Senate Rejects Multiple Measures To Block Arms Sales to Israel
The Republican-controlled U.S. Senate rejected a pair of resolutions aimed at blocking military weapons transfers to Israel, exposing a growing divide inside the Democratic Party over America’s long-standing alliance with the Jewish state.
The first measure, led by Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who caucuses with Democrats, would have blocked the sale of military bulldozers to Israel. It failed 40-59, with seven Democrats joining Republicans to oppose the resolution.
The Democrats who voted against the measure were Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Chris Coons of Delaware, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Jacky Rosen of Nevada, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.
A second Sanders-backed resolution seeking to prevent the sale of 12,000 1,000-pound bombs to Israel also failed, receiving 36 votes in favor and 63 against.
The votes highlighted a broader shift among Senate Democrats, many of whom have grown increasingly willing to challenge traditional bipartisan support for Israel. That shift comes as the United States and Israel have launched coordinated strikes against Iran, while Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon has continued despite claims of a cease-fire.
Those conflicts have fueled concerns among Democrats over civilian casualties, regional escalation, and deeper U.S. involvement in the Middle East.
The votes followed another failed War Powers resolution that sought to stop U.S. military participation in Iran. That measure was defeated 47-52, largely along party lines.
Sanders framed the support for his resolutions as evidence of a political change inside the country.
The level of Democratic support for the resolutions was a “shift” that “reflects where the American people are,” Sanders said.
“Americans, whether they are Democrats, Republicans, or independents, want to see our tax money invested in improving lives here at home—not used to kill innocent women and children in the Middle East and put American troops in harm’s way as part of Netanyahu’s illegal wars of expansion,” he said in a statement late Wednesday.
In a post on X, Sanders cited polling that he said showed a majority of Americans oppose additional U.S. economic and military support for Israel.
“According to a recent New York Times poll, 57% of Americans oppose the US providing more economic and military support to Israel, while just 37% support,” Sanders wrote on his X account.
“Congress should listen to the American people. No more blank checks for war criminals like Benjamin Netanyahu,” Sanders added.
Sanders also said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been wanted since 2024 by the International Criminal Court for alleged genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
The United States has pledged $38 billion in military aid to Israel through 2028 under a ten-year agreement ratified in 2016. That package includes $5 billion for the Iron Dome missile defense system, a critical shield against rocket and missile attacks.
Sanders introduced three resolutions in March seeking to prohibit nearly $660 million in arms sales to Israel. He has pushed similar measures before, but the level of Democratic support has grown. A November 2024 effort drew support from 18 senators, while a July 2025 resolution received 27 Democratic votes to block the sale of assault rifles to Israel.
Sanders argued that the votes reflect increasing unease among Democratic voters over Netanyahu’s leadership and the widening conflicts in Gaza, Iran, and Lebanon.
Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona also supported the resolutions after previously opposing some of Sanders’ earlier efforts. Before the vote, Kelly said his position was shaped by the actions of Netanyahu and President Donald J. Trump.
Republicans, however, warned that blocking weapons transfers would weaken one of America’s closest allies at a dangerous moment.
Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, the Republican chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said he opposed the measures because they would “embolden” Iran.
“It would send the message that the United States is prepared to leave our ally Israel vulnerable to further Iranian attacks and put the tens of thousands of Americans living there at risk,” he said on the Senate floor.
For conservatives, the vote underscored a clear contrast. While a growing faction of Democrats is pushing to restrict military support for Israel, most Republicans continue to argue that abandoning Israel would only strengthen Iran, reward terrorism, and weaken American credibility in a volatile region.
The defeat of Sanders’ resolutions showed that Senate support for Israel still holds, but the Democratic Party’s internal fight over the issue is becoming harder to ignore.