Sanders and allies seek support ahead of Senate vote on Israel arms embargo

Senator Bernie Sanders and his three allies have called on the Biden administration to halt weapon sales to Israel, accusing the United States of playing a key role in the "atrocities" of Israel's genocide in Gaza, a day before their push in Senate to block US arms sales to Israel.

The four senators gave the media conference ahead of a Wednesday vote on resolutions condemning the US weapons sales — measures that could fail given the large number of lawmakers who support Israel, a historic American ally.

The resolutions were put forth by progressive Sanders, alongside several other Democrats.

The Vermont representative told reporters on Tuesday that "what is happening in Gaza today is unspeakable," pointing in particular to the killing of tens of thousands of civilians in the Palestinian territory, as well as large-scale destruction of buildings and infrastructure by Israel.

"What makes it even more painful is that much of what is happening there has been done with US weapons and with American taxpayer support," he said.

The Health Ministry in Gaza says the death toll from the ongoing Israeli genocide has reached nearly 44,000 people, the majority civilians. The United Nations considers the figures reliable.

The administration of President Joe Biden has steadfastly backed Israel while counseling restraint for more than a year.

"The United States of America is complicit in these atrocities," Sanders said. "That complicity must end and that is what these resolutions are about."

Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, also speaking at the media conference, questioned whether America's foreign policy and commitment to Israel had forced the United States to "be blind to the suffering before our very eyes?"

Senator Peter Welch said he will be joining Senator Sanders, Senator Jeff Merkley, and Senator Van Hollen, "to urge our colleagues to vote with us and block the sale of offensive weapons to Israel."

Joint Resolutions of Disapproval

In its genocidal war against the besieged Palestinians in Gaza since October last year, Israel has extensively used and tested US-supplied weapons. These include the less accurate dumb bombs, bunker busters that penetrate hardened structures before exploding, cluster bombs, JDAMs, and even highly combustible white phosphorus.

The US has also provided Israel with thousands of guided bombs, missiles, fighter jets, attack helicopters, and drones, which have been used in the war that has killed nearly 44,000 Palestinians, wounded over 100,000, destroyed homes and hospitals, and displaced most of Gaza's 2.4 million residents.

Analysts argue this is just a conservative estimate and the accurate death toll could be higher.

Now, with Tel Aviv extending its aggression into Lebanon, and both US Presidential Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump opposing arms embargo on Israel, Sanders plans to introduce on Wednesday Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRD) that would block the sale of certain offensive US weapons to Israel.

The JRD is the only mechanism available to US Congress to prevent an arms sale from advancing.

Meanwhile, Senator John Thune, the incoming Republican leader of the Senate, vowed that Republicans "will make clear that the United States Congress stands squarely in Israel’s corner."

"To our allies in Israel and to the Jewish people around the world, my message to you is this: reinforcements are on the way," he said in a video posted on X.

Thune also criticised Sanders and International Criminal Court for its probe into Israel's war crimes in Gaza.

"The ICC's rogue actions are a threat to our ally, Israel, and left unchecked, it could pose a threat to America in the future," Thune claimed.