel of violating international law and exceeding its right to self-defense. On the Senate floor, Sanders delivered an impassioned plea, urging fellow lawmakers to acknowledge the dire humanitarian crisis and to reconsider America’s complicity in what he described as “mass starvation and destruction.”
Despite Sanders’ call for action, the Senate rejected his most prominent resolution, S.J. Res. 111, by a vote of 18 to 79. While the outcome was largely expected due to Israel’s strong support in Congress, the debate highlighted growing dissent among Democrats regarding President Joe Biden’s approach to the war. Sanders’ stance underscores a rift within the Democratic Party, with some lawmakers increasingly critical of the administration’s unwavering military support for Israel, even amid escalating civilian casualties and global condemnation.
The resolutions targeted specific arms shipments, including tank and water rounds as well as guidance kits for bombs used in Gaza. At a press conference alongside Senators Peter Welch, Chris Van Hollen, and Jeff Merkley, Sanders emphasized that the legislation was not anti-Israel but rather a demand for accountability. He argued that providing arms to a country accused of human rights violations puts the U.S. in direct violation of the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Export Control Act, which prohibit military aid to governments that restrict humanitarian aid or violate internationally recognized rights.
Sanders has repeatedly expressed his dissatisfaction with the Biden administration’s handling of the conflict. He criticized the lack of pressure on Israel to allow sufficient humanitarian access to Gaza and condemned the administration for not holding Israel accountable for its actions. According to Sanders, the U.S. has delivered more than 50,000 tons of military equipment to Israel in the past year and provided at least $18 billion in military aid. He argued that such support implicates the U.S. in the ongoing destruction and suffering in Gaza, a view echoed by various international observers and human rights organizations.
In a recent opinion piece for the Washington Post, Sanders wrote that the level of aid reaching Gaza had dropped to its lowest since the war began, despite the worsening conditions. He described the humanitarian crisis as “unspeakable and immoral,” particularly because it is being carried out with American weapons and taxpayer dollars. Citing over $310 billion in U.S. aid to Israel since its founding—including $228 billion in military support—Sanders called for an urgent reassessment of America’s role in the conflict. His resolutions may have failed in the Senate, but they have ignited renewed debate about the ethical and legal responsibilities of the United States in global conflicts, especially when taxpayer money and national laws are involved.
