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On May 20th, US Senator Bernie Sanders introduced a resolution blocking a $735m US weapons sale to Israel.
“At a moment when U.S.-made bombs are devastating Gaza, and killing women and children, we cannot simply let another huge arms sale go through without even a Congressional debate,” Sanders said. “I believe that the United States must help lead the way to a peaceful and prosperous future for both Israelis and Palestinians. We need to take a hard look at whether the sale of these weapons is actually helping do that, or whether it is simply fueling conflict.”
The resolution introduced by Sanders is privileged, which means the senator will have the option to bring it up for a vote.
The move comes after Democrats in the House of Representatives, led by Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), filed a similar resolution.
Basically, Sanders’ statement mirrored that of a separate resolution he introduced on May 19th, which emphasized the importance of Israeli and Palestinian lives.
“Whereas every Palestinian life matters; and whereas every Israeli life matters:now, therefore, be it resolved, that the Senate … urges an immediate ceasefire,” Sanders’ resolution said.
The resolution was in response to a separate measure from the Republican senator Rick Scott affirming US support for Israel.
The Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs committees all backed the sale during an informal review before May 5th.
Lawmakers predicted efforts to stop the sale would fail, given traditionally strong bipartisan support in both the House and Senate for arms sales to Israel.
Senator Bob Menendez, the Democratic chairman of Senate Foreign Relations, said he would oppose the Sanders resolution. He also said he was not certain that Sanders had filed it within a required 15-day period.
“I can’t imagine that passing,” Senator Jim Risch, the committee’s top Republican, told reporters.
Basically, US President Joe Biden signed the approval on May 17th, 12 days after it was proposed, in order that any resolutions against the sale could potentially be out of time, if the 15-day period is to be counted from May 5th. It essentially was heard of 12 days after the fact, leaving only 3 days to introduce any proposed legislation.
Currently, Israeli media are simply reporting on Sanders and others’ resolutions, saying that they are to be ineffective. It is expected that Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and others are, of course, dubbed Nazis by Tel Aviv, as such statements and blocking of weapon sales is unacceptable for Israel.
US President Joe Biden, on May 20th, praised the ceasefire reached in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, saying that Washington would continue supported Israeli militarily under any condition, something that has been more than obvious.
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