By Paul Bean
Sen. Sanders’ attempt to condemn U.S. weapons sales to Israel was overwhelming rejected 80-19 Wednesday. Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, faced strong bipartisan opposition on his proposed resolution that attempted to block the sale of tank rounds, mortar rounds, and bomb guidance kits for use in Gaza.
The resolutions were defeated by significant bipartisan margins, with 78, 79, and 80 senators voting against the proposal.
“As I have said many, many times: Israel had the absolute right to respond to that horrific Hamas attack, as any other country would. I don’t think anybody here in the United States Senate disagrees with that,” said Sanders. “But Prime Minister Netanyahu’s extremist government has not simply waged war against Hamas. It has waged an all-out war against the Palestinian people.”
Facing bipartisan opposition, many Democrats shared their reasons for not supporting the resolution including Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada who wrote on X that she “will always stand proudly to support our strongest ally.”
Nevada Democrat Senator Jacky Rosen, shared similar thoughts, stating that “Israel is our ally in the Middle East & we must do everything we can to help it defend itself.”
Republicans unanimously opposed the resolutions.
Yesterday, November 21, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, for war crimes including the use of starvation as a method of warfare and directing attacks against the civilian population. The ICC also issued a warrant for the arrest of Mohammed Deif, Hamas’s military chief, for crimes against humanity, including murder, hostage taking, and sexual violence.
Senator Sanders wrote in response to the arrest warrants:
“The ICC charges are well-founded…Israel had a right to defend itself against Hamas, but it did not have the right to wage an all-out war against the Palestinian people. In Gaza, over 44,000 people have been killed and more than 104,000 have been injured…Netanyahu, Gallant, and Deif have all launched indiscriminate attacks against civilians, and all three have caused unimaginable suffering within the civilian population. If the world does not uphold international law, we will descend into further barbarism. I agree with the decisions of the ICC.”
Israel maintains their stance that destroying Hamas is essential to prevent attacks similar to the Oct. 7 massacre.