Bernie Sanders’ latest push to halt US weapons sales to Israel collapses in the Senate, as lawmakers deliver a resounding bipartisan message of support for the Jewish state.
The United States Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly rejected Senator Bernie Sanders’ latest bid to block a massive American arms package to Israel — marking his third failed attempt in less than a year to cut off US weapons to its Middle Eastern ally.
The resolution, aimed at halting a $676 million arms transfer that includes 5,000 heavy-duty bombs, precision guidance systems, and tens of thousands of automatic rifles, failed 27-70. Despite Sanders’ impassioned plea, the defeat was decisive — and bipartisan.
Break in the Ranks
Notably, 12 senators who had previously supported ongoing military assistance to Israel flipped their votes this time. Among them:
- Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
- Jack Reed (D-RI)
- Patty Murray (D-WA)
- Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
- Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE)
- Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
- Jon Ossoff (D-GA)
- Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
- Raphael Warnock (D-GA)
- Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD)
- Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
- Angus King (I-ME), who declared: “I had just had it… enough was enough.”
Sanders’ Warning
“This resolution is absolutely necessary because the United States will have no credibility in the international community if we don’t stand up against this,” Sanders argued on the Senate floor, accusing Israel of using US-supplied arms in strikes that have killed Palestinian civilians.
He further branded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent Washington visit — amid International Criminal Court arrest warrants against him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant — as “a shameful day in America”.
Pro-Israel Lobby Cheers Victory
The powerful pro-Israel lobby AIPAC hailed the Senate’s decision:
“We applaud the US Senate for standing with Israel and rejecting Sanders’ dangerous attempt to undermine its security. Blocking these sales would have emboldened Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah.”
AIPAC stressed the arms transfers not only bolster Israel’s defense against Iranian proxies, but also support American jobs and safeguard Israel’s military edge in a volatile region.
The Bigger Picture
The vote comes as the war between Israel and Hamas — triggered by the October 7, 2023 terrorist massacre — grinds on. While Sanders insists US weapons fuel civilian suffering in Gaza, the Trump administration and the Senate majority view these arms as critical to Israel’s survival and regional stability.
For now, Israel’s weapons pipeline from the US remains wide open — and Sanders’ uphill fight shows no sign of turning the tide.
