Eleven Senators Back Bernie Sanders’s Resolution Urging State Department Report on Human Rights Violations in Gaza by Israel.
On Tuesday evening, a resolution from Senator Bernie Sanders aiming to increase congressional oversight of US military aid to Israel faced limited support, with only 11 senators backing its advancement. In contrast, 72 senators, predominantly Republicans, voted to table the motion, while 17 senators were absent for the vote.
The backdrop to this vote is the escalating death toll in Gaza, surpassing 24,000, amid a military campaign by Israel in response to Hamas terrorist attacks that began on October 7. The Democratic party remains divided on the issue, with progressive lawmakers advocating for a cease-fire and others, notably Senator Sanders, pushing for restrictions on the substantial military aid provided to Israel annually by the US.
The resolution, leveraging a less-known provision in US law, would have compelled the State Department to furnish Congress with a report on human rights violations by Israel. Senator Sanders emphasized the simplicity of the question: whether there were human rights violations using US equipment or assistance in the conflict.
Republicans overwhelmingly opposed the resolution, with Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky being the sole supporter. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell labeled the resolution as “performative left-wing politics,” asserting unwavering support for Israel’s efforts against terrorism.
Even among Democrats, who express concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, most did not vote to advance the resolution. Senator Chris Coons, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, opposed it, fearing potential repercussions on US assistance to Israel.
The failed vote marked the first instance of senators using Section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act, allowing either chamber to request a State Department report on human rights practices by a recipient of US aid. While the resolution did not pass, it sheds light on Democratic positions and sparks discussions on broader congressional oversight of US aid.
Despite the setback, human rights advocates see the vote as a starting point for meaningful conversations on Israel and more extensive scrutiny of US aid. In the coming months, scrutiny on US military aid to Israel is expected to intensify, with Sanders’s resolution highlighting the US’s involvement in the Gaza situation.
Sanders’s resolution points to the US providing substantial military support to Israel during the conflict. Besides the existing $3.8 billion in annual military aid, Congress is considering an additional $14 billion in aid as part of a broader national security bill. Democratic senators have introduced amendments requiring compliance with international law in weapons transfers.
The 11 senators who supported Sanders’s resolution include Republicans Rand Paul, and Democrats Martin Heinrich, Jeff Merkley, Bernie Sanders, Chris Van Hollen, Ed Markey, Laphonza Butler, Ben Ray Lujan, Mazie Hirono, Peter Welch, and Elizabeth Warren.
