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11 Rebel Senators in Israeli-Controlled US Congress, Were Only Supporters of the Bernie Sanders Resolution Over Genocide in Gaza

January 17, 2024

 

US Senator Bernie Sanders outside the Senate chamber on December 12, 2023	Palestinians mourn their relatives, who were killed in the Israeli genocidal bombardment of Rafa'h, on November 7, 2023
Site of the total destruction of a Palestinian residential neighborhood by Israeli genocidal air strikes on Gaza Strip, file, January 7, 2024	Another site showing the total destruction of a Palestinian residential neighborhood by Israeli by Israeli genocidal air strikes on Gaza Strip, file, January 7, 2024

 

Bernie Sanders' push to tie Israel aid to Gaza human rights report fails as war rages

Story by Riley Beggin,

USA TODAY, January 16, 2024

 WASHINGTON –

The Senate rejected a resolution from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., that would have required the State Department to report whether Israel's using American weapons to violate human rights in Gaza – or stop massive amounts of aid if officials don't comply after 30 days.

Shot down by a vote of 72 to 11, the move illustrates the divisions between progressive Democrats and the rest of their party on the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, including President Joe Biden, who is facing blowback from young, left-wing voters.

"No matter what your view on this terrible war may be, we cannot bury our eyes in the sand," Sanders said on the Senate floor Tuesday.

Since the latest conflict began, "we have not considered a single measure that grappled with the unprecedented destruction, the humanitarian crisis, or the use of American weapons in a military campaign that has left so many dead, wounded and displaced."

On Oct. 7, Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and invaded several communities along Israel's southern border, killing at least 1,200 people and kidnapping 240 others, around 129 of whom are still held hostage.

The attack stunned Israelis, who responded in force. Within hours, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza. Netanyahu's government has since ordered many residents to evacuate south as it continues targeting Gaza in pursuit of Hamas.

More than 85% of the population has been displaced, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. The bombing campaign has hit hospitals and other civilian targets, and at least 24,000 Palestinians have been killed since it began, the majority of whom are women and children, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

A Palestinian woman reacts in front of a destroyed building in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on Jan. 16, 2024, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.© -, AFP via Getty Images

Israel is under intense pressure from the international community to limit its destruction in Gaza. In November, United Nations experts called for a ceasefire, raising concerns that Palestinians are "at grave risk of genocide."

Many Democratic senators joined their Republican colleagues in voting to set aside the resolution Tuesday night.

"While I do believe the United States Congress should be fully informed of the nature of Israel’s war in Gaza while we continue to support our ally," Senate Appropriations Chair Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in a statement, "I am concerned that the resolution could potentially cut off all aid to Israel and send a message that invites other adversaries in the region to expand the current conflict."

Israel receives $3.8 billion annually for military defense under an Obama-era agreement.

In December, the U.S. State Department approved the additional sale of nearly 14,000 tank shells worth around $106 million to Israel. The Biden administration used an emergency declaration and did not seek congressional approval.

Biden has requested lawmakers pass $14.3 billion for air and missile defense assistance, embassy support and military financing for Israel, which has not yet been approved by Congress.

The conflict – and the United States' continued support for Israel – has divided the American left. Biden has remained a staunch supporter of Israel, though he has warned that Netanyahu is losing support of international allies due to the "indiscriminate" bombing.

That dissonance could be a challenge for Biden's reelection campaign: In late December, a New York Times/Siena College poll found younger Americans were very critical of Israel's conduct, with nearly three quarters of them disapproving of the way Biden is handling the conflict. Younger voters favor Democrats by a wide margin.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 

Bernie Sanders' push to tie Israel aid to Gaza human rights report fails as war rages

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These 11 senators supported Bernie Sanders's resolution to force a State Department report on Israeli human rights violations in Gaza

Story by bmetzger@insider.com (Bryan Metzger)

Business Insider, January 17, 2024

Sen. Bernie Sanders forced a floor vote on a resolution on Israel and Gaza. It would've required the State Department to say whether Israel is violating human rights. But it easily failed, with the vast majority of senators voting to block the resolution.

The US is sending munitions, aircraft carriers, and fighter jets toward Israel after the Hamas attacks.  The aid package includes the newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford.  Specific munitions are uncertain, but Israel needs weapons for their Iron Dome defense system.

After the surprise attacks on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas over the weekend, the US has been swift in its response and providing aid.

On October 7, Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing hundreds of civilians and abducting others. Israel responded with a series of airstrikes throughout the Gaza Strip.

Some 1,000 Israelis had been killed as of Tuesday, with another 3,400 injured, Israel's embassy in the US said. Gaza's health ministry reported at least 830 Palestinians had been killed, with at least 4,250 injured.

The US contributes $3 billion annually to its ally in the Middle East and will bolster that support by sending additional munitions and redirecting fighter jets and aircraft carriers toward Israel. Most notably, the USS Gerald R. Ford, the newest US aircraft carrier, is being directed from its station in the Mediterranean toward Israel.

Here's what the US is providing to and around Israel amid the conflict.

Just 11 senators on Tuesday evening supported advancing a resolution from Sen. Bernie Sanders that would have significantly escalated congressional oversight of US military aid to Israel.

Seventy-two senators, including nearly all Republicans, voted to table a motion to advance the resolution; 17 senators missed the vote.

The vote comes as the death toll in Gaza surpasses 24,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israel has waged a brutal military campaign in the densely populated territory since the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7.

The issue continues to split Democrats, with some progressive lawmakers calling for a cease-fire as others, particularly Sanders, push to place restrictions on the billions of dollars in military aid that the US provides to the Jewish state each year.

Under a relatively obscure provision within US law, the resolution would have forced the State Department to provide Congress with a report on human rights violations by Israel.

"We will be voting on a very simple question: do you support asking the State Department whether human rights violations may have occurred using US equipment or assistance in this war?" Sanders said during a floor speech last week. "I hope it is not controversial to ask how US weapons are being used."

Related video: Sen. Sanders on Biden's support for Israel: 'Very hard' for Americans to 'be excited' right now (FOX News)

will ultimately rally behind Joe Biden in November, Loaded: 49.10% Current Time 0:04 / Duration 1:25 FOX News Sen. Sanders on Biden's support for Israel: 'Very hard' for Americans to 'be excited' right now 0 View on Watch

But Republicans were nearly unanimous in their opposition — Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was the only one to support the resolution.

"The resolution brought forward by Sen. Sanders is little more than performative left-wing politics," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a floor speech earlier on Tuesday. "Israel deserves America's firm support as it roots out terrorist killers and restores its security."

And even most Democrats — including those who say they're concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza — did not vote to advance the resolution.

Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement that he would vote against the resolution because he doesn't support "risking the suspension of all US assistance or publicly rebuking Israel in a way that could embolden its enemies."

'It allows for meaningful conversations to start'

Under Section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act, either the House or the Senate can request a State Department report on human rights practices by any country that receives aid from the US.

Tuesday was the first time ever that senators had taken a floor vote on that provision.

If the State Department failed to provide a report within 30 days, then US aid to Israel would be halted — a possibility that Sen. Coons alluded to in his statement opposing the resolution.

However, it would be highly unusual for the State Department to fail to respond to an oversight request from Congress.

"To not provide a report in response to a request of a majority of senators would be a pretty significant break with norms," said John Ramming Chappell, an advocacy and legal fellow at the Center for Civilians in Conflict.

Despite the vote's failure, it offers the clearest view yet of where Democrats, in particular, stand on the issue — and human rights advocates also hope it marks the beginning of a broader conversation on not just Israel but congressional oversight of US aid more broadly.

"Having members on the record on this issue for the first time since October 7 is very important," said Chappell. "It allows for meaningful conversations to start, and it's a prerequisite to oversight."

In the coming weeks and months, US military aid to Israel is only likely to face more scrutiny.

Sanders's resolution notes several ways that the US is implicated in the ongoing situation in Gaza, including by providing at least 15,000 bombs and 57,000 artillery shells to the country as it wages a war that has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians.

Beyond the existing $3.8 billion in military aid that the US provides each year, Congress is considering an additional $14 billion in aid to Israel as part of a broader national security bill that would also provide aid to more Ukraine.

Democratic senators have introduced two different amendments related to Israel aid, including one from Sen. Tim Kaine from Virginia and another from Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, requiring that weapons transfers comply with international law.

"This should be the beginning of a broader human rights oversight process," said Chappell. "It's never been more urgent than it is today to examine US arms transfers to Israel."

Here are the 11 senators who backed Sanders's resolution:

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky

Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico

Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont

Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland

Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts

Democratic Sen. Laphonza Butler of California

Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico

Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii

Democratic Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont

Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts

These 11 senators supported Bernie Sanders's resolution to force a State Department report on Israeli human rights violations in Gaza (msn.com)

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Sanders bid for report on human rights in Israel-Hamas war fails in Senate

Just 11 senators voted against tabling the resolution, which demanded a report that could have altered U.S. support for the key ally.

ANTHONY ADRAGNA

Politico, 01/16/2024, 8:11PM ET

The Senate tabled a resolution from Bernie Sanders that would have required the State Department to report on whether Israel has violated human rights in its ongoing war with Hamas, revealing the ongoing division between various blocs of the Democratic Party.

The vote to table the resolution, called under the Foreign Assistance Act and requiring a simple majority for passage, passed 72-11. Democrats sided with the chamber’s Republicans in defeating the resolution amid a conflict that’s killed more than 23,000 people in Gaza, by recent estimates.

“If you believe that the [bombing] campaign has been indiscriminate, as I do, then we have a responsibility to ask this question,” Sanders (I-Vt.) said on the floor last week. “If you believe Israel has done nothing wrong, then this information should support that belief.”

Only after that report landed — or if the State Department failed to meet the 30-day deadline to deliver it — would the U.S. be able to freeze or alter aid to Israel.

The vote on the privileged resolution occurred as the Washington area deals with winter weather that prevented many lawmakers from returning to the Hill. Sanders himself was delayed in returning Tuesday afternoon.

Sanders said the provision of the law has never been invoked since its adoption in 1976.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell slammed the resolution as an attempt at “tying the hands of a close ally locked in a necessary battle against savage terrorists” and a gift to “left-wing, anti-Israel activists” in remarks on the Senate floor.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a GOP foreign policy hawk, slammed the resolution as an effort that would “empower the terrorist” and “maybe the most tone deaf thing in the history of the Senate.”

“To the left, what are you thinking?” he asked on the floor. “A ceasefire with Hamas only allows Hamas to regroup.”

But the defeat of the resolution wasn’t due to Republicans alone. In a statement, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said that while he is “deeply concerned” about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and how Israel is conducting its campaign, he would not support the Sanders effort.

“I will continue raising these issues directly with Israeli officials and the Biden administration,” Coons said in a statement. “I do not, however, believe that risking the suspension of all U.S. assistance or publicly rebuking Israel in a way that could embolden its enemies will address these concerns, nor will it improve the humanitarian situation.”

Sanders bid for report on human rights in Israel-Hamas war fails in Senate - Live Updates - POLITICO

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Roll Call Vote 118th Congress - 2nd Session XMLVote Summary  Question: On the Motion to Table (Motion to Table the Motion to Discharge S. Res. 504 from the Committee on Foreign Relations ) Vote Number: 8 Vote Date: January 16, 2024, 07:05 PM Required For Majority: 1/2 Vote Result: Motion to Table Agreed to Measure Number: S.Res. 504 Measure Title: A resolution requesting information on Israel's human rights practices pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. Vote Counts: YEAs72 NAYs 11 Not Voting 17 *Information compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate bill clerk under the direction of the secretary of the Senate Vote Summary By Senator Name By Vote Position By Home State Alphabetical Alphabetical by Senator Name  Baldwin (D-WI), Yea Barrasso (R-WY), Not Voting Bennet (D-CO), Yea Blackburn (R-TN), Not Voting Blumenthal (D-CT), Yea Booker (D-NJ), Yea Boozman (R-AR), Not Voting Braun (R-IN), Yea Britt (R-AL), Yea Brown (D-OH), Yea Budd (R-NC), Yea Butler (D-CA), Nay Cantwell (D-WA), Yea Capito (R-WV), Yea Cardin (D-MD), Yea Carper (D-DE), Yea Casey (D-PA), Yea Cassidy (R-LA), Yea Collins (R-ME), Yea Coons (D-DE), Not Voting Cornyn (R-TX), Yea Cortez Masto (D-NV), Yea Cotton (R-AR), Yea Cramer (R-ND), Yea Crapo (R-ID), Yea Cruz (R-TX), Yea Daines (R-MT), Not Voting Duckworth (D-IL), Yea Durbin (D-IL), Yea Ernst (R-IA), Yea Fetterman (D-PA), Yea Fischer (R-NE), Yea Gillibrand (D-NY), Yea Graham (R-SC), Yea Grassley (R-IA), Not Voting Hagerty (R-TN), Not Voting Hassan (D-NH), Yea Hawley (R-MO), Yea Heinrich (D-NM), Nay Hickenlooper (D-CO), Yea Hirono (D-HI), Nay Hoeven (R-ND), Yea Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Not Voting Johnson (R-WI), Yea Kaine (D-VA), Yea Kelly (D-AZ), Yea Kennedy (R-LA), Not Voting King (I-ME), Yea Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea Lankford (R-OK), Yea Lee (R-UT), Yea Lujan (D-NM), Nay Lummis (R-WY), Yea Manchin (D-WV), Yea Markey (D-MA), Nay Marshall (R-KS), Yea McConnell (R-KY), Yea Menendez (D-NJ), Yea Merkley (D-OR), Nay Moran (R-KS), Yea Mullin (R-OK), Yea Murkowski (R-AK), Yea Murphy (D-CT), Yea Murray (D-WA), Yea Ossoff (D-GA), Yea Padilla (D-CA), Yea Paul (R-KY), Nay Peters (D-MI), Yea Reed (D-RI), Yea Ricketts (R-NE), Yea Risch (R-ID), Yea Romney (R-UT), Not Voting Rosen (D-NV), Yea Rounds (R-SD), Not Voting Rubio (R-FL), Not Voting Sanders (I-VT), Nay Schatz (D-HI), Not Voting Schmitt (R-MO), Not Voting Schumer (D-NY), Yea Scott (R-FL), Yea Scott (R-SC), Yea Shaheen (D-NH), Yea Sinema (I-AZ), Yea Smith (D-MN), Yea Stabenow (D-MI), Yea Sullivan (R-AK), Not Voting Tester (D-MT), Yea Thune (R-SD), Yea Tillis (R-NC), Yea Tuberville (R-AL), Not Voting Vance (R-OH), Yea Van Hollen (D-MD), Nay Warner (D-VA), Yea Warnock (D-GA), Yea Warren (D-MA), Nay Welch (D-VT), Nay Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea Wicker (R-MS), Not Voting Wyden (D-OR), Yea Young (R-IN), Yea Vote Summary By Senator Name By Vote Position By Home State  Grouped Grouped By Vote Position  YEAs ---72 Baldwin (D-WI) Bennet (D-CO) Blumenthal (D-CT) Booker (D-NJ) Braun (R-IN) Britt (R-AL) Brown (D-OH) Budd (R-NC) Cantwell (D-WA) Capito (R-WV) Cardin (D-MD) Carper (D-DE) Casey (D-PA) Cassidy (R-LA) Collins (R-ME) Cornyn (R-TX) Cortez Masto (D-NV) Cotton (R-AR) Cramer (R-ND) Crapo (R-ID) Cruz (R-TX) Duckworth (D-IL) Durbin (D-IL) Ernst (R-IA) Fetterman (D-PA) Fischer (R-NE) Gillibrand (D-NY) Graham (R-SC) Hassan (D-NH) Hawley (R-MO) Hickenlooper (D-CO) Hoeven (R-ND) Johnson (R-WI) Kaine (D-VA) Kelly (D-AZ) King (I-ME) Klobuchar (D-MN) Lankford (R-OK) Lee (R-UT) Lummis (R-WY) Manchin (D-WV) Marshall (R-KS) McConnell (R-KY) Menendez (D-NJ) Moran (R-KS) Mullin (R-OK) Murkowski (R-AK) Murphy (D-CT) Murray (D-WA) Ossoff (D-GA) Padilla (D-CA) Peters (D-MI) Reed (D-RI) Ricketts (R-NE) Risch (R-ID) Rosen (D-NV) Schumer (D-NY) Scott (R-FL) Scott (R-SC) Shaheen (D-NH) Sinema (I-AZ) Smith (D-MN) Stabenow (D-MI) Tester (D-MT) Thune (R-SD) Tillis (R-NC) Vance (R-OH) Warner (D-VA) Warnock (D-GA) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wyden (D-OR) Young (R-IN) NAYs ---11 Butler (D-CA) Heinrich (D-NM) Hirono (D-HI) Lujan (D-NM) Markey (D-MA) Merkley (D-OR) Paul (R-KY) Sanders (I-VT) Van Hollen (D-MD) Warren (D-MA) Welch (D-VT) Not Voting - 17 Barrasso (R-WY) Blackburn (R-TN) Boozman (R-AR) Coons (D-DE) Daines (R-MT) Grassley (R-IA) Hagerty (R-TN) Hyde-Smith (R-MS) Kennedy (R-LA) Romney (R-UT) Rounds (R-SD) Rubio (R-FL) Schatz (D-HI) Schmitt (R-MO) Sullivan (R-AK) Tuberville (R-AL) Wicker (R-MS) U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 118th Congress - 2nd Session

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