Over half of US Senate Democrats back failed measures to block arms sales to Israel

The US Senate rejects a pair of resolutions introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders that were aimed at blocking over $675 million in arms sales to Israel, though a majority of Democrats vote against the weapons transfers for the first time.

Twenty-seven Democrats vote to block the sale of tens of thousands of assault rifles to Israel, compared to 17 who vote with Republicans to advance the transfer.

Twenty-four Democrats vote to block the sale of 5,000 heavy bombs and guidance kits to Israel, compared to 20 who vote with Republicans to advance the transfer.

Sanders has brought such resolutions to the Senate floor throughout the Gaza war, and Wednesday’s were sure to fail like the previous ones, as Republicans hold a majority of seats in the chamber and can defeat the measures without Democratic support.

But the two votes show how Democrats have grown increasingly disillusioned with Israel’s prosecution of its war against Hamas.

The last time Sanders brought a resolution to the floor in April, only 15 Democrats voted to try and block a weapons sale. That marked a drop from the previous attempt in November 2024, when 19 Democrats voted to oppose such a transfer.

In a statement celebrating the shifting attitudes toward Israel in the Democratic Party, Sanders says the majority of the caucus “voted to stop sending arms shipments to a Netanyahu government which has waged a horrific, immoral, and illegal war against the Palestinian people.”

“The tide is turning. The American people do not want to spend billions to starve children in Gaza,” he adds. “The Democrats are moving forward on this issue, and I look forward to Republican support in the near future.”