Senate rejects Bernie Sanders’ effort to block weapons sales to Israel

An effort by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to block certain U.S. weapons sales to Israel was overwhelmingly rejected by the U.S. Senate Wednesday evening.

Sanders’ joint resolution of disapproval, which was supported by Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.; Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.; and Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., intended to stop the White House’s latest arms sales to the Israeli military. An effort to block the sales of tank rounds to Israel was voted down 79-18, and a measure intending to block mortar round shipments was rejected 78-19.

Speaking on the Senate floor, Sanders claimed 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 U.S. taxpayer dollars and American weapons in violation of U.S. and international law and our moral values despite receiving $18 billion from U.S. taxpayers in the last year,” Sanders said. 

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U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., walks through the Senate subway to a news conference on restricting arms sales to Israel at the U.S. Capitol Nov. 19, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

“And being the largest historical recipient of U.S. foreign aid, the Netanyahu government has completely ignored the repeated requests of President Biden and the U.S. government.”

The 83-year-old politician also decried living conditions in Gaza during his speech.

“Right now, there is raw sewage running through the streets of Gaza, and it is very difficult for the people there to obtain clean drinking water,” Sanders said. “Every one of Gaza’s 12 universities has been bombed … as have many hundreds of schools. For 13 months, there has been no electricity in Gaza.

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Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks at a press conference alongside senators Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.; Peter Welch, D-Vt.; and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., on upcoming resolutions aimed at blocking certain offensive weapon sales to Israel in Washington, D.C., Nov. 19, 2024. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“As I have said many, many times, Israel had the absolute right to respond to that horrific Hamas attack as any other country would,” Sanders concluded. “I don’t think anybody here in the United States Senate disagrees with that. 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.”

Despite the vote, Sanders’ effort was not wholly unpopular. Earlier this week, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., signaled support for the Vermont Independent’s proposal.

“The failure by the Biden administration to follow U.S. law and to suspend arms shipments is a grave mistake that undermines American credibility worldwide,” Warren said in a statement to The Guardian.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., at a press conference on upcoming joint resolutions of disapproval aimed at blocking certain offensive weapon sales to Israel in Washington, D.C., Nov. 19, 2024. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

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“If this administration will not act, Congress must step up to enforce U.S. law and hold the Netanyahu government accountable through a joint resolution of disapproval.”

Fox News Digital’s Jessica Sonkin and Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.