This week, a vote in the U.S. Senate to block military equipment from being sent to Israel failed. But rights advocates have hailed the result as a “turning point” that signals growing dissatisfaction with Israeli policies.
Democratic senators overwhelmingly supported the bill Wednesday, which aims to block the sale of military bulldozers to Israel. Just seven people crossed party lines to join the Republican majority in rejecting the bill 40-59.
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Activists call the tally a “historic” sign of progress.
“Although the bill did not pass, the vote made clear that a majority of Senate Democrats oppose unconditional aid to Israel, consistent with the views of most Americans,” said Hassan El Tayyab, director of Middle East policy and legislation at the peace advocacy group Friends National Legislative Committee.
“This was not only a vote on arms sales, but also a vote against further escalation, including a broader war with Iran.”
The bill, introduced by progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, comes amid growing anger over the conflict with Iran that U.S. President Donald Trump launched with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu without Congressional approval.
Some senators who are usually staunch supporters of Israel, including Adam Schiff, Cory Booker and Amy Klobuchar, supported the bill Wednesday.
Israel has used bulldozers to destroy entire towns in Lebanon and Gaza in a campaign that rights groups say amounts to ethnic cleansing.
Declining support for Israel
In a separate vote Wednesday, 36 senators, all Democrats, also supported a bill to block 1,000-pound (450 kg) bombs from being sent to Israel.
Similar bills to block arms sales to Israel received 27 “yes” votes last year and 18 “yes” votes in 2024, respectively.
Support for Wednesday’s resolution opposing the bulldozer sale was more than double that of senators who opposed the 2024 arms transfer.
Supporters point to the cumulative impact of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, the ongoing destruction of southern Lebanon, and the currently suspended war with Iran as contributing to the political shift.
“This change reflects the position of the American people,” Sanders said in a statement Wednesday.
“Americans, Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike, want our tax dollars to be invested in improving lives here at home and not used to kill innocent women and children in the Middle East or endanger U.S. troops as part of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s illegal war of expansion.”
A Pew Research Center poll this month suggested that 60% of American adults, including 80% of Democrats, have negative views of Israel.
イスラエルは政党を問わず、特に若者の間で不人気だ。 The Pew poll found that 70% of respondents under the age of 50 (including 57% of Republicans and 84% of Democrats) expressed a negative opinion of Israel.
But Senate Republicans, who have rarely broken ranks with Trump, unanimously voted against Sanders’ resolution on Wednesday.
Republican Sen. Rick Scott accused Democrats of voting in favor of measures that were complicit in “terrorism.”
“We blocked a critical arms sale to Israel that would have helped our allies confront terrorists who want to destroy both countries,” he said in a social media post.
“Democrats will do anything to oppose President Trump, even if it means putting American lives at risk.”
“Inflection point”
Beth Miller, political director of the advocacy group Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) Action, said it was “shameful” that U.S. lawmakers continue to vote in favor of arming Israel.
“Every senator at this point should be voting to block all weapons against Israel, not just because of the genocide in Gaza, but because of the shelling of Lebanon and the ongoing atrocities that both Israel and the Trump administration are committing in Iran,” Miller told Al Jazeera.
Still, she praised the growing opposition to unconditional aid to Israel, once considered the default position on Capitol Hill.
In her view, Wednesday’s 40 votes in favor of the resolution “demonstrates deep cracks in the political pillars that support the U.S.-Israel alliance.”
「昨夜は転換点だった」とミラー氏は語った。 “It was a moment when senators were put on record to answer a very simple question: Do we really want to continue arming the Israeli military, yes or no?”
However, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) lobbied against the bill.
“This dangerous initiative will undermine Israel’s security and put Israeli families at further risk as our allies face continued terrorist attacks on multiple fronts,” the influential pro-Israel lobby said in an email to supporters last week.
The vote came days after J Street, a liberal Zionist group that describes itself as pro-Israel and pro-peace, supported phasing out U.S. aid to the Israeli military.
The group hailed Sanders’ support for the resolution as a sign that senators are increasingly questioning the idea of providing unconditional aid to Israel.
“Today’s vote is an important step against the destructive policies of Netanyahu and Trump, which have devastated the region and caused significant damage to Israel’s security and global standing,” J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami said in a statement.
Schumer faces backlash
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer joined the minority in his caucus in voting against Sanders’ resolution, increasing criticism of his leadership within the party.
“These bulldozers are being used to illegally destroy Palestinian villages,” Khanna said in a video message.
“Mr. Schumer, you have distanced yourself from the base and caucus of this party. Please stand back.”
Earlier this week, JVP and other Palestinian rights groups protested outside the offices of Schumer and fellow New York state senator Kirsten Gillibrand, urging her to support Sanders’ bill.
Miller said the vote further shows that Schumer has “nothing to do” with being the Democratic leader in the Senate.
“He has no understanding of the current state of the Democratic voter base. In fact, he is actively doing the opposite of what Democratic voters want him to do,” she said.
Schumer’s office did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.
Miller said activists will continue to pressure Schumer and other lawmakers to stop the flow of weapons to Israel, adding that Wednesday’s tally is the culmination of years of advocacy work.
El-Tayyab also said activists are writing and calling individual senators en masse to persuade them to limit aid to Israel.
“I will continue to press Congress for further votes and debates on military aid to Israel until we end support for Israel’s war crimes against Palestinians, Lebanese civilians, and communities across the region,” he said.
