A joint resolution proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders to block the sale of bombs and other weapons to Israel was voted down in the Senate on Thursday.
The resolution was rejected by a tally of 82-15, with Democrats compromising all of the “yes” votes. The resolution would have affected $8.8 billion in weapons and other sales to Israel.
Sanders has consistently opposed weapons shipments to Israel during its war against Hamas in Gaza, and has proposed several Senate resolutions to that effect, all of them unsuccessful.
In November, the Vermont independent, who is Jewish, proposed three similar resolutions to block weapons shipments to Israel. He was backed by 19 Senate Democrats at the time. Another bill proposed by Sanders in January sought to assess whether Israel was compliant with international and U.S. human rights laws; it was also struck down by the Senate in a vote of 72-11 — with Republican Rand Paul of Kentucky voting in support along with a group of Democrats.
Votes in support of the proposed legislation on Thursday came from many of those who supported the previous bills. Among them was Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz, who is Jewish.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, the New York Jewish Democrat and Senate minority leader who is known as a staunch Israel supporter, voted to oppose the resolution.
In a fiery address prior to the vote, Sanders called on the Senate to vote against the weapons sales, citing concerns over alleged international law violations by Israel and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Do we try to maintain a shred of moral integrity in the world or do we simply say to Netanyahu; here’s some more bombs, kill some more kids, kill some more women, bomb some more hospitals, is that what we do?” said Sanders.
Others voting in favor were Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Massachusetts Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, New Mexico Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan, Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono, New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim, Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith, Vermont Sen. Peter Welch and Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy.
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