Sen. Bernie Sanders is introducing joint resolutions of disapproval Thursday over several U.S. arms sales to Israel amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the Vermont independent’s office tells POLITICO.
The resolutions take aim at a combined $658 million worth of munitions sales. Joining Sanders as cosponsors are Democratic Sens. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Peter Welch of Vermont.
“Given the horrific destruction that Israel’s extremist government has wrought on Gaza, Iran and Lebanon, the last thing in the world that American taxpayers need to do right now is to provide 22,000 new bombs to the Netanyahu government,” Sanders said in a statement. “No more weapons to support an illegal war.”
Once introduced, the Senate Foreign Relations panel has five calendar days to consider the resolutions. After that, the cosponsors can force a simple-majority floor vote to discharge the resolution from committee.
The vote could be an uncomfortable one for some Democrats, who would be forced to go on the record just as support for Israel emerges as a key fault line this year’s Democratic primary races.
