US Senate vote highlights growing split among Democrats over support for Israel\u2019s war in Gaza.<\/p>\n
The United States Senate has rejected a bid to halt arms sales to Israel amid growing international condemnation of its war in Gaza.<\/p>\n
Though unsuccessful, Wednesday\u2019s vote nonetheless highlighted building opposition to Israel\u2019s war within the Democratic Party.<\/p>\n
Twenty-seven Democrats voted for a resolution to block the sale of 20,000 automatic assault rifles to Israel, while 24 voted to halt a\u00a0$675m shipment of bombs.<\/p>\n
All Republicans voting were opposed.<\/p>\n
The resolutions introduced by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders are by far the closest the US Senate has come to limiting arms shipments to Israel.<\/p>\n
A bid\u00a0by Sanders to block weapons deliveries in April won the support of 15 Democrats, while a similar vote in November\u00a0garnered 18 Democratic votes.<\/p>\n
Ahead of the vote, Sanders, an independent, said Washington could not continue to supply Israel\u2019s \u201cracist government\u201d with weapons that were being used to kill innocent people.<\/p>\n
\u201cNetanyahu is a disgusting liar. Children are starving to death,\u201d Sanders said on X, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.<\/p>\n
Among the lawmakers supporting Sanders\u2019 bid for the first time, Patty Murray, a senator for Washington state, said that while the resolutions were \u201cnot perfect\u201d, she could not support the continued suffering of innocent children in Gaza.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a longtime friend and supporter of Israel, I am voting yes to send a message: the Netanyahu government cannot continue with this strategy,\u201d Murray said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cNetanyahu has prolonged this war at every turn to stay in power. We are witnessing a man-made famine in Gaza \u2013 children and families should not be dying from starvation or disease when literal tons of aid and supplies are just sitting across the border.\u201d<\/p>\n
The widening split over support for Israel among Democrats comes amid signs of growing opposition to the war in Gaza among the US public.<\/p>\n