Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. An attempt by the U.S. to block the sale of certain U.S. weapons to Israel was overwhelmingly rejected by the U.S. Senate on Wednesday evening.
A joint resolution of disapproval of Sanders, sponsored by Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. and Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt. intended to block the White House’s sale of advanced weapons to the Israeli military. An effort to block the sale of tank rounds to Israel was voted down 79-18, and an attempt to block shipments of mortar rounds was rejected 78-19.
Speaking on the Senate floor, Sanders claimed that the Israeli government is “controlled not only by right-wing extremists, but by religious zealots.”
“It is time to tell the Netanyahu government that they cannot use American taxpayer dollars and American weapons to violate American and international law and our moral values,” Sanders said, “even though last year American taxpayers 18 billion dollars received from”.
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U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., walks through the Senate subway for a news conference on the embargo on arms sales to Israel at the U.S. Capitol on November 19, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
“And as the largest historic recipient of US foreign aid, the Netanyahu government has completely ignored repeated requests from President Biden and the US government.”
The 83-year-old politician also condemned the living conditions in Gaza during his speech.
“Right now, raw sewage runs through the streets of Gaza, and it’s very difficult for people there to get clean drinking water,” Sanders said. “Every one of Gaza’s 12 universities has been bombed … as have hundreds of schools. There has been no electricity in Gaza for 13 months.
Israeli officials praised Stefanik as the UN’s choice, saying his ‘moral clarity’ would counter the body’s ‘hatred and lies’.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Sens. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. Addressing a press conference with Peter Welch, D-Vt. and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., in Washington, DC, Nov. 19, 2024, on upcoming resolutions to block the sale of certain offensive weapons to Israel. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“As I have said many times, Israel had every right to respond to this horrific attack by Hamas as any other country would,” Sanders concluded. “I don’t think anyone here in the US Senate disagrees with that. But the extremist government of Prime Minister Netanyahu has not only waged war on Hamas, it has waged an entire war on the Palestinian people.”
Despite the vote, Sanders’ effort was not entirely unpopular. Earlier this week, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., signaled support for the Vermont Independent’s proposal.
“The failure of the Biden administration to follow US law and suspend arms shipments is a grave mistake that undermines America’s reputation around the world,” Warren said in a statement to The Guardian.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., at a press conference on the upcoming joint resolutions of disapproval to block the sale of certain offensive weapons to Israel on November 19, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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“If this administration does not act, Congress must step in to enforce US law and hold the Netanyahu government accountable through a joint resolution of impeachment.”
Fox News Digital’s Jessica Sonkin and Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.
