{"id":37779,"date":"2024-11-22T12:37:55","date_gmt":"2024-11-22T20:37:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=37779"},"modified":"2024-11-22T12:37:56","modified_gmt":"2024-11-22T20:37:56","slug":"nineteen-senate-democrats-vote-to-block-u-s-aid-to-israel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2024\/11\/22\/nineteen-senate-democrats-vote-to-block-u-s-aid-to-israel\/","title":{"rendered":"Nineteen Senate Democrats vote to block U.S. aid to Israel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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President Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer strongly opposed the resolutions, which more than three-quarters of the Senate voted against<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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NATHAN POSNER\/ANADOLU VIA GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speaks at a press conference, alongside Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), on upcoming Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRD) aimed at blocking certain offensive weapon sales to Israel in Washington, DC on November 19, 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Marc Rod<\/a>, Emily Jacobs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0November 20, 2024 (jewishinsider.com)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A total of 19 Senate Democrats voted to advance some or all of a series of three resolutions led by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) seeking to block transfers of several types of weaponry to Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The resolutions were never expected to pass, but the results reflect growing Democratic opposition to and division over U.S. support for Israel a year after Oct. 7, prior to which such a result would have been nearly unimaginable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It will likely cause concern in the pro-Israel world about the future ideological direction of the Democratic party, though a handful of lawmakers who\u2019d been vocally critical of Israel\u2019s operations ultimately voted against the measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden White House, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and various mainstream Jewish groups strongly opposed the resolutions, while J Street and other left-wing Jewish groups supported them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The three resolutions pertained to transfers of tank rounds, mortar shells and guidance kits for bombs, known as joint direct attack munitions or JDAMs. None of the transfers are set to arrive in Israel for at least a year, meaning they would have no impact on Israel\u2019s current stockpiles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Rafael Warnock (D-GA) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) voted in favor of all three resolutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) voted in favor of two, regarding the tank rounds and mortar shells, but against the JDAMs resolution. Appointed Sen. George Helmy (D-NJ) voted in favor of the resolution on the mortar shells, but against the other two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), who just won a close re-election contest, voted present on all three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shaheen\u2019s vote will likely be particularly concerning to supporters of Israel given that she\u2019s set to become the Democratic ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January, and would become the chair next time Democrats regain the Senate majority. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor months I have expressed my concern about the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and continued to push for a ceasefire that ends the human suffering and brings home the remaining hostages,\u201d Shaheen said in a statement. \u201cWhile I will continue to support Israel\u2019s ability to defend itself from terrorist attacks, I voted in favor of the Joint Resolutions today because I believe the Netanyahu government needs to change course on the conduct of the war in Gaza.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Durbin is the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate and also chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, making his vote similarly noteworthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis war must end,\u201d Durbin said in a statement after the vote. \u201cIsrael\u2019s strategy of deadly attacks on and near civilian populations must end as well. The United States should not be sending arms and ammunition that continue to take the lives of innocent people. It is time for real humanitarian aid to reach the Palestinian people. I will stand by Israel, but I will not support the devastation of Gaza and the deaths of thousands of innocent Palestinians.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior to the vote, one senator told JI that Democrats had argued behind closed doors against calling a vote on the JDAMs resolution, given how the kits allow for more precisely targeted strikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis one I really don\u2019t understand,\u201d Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), who is retiring, said before the votes. \u201cIt\u2019s counterproductive to the safety of the communities. I don\u2019t understand why we would want to prevent Israel from having the technology to have precision use of its munitions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the vote, Schumer said he \u201cstrongly oppose[d]\u201d the resolutions, warning that Israel will need the weapons to defend itself against threats that will persist far beyond the current conflict and that the resolutions are \u201cthe wrong way and the wrong strategy\u201d to express concerns about Israel\u2019s government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt has been a cornerstone of American policy to give Israel the resources it needs to defend against its enemies. We should not stray from that policy today,\u201d Schumer said. \u201cMany of the arm sales in question today will not reach Israel until years from now. We have no idea what kind of threats Israel will face by then\u2026 Israel will need to be fully prepared to face those threats, so voting to block assistance today could very well embolden Hamas and Hezbollah and Iran and endanger Israel\u2019s security into the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He noted his own past criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the humanitarian situation in Gaza, but said that the U.S.-Israel security relationship \u201ctranscends any one prime minister or any one government.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are ways to express criticism \u2013 and to work on addressing these criticisms \u2013 without impacting Israel\u2019s security, \u201cSchumer said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) warned that the resolutions \u201cwould embolden Iran\u201d and its proxies and thereby \u201ccould prolong this war even further, at a time when we are close to securing a deal in Lebanon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also argued that Israel needs not just missile defense systems but offensive weaponry to properly protect its citizens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt also needs to have the ability to destroy enemy threats before they can be deployed, and to respond to attacks that have already been launched,\u201d Rosen said, highlighting recent operations against Hezbollah launch sites in Lebanon. \u201cAnd by providing Israel with these weapons, which are more precise and more accurate, we can actually help it defend itself while also minimizing civilian casualties.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardin also highlighted that Hamas is making humanitarian aid access more difficult and is purposely trying to increase civilian casualties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All GOP senators that were present on Wednesday voted against the measures. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), who will become the No. 2 Senate Republican in January and currently chairs the Senate GOP conference, excoriated Democrats over the vote after the resolutions failed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOn their way out the door, Lame Duck Democrats attempted to cut off critical aid to Israel. Senate Republicans stopped them,\u201d Barrasso said in a statement. \u201cAmerica\u2019s friendship with Israel is foundational for peace and security. It should be clear to the world that a Republican Congress will not turn its back on Israel. Not now. Not ever. The new Senate Republican majority will give Israel the support it needs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, who is still a sitting senator, did not attend any of the votes, despite voting on Biden judicial nominees earlier on Wednesday. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), the nominee for secretary of state, voted against all three anti-Israel resolutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking on the Senate floor ahead of the votes, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) urged colleagues to vote down the measures, arguing that abandoning Israel would not lead to peace in the region. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have a historic opportunity here to give Israel what they need to finish the war they can\u2019t afford to lose, come up with a day-after plan that would replace Hamas \u2026 try to get Lebanon in a better space and build on the Abraham Accords. This effort by my colleagues undercuts all that,\u201d Graham said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have every right to say anything you want to say in this body, but I\u2019ve been there a lot and none of you have gone with me,\u201d he continued. \u201cMaking peace is hard. We haven\u2019t done this together. I\u2019ve been with Sen. Van Hollen to Israel. I\u2019ve been with Sen. Van Hollen before in the region. I think he wants to help the Palestinians and I don\u2019t think he\u2019s antisemitic. I just think there\u2019s an opportunity here [for regional peace and normalization]. It\u2019s not about Bibi, folks, it\u2019s about a strain of Islam that will kill every Jew, including Bibi, and come after us, unless they\u2019re defeated.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two of the 11 senators who voted for a previous measure by Sanders<\/a> in January that could have resulted in a halt in aid to Israel ultimately voted against his resolutions this time \u2014 Sens. Laphonza Butler (D-CA) and Rand Paul (R-KY).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AIPAC framed the votes as a victory, saying in a statement, \u201cthe majority of Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans again demonstrated profound American support for our ally and rejected the dangerous efforts by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and his allies to weaken Israel and undermine the U.S.-Israel relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But J Street president Jeremy Ben Ami, who supported the Sanders resolutions, also claimed victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis vote marks a milestone in the ongoing evolution of the U.S.-Israel relationship. This debate and vote signify another step toward a relationship in which the US can hold Israel accountable for its actions and its use of the weapons we provide,\u201d Ben Ami said.  \u201cWhat the large number of supporting votes does indicate is growing concern over the direction that the far-right government of Israel is leading the country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Democratic Majority For Israel, which was lobbying against the resolutions, framed the nearly 20 no votes \u2014 who constituted around 37% of Senate Democrats \u2014 as unrepresentative of the party as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDemocrats reaffirmed, once again, that the majority of our party stands firmly with the Israeli people and supports Israel\u2019s security, especially in this critical time,\u201d DMFI President Mark Mellman said. \u201cWhile a few vocal anti-Israel voices in our party often get outsized attention, the majority of Senate Democrats remain steadfast in support of Israel\u2019s sovereignty and right to self-defense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Jewish Democratic Council of America also emphasized that a majority of Senate Democrats opposed the resolutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, the Republican Jewish Coalition called the vote \u201ca dangerous new low for anti-Israel democrats in the Senate,\u201d while highlighting that JDCA had endorsed many of those who voted against the resolutions and J Street endorsed nearly all of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dov Wilker, the regional director of the American Jewish Committee in Atlanta, told Jewish Insider<\/em> that \u201cto use the word \u2018disappointment\u2019 would be an understatement,\u201d when asked about Ossoff and Warnock\u2019s votes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see how this advances any of the goals that the senators have.  It doesn\u2019t return the displaced citizens to the north and to the south [of Israel]. It doesn\u2019t help bring the hostages home. It doesn\u2019t protect Israeli civilians or Palestinian civilians,\u201d Wilker told JI. \u201cThis is a statement that sort of emboldens Iran and its proxies, and it\u2019s a sad day for those who support Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said that, though Ossoff and Warnock have been critical of Israel\u2019s operations over the last year, the votes still came as a \u201cshock\u201d and said that \u201cthis has likely strained [their] relationship[s]\u201d with the Jewish community going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ossoff is up for re-election in 2026 in the swing state, where he narrowly won election by around 50,000 votes in 2020. The Atlanta area has a sizable Jewish community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeremy Burton, the CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Boston, highlighted the Biden administration\u2019s vote to veto an unconditional cease-fire resolution at the U.N. alongside Wednesday\u2019s Senate votes, when asked about Markey and Warren\u2019s votes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday the Biden administration sent a strong message to the U.N. about America\u2019s steadfast commitment to bring the hostages home,\u201d Burton told JI. \u201cNineteen senators sent a different message about the U.S.-Israel relationship. Both are heard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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President Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer strongly opposed the resolutions, which more than three-quarters of the Senate voted against NATHAN POSNER\/ANADOLU VIA GETTY IMAGES Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speaks at a press conference, alongside Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), on… Continue reading → <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37779"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37779"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37779\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37780,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37779\/revisions\/37780"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37779"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37779"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}