Jan. 16 (UPI) — In a move tied to U.S. aid to Israel, the U.S. Senate will vote Tuesday on a resolution that could force the State Department to provide Congress reports on any possible human rights violations committed by Israel in Gaza.
“We will be voting on a very simple question: Do you support asking the State Department whether human rights violations may have occurred using U.S. equipment or assistance in this war?” said Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., last week on the Senate floor.
A floor vote on the resolution — made possible under a clause in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and first introduced on Dec. 14 by Sanders — is expected at 5:30 p.m. EST.
Congress has not voted to request a human rights report under this part of the Foreign Assistance Act since 1976, when the act was amended. The Senate resolution being considered Tuesday cannot be amended or filibustered and requires a majority vote.
This puts a congressional microscope on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government for any “credible” human rights violations that may have occurred in the course of the military campaign in Gaza. It also inquires about steps the U.S. government has taken to limit the risk of civilian casualties.
Since the war began in October, more than 23,000 people in Gaza have been killed and nearly 90% of the population displaced by Israeli military action, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Palestinian sources also say 58,000 people in Gaza have been wounded and 70% of the housing infrastructure damaged or destroyed.
Additionally, 146 United Nations workers have been killed in the conflict, and more than 135 U.N. facilities have been damaged in Israeli air strikes, officials say.
Sanders’ resolution “details the extensive use of U.S. arms in the campaign, particularly massive explosive ordinance, such as thousands of 2,000-pound bombs and 155mm artillery” and will note the “credible findings from human rights monitors and the press that U.S. arms were used in strikes leading to many civilian casualties.”
He emphasized the resolution will not change ongoing aid to Israel. But, he added that the information requested from the State Department is information that members of Congress should have access to regardless of any differing viewpoints over the Israel-Hamas war.
“We have a responsibility to ask this question. If you believe Israel has done nothing wrong, then this information should support that belief,” said Sanders on Jan. 10 on the Senate floor.
The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 requires that U.S. security assistance or arms provided to any country — such as Israel — be used in line with internationally recognized human rights laws. Section 502B(c) of the 1961 law empowers Congress to direct the State Department to provide information on the human rights record of the country receiving U.S. security assistance.
If the resolution passes, a report must be given to Congress by the State Department within 30 days. As part of the law, Congress will have the power to consider adjustments to U.S. assistance to Israel But it must pass both houses of Congress and be signed into law by President Joe Biden.
