Democratic opposition to Israel reached a new high Wednesday after two votes showed a majority of Democratic senators are against arms sales to Israel.
The resolutions against Israel were easily defeated, but in the context of increasing global criticism for Israel due to images of starving children in Gaza that are circulating, the votes showed a rising antipathy to Israel.
A resolution sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont to block more than $675 million in arms sales to Israel attracted 27 Democratic votes before it went down in defeat 27-70, according to The Hill. No Republicans voted for the Sanders resolutions.
A resolution to block the sale of fully automatic rifles to Israel failed 24-73, with only Democrats voting in favor. The Senate has 47 members who are Democrats or caucus with them.
In April, a Sanders-sponsored resolution to block arms sales to Israel drew 15 Democratic supporters. A November 2024 vote had 18 Democratic senators in favor.
Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington said her vote supporting the resolutions was a message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“This legislative tool is not perfect, but frankly, it is time to say enough to the suffering of innocent young children and families,” she said.
“As a longtime friend and supporter of Israel, I am voting yes to send a message: The Netanyahu government cannot continue with this strategy. Netanyahu has prolonged this war at every turn to stay in power.”
According to Politico, 12 Democrats who had never voted against Israel before did so Wednesday.
Sen. Angus King of Maine, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, said his vote is based on his revulsion at the images coming out of Gaza.
“I had just had it,” King said. “I kept expecting that Israel would wake up and realize what an awful thing they were perpetuating, and that surely they would at least open up humanitarian aid. They just continued to not do it, and I just reached the point where enough was enough.”
Sens. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock of Georgia, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland joined King and Murray as former supporters of Israel who voted for the resolution.
Republican Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho said Hamas is to blame for the plight of Gaza because it will not agree to peace terms.
“These are misguided resolutions, and if adopted, would … abandon America’s closest ally in the Middle East,” he said.
Risch said Hamas needs to be condemned for its tactics, according to the Associated Press.
“They use the people of Gaza as human shields, and they steal the food that the people of Gaza need,” Risch explained.
“It is in the interest of America and the world to see this terrorist group destroyed.”
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