Nine Senators Reject US Military Support for Israel, Voicing Growing Frustration Over Gaza War and Challenging Biden’s Position

Nine senators opposed transferring additional U.S. military equipment and limiting weapons to Israel, marking an unprecedented act of dissent in Congress.

This rare opposition underscores growing frustration with Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, which continues to receive strong backing from President Joe Biden.

A group of Democratic and independent senators voted against approving $61 million in high-explosive mortar rounds for Israel. All but one, Sen. George Helmy (D-N.J.), also rejected a separate proposal to send $774 million in tank rounds, which Israeli forces have used in attacks impacting children and aid organizations.

Both offensive weapons sets are part of an American-Israeli arms agreement announced by Biden in August.

Despite the opposition, the overwhelming majority of the Senate, including all Republicans, voted to proceed with the arms transfers. However, the dissent represents a significant challenge to Biden’s administration and questions the long-standing assumption of unwavering U.S. support for Israel.

Earlier, two other attempts to challenge Biden’s policy—one aiming to tighten oversight of U.S. weapons used by foreign countries and another calling for a State Department report on Israel’s human rights record—received support from 18 and 12 senators, respectively, indicating significant opposition.

Critics of the U.S.-backed Israeli offensive in Gaza knew they lacked the votes to secure a majority. However, they aimed to draw attention to the considerable opposition to deeper U.S. involvement in the conflict, especially given the unwavering support from the GOP and pro-Israel sentiments among many Democrats.

After the vote, Scott Paul of Oxfam America, which opposed the arms transfers, called the outcome significant, noting it marked progress.

“More Democratic senators and more people across the U.S. are refusing to be complicit in the atrocities Israel is committing in Gaza,” Paul said. “While it’s painful that this shift is happening too slowly to save lives now, it signals a future where the U.S. is truly committed, in policy and not just rhetoric, to a dignified future for both Palestinians and Israelis.”

Meanwhile, US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and other lawmakers worked to block the weapons transfers. 

While acknowledging Israel’s right to self-defense, they criticized Netanyahu for rejecting calls from humanitarian groups to allow more aid to reach civilians and defying U.S. requests to change Israel's military actions.

The Biden administration intensified its efforts to secure Senate approval for the arms deals, sending a memorandum to Congress arguing that a vote against the sales would ultimately support Hamas.

In an effort to sway lawmakers, Secretary of State Tony Blinken was sent to Capitol Hill for a pre-vote briefing, highlighting the administration’s commitment to gaining their support.