Senate Shoots Down Bernie Sanders’ Efforts to Block Sale of Artillery to Israel

The Senate shot down three proposals brought forward by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and other Democrat senators to block the sale of artillery and other weapons to Israel.

In an 18 to 79 vote, the Senate rejected S.J.Res.111. The resolution prohibited the sale of:

…thirty-two thousand seven hundred thirty-nine (32,739) 120mm tank cartridges, consisting of 120mm M1147 High Explosive Multi-Purpose with Tracer (HEMP-T) cartridges and/or 120mm M830A1 High Explosive Multi-Purpose Anti-Tank (MPAT) with Tracer cartridges.

The resolution’s text continued:

Also included are various 120mm tank munitions; 120mm munition canisters; transportation costs; publications and technical documentation; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support.

The Senate voted 18-79-1, against the second proposal, also known as S.J.Res.113. The second proposal sought to prohibit the sale of “fifty thousand four hundred (50,400) M933A1 120mm High Explosive mortar cartridges with M783 fuzes” to Israel.

In a 17-80-1 vote, with one person abstaining, the Senate also voted to reject S.J.Res.115, which sought to block the sale of “kits to transform ‘dumb’ bombs into precision-guided weapons,” according to the Hill.

S.J.Res.115 and S.J.Res.113 were introduced by Sanders, and co-sponsored by Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Peter Welch (D-VT). On S.J.Res.113, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) joined Merkley and Welch as a co-sponsor.

Jacob Wheeler, a reporter with NBC Los Angeles, reported that 18 Democrat Senators had voted to block the arms sale.

The 18 Senators were listed as:

Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM)

Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)

Sen. Angus King (I-ME)

Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA)

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)

Sen. Jon Ossof (D-GA)

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI)

Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN)

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)

Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT)

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)

Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM)

Sen. Rafael Warnock (D-GA)

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT)

Sanders, who has labeled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal” and boycotted Netanyahu’s speech before a “Joint Meeting of Congress” in July, explained that the proposed resolutions were directed at “offensive weapons that have been used to devastating effects against the civilians of Gaza and Lebanon,” the Hill reported.

The senator noted that “under the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Control Act” it is not allowed to “provide weapons” to foreign countries that have violated “internationally recognized human rights” or that have blocked access to U.S. humanitarian aid, according to the outlet.

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) argued that, on the other hand, “instead of blocking” the sale of important weapons to Israel as it “fights for its own existence,” the U.S. should “provide them with the tools needed to demolish Iran-backed Hamas and send a clear message back to Tehran,” according to the National Review.