Civic Register
| 5.26.21

Sanders Drops Bid to Block Arms Sale to Israel

Should the sale of precision-guided weapons to Israel be blocked?

UPDATE 5/26/21

  • Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) will no longer attempt to block an arms sale to Israel after he was informed that the State Dept. had already finalized the sale, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
  • An aide to Sanders told the WSJ that it was unclear whether a disapproval resolution could be used against an arms sale that had already been finalized. Even if Sanders or House progressives had forced a vote on the resolution of disapproval, it's doubtful it would've had the votes to pass or override a presidential veto.

The original article appears below.

What’s the story?

  • Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and several progressives from the House Democratic caucus introduced legislation this week to block a proposed $750 million arms sale to Israel over what they believe to be its excessive response to rocket attacks launched by terror groups. 
  • The move comes after 11 days of fighting between the nation of Israel and Palestinian terror groups including Hamas (which controls the Gaza Strip), Islamic Jihad, and others halted following a cease-fire Thursday. The group of lawmakers announced their proposal before the cease-fire was reached.

What is the arms sale and how could Congress block it?

  • The Biden administration announced this week that it has approved the sale of $735 million in precision-guided weapons to Israel. 
  • Specifically, the sale involves Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) kits that can be used to convert unguided “dumb” bombs of various sizes into precision-guided “smart” bombs; and Small Diameter Bomb Increment I variants, which are precision-guided bombs that are designed to increase the loadout capacity of aircraft carrying them.
  • Israel has used precision-guided munitions in its attacks on facilities used by Hamas and Islamic Jihad to launch rockets and plan other terror attacks on Israel in the latest round of fighting. Many of those targets are located in civilian areas, as Hamas has previously been unanimously condemned by the U.S. House for using civilian human shields for its operations. Precision-guided munitions are intended to improve accuracy and thereby eliminate or minimize collateral damage.
  • Under the Arms Export Control Act, Congress can reject specific proposed arms by enacting a resolution of disapproval with simple majority votes in each chamber and the president’s signature (or by overriding their veto with a two-thirds majority in each chamber). 

What’s next for the resolution?

  • The timing of the first vote on the resolution hasn’t yet been announced. Because resolutions to disapprove of specific arms sales under the Arms Export Control Act are privileged, a lawmaker can make a motion to force a vote when their chamber is in session during a given week.
  • That means the resolution could get a vote in the Senate during its session next week. Because the House isn’t scheduled to meet in D.C. for floor votes for the next three weeks, the earliest the vote could occur in that chamber is the week of June 14th.
  • It’s unclear whether a majority exists in either chamber to advance the resolution, but even if there is it would likely face a veto from President Joe Biden, whose administration already announced its approval of this arms sale to Israel. 
  • In the event of a veto, it’s very unlikely Congress would have the votes to override it. During the last Congress, both chambers approved resolutions to block arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates over their conduct in the war in Yemen, but fell well short of overriding President Donald Trump’s vetoes. 

What they’re saying

  • Sanders said in a statement that, “At a moment when U.S.-made bombs are devastating Gaza, and killing women and children, we cannot simply let another huge arms sale go through without even a Congressional debate.” He added:
“I believe that the United States must help lead the way to a peaceful and prosperous future for both Israelis and Palestinians. We need to take a hard look at whether the sale of these weapons is actually helping to do that, or whether it is simply fueling conflict.”
  • Nikki Haley, former Republican governor of South Carolina and ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration, tweeted that Sanders “is dead wrong on Israel” and added: 
“Israel attacking Hamas’ leaders and rocket launch sites is not “fueling a crisis.” It is protecting Israeli citizens from terrorism and from the rockets raining down on their country. America should support Israel’s right to self-defense.”
  • Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is the lead sponsor of the House version of the legislation along with Reps. Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and tweeted:
“The United States should not be rubber-stamping weapons sales to the Israeli government as they deploy our resources to target international media outlets, schools, hospitals, humanitarian missions and civilian sites for bombing.”
  • Haley responded in a tweet saying Ocasio-Cortez is “either mistaken or intentionally lying” and added:
“1. Hamas is using civilians as human shields to hide behind while firing rockets
2. Israel takes extensive measures to minimize civilian casualties
3. The media wasn’t targeted, a terrorist organization was”


— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: vestman via Flickr / Creative Commons)

  • 87
    Scott
    06/15/2021

    How many Kees have to die to make a self defense claim? Israel has never, not ever, broken a peace or cease fire with any of its neighboring states. Israel has never broken a cease fire agreement with Hamas or the PA. Yet they’re the entity singled out? Leftists don’t even understand how Anti-Semitic they are in their souls.

  • 54
    Nazija
    06/02/2021

    No more unconditional money sent to a recognized apartheid state

  • 91
    Hailey
    06/01/2021

    bernie knows best, always

  • 262
    Wayne
    06/01/2021

    Israel has been a strong ally do United States from the beginning and the sale should go ahead as planned if any money should be blocked no money should go to the Palestinians because that money is going to the pockets of the government the Palestinians and into Hamas his hands.

  • 159
    Michael J
    05/31/2021

    Military sales to Israel under its present regime should be reviewed. Any sales in the pipeline should be put on hiatus until the review is complete. Israel needs to learn who’s in the driver’s seat. F Bibi

  • 103
    Brian
    05/31/2021

    Honestly, after reading the question I can guess with deadly accuracy how people will vote and what their reasons are based on political affiliation (group think at its finest). We should not block the sales of arms to Israel as it is a long standing ally of ours. While we can put pressure on Israel to change some of its policies, we should not even infer that Israel is the same as Hamas ( funded and armed by Iran) as that is outrageous. Israel is far from perfect in this matter but to say they are the aggressors tells me you don’t know much of the history of Israel or why and how they got to this place, hint: it’s because they had to endure many assaults by various countries in its region and they had to fight for their existence as a country. they ended up being the victors and in the past pushed for peace by giving up the land they acquired through war and was rebuffed. The reason why they will now not give up land for peace is due to their past and also due to the terrain as it is way easier to defend their land given their borders now than it would be if they give back the land for the sake of peace, historically speaking has never been accepted by their adversaries and their current adversary (Iran) still openly promoting the destruction of Israel.

  • 63
    Tylar
    05/31/2021

    Why exactly are we still propping them up and helping them kill Palestinian children?

  • 24
    TImothy
    05/31/2021

    Palestinians are getting arms, resources and funds from Iran, Russia and China. We should make sure Israel has what they need to not lose in this conflict

  • 159
    Dan
    05/30/2021

    Israel is our only ally

  • 68
    Josh
    05/30/2021

    Yes they have shown they aren’t responsible with them and kill innocent civilians

  • 67
    John
    05/30/2021

    Isn’t the very existence of a standing military highly illegal aka unconstitutional? If we want a militarized national, then we need to amend the federal constitution. Failing to do so and continuing to operate as a lawless government results in the constitution becoming meaningless, something that all evil dictators seek. Why would anyone want America turn into Communist China where they currently have millions in concentration camps?

  • 58
    Barry
    05/29/2021

    If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword.

  • 445
    Reality1Check
    05/29/2021

    Just for the record, the Palestinian population includes Jews' Arabs, and Muslims. History correctly records that the greatest protagonist in Palestine are the Muslims supported by the neighboring predominantly Muslims countries. And what neighboring countries supports Israel? Answer: NONE! Unlike Vietnam, is asking for 'materials' and NOT anything else! So if Palestinian Israelis are deliberately attacked by rockets, do they just sit and hope their defense system protects them while more rockets are prepared to target more Israelies? Would ANYONE let their neighbors, geographically located near them, believe that they wouldn't do anything to deny that neighbor that, without provocation, continually bombard them? Would you?

  • 21
    Azhar
    05/28/2021

    This deal should be cancelled as Israel is killing innocent in the name of self defense

  • 74
    Carolynn
    05/29/2021

    Until Israel stops encroaching on the land of Palestinians and encourages peaceful coexistence, no military or financial support should be provided

  • 127
    Nancie
    05/28/2021

    Get rid of Netinyahoo, and maybe we can see some peace. He is worse than trump as he is a racist Jew.

  • 50
    Gina
    05/27/2021

    A peaceful resolution to the issues surrounding the creation and the existence of Israel must be found. However the state of Israel as a nation providing sanctuary to Jews all over the world is a required part of that solution. Israel must be supported by other nations so that it is able to continue to exist until that peaceful resolution is a reality. Pressure must be exerted on ALL entities that are part of this conflict to find a peaceful resolution.

  • 303
    Livia
    05/28/2021

    The question is should Bernie Sanders black the sale of weapons to Israel. Underneath that it says should Bernie Sanders stop the weapons I’m going to Israel. The answer is no he should not be stopping it not yes he should be stopping it. Bernie Sanders needs to retire go home sit in the rocking chair . He’s a communist socialist has been for years he’s also Jewish and he hates his own people.

  • 303
    Livia
    05/28/2021

    No Bernie Sanders has no right to try to protect stop weapons going to Israel to protect themselves. Why would anybody think anything else. Bernie Sanders only cares about being a communist and having a communist country. Just try to remember people in America nothing is for free. Someone has to pay and it will be you., it’s amazing to me that the American people have their Eyes and ears were they cannot see and cannot hear what is really happening in our country even across the border. People have a rude awakening coming and it won’t be long before it stops them right in the face. The debt that Joe Biden and his entourage of Nancy Pelosi will destroy our economy. Watch it because it’s going to happen

  • 192
    Kathleen
    05/28/2021

    If we supply weaponry to israHELL, we have just as much blood on our hands as the Children of Satan who stole Palestine. I do not blame Muslims/Arabs for hating the U.S., they absolutely should. https://www.commondreams.org/views/2021/05/14/israel-carrying-out-mass-murder-aided-and-abetted-us