Former Biden security advisor backs pausing arms sales to 'Israel'
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Former US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan backs withholding arms to "Israel", signaling a major policy change amid shifting Democratic views.
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White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 (AP)
Former US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Wednesday he would support withholding US arms sales to "Israel", marking a remarkable shift after he spent a year-and-a-half fiercely lobbying Democrats against any such efforts.
"I have in fact told a number of members who were thinking about the votes on these resolutions that the situation as it stands today, following the breakdown of the cease-fire in March, means that a vote to withhold weapons to Israel is a totally credible position. That is a position I would support," Sullivan said in the Bulwark podcast.
Sullivan was referring to a recent resolution from Sen. Bernie Sanders, which, for the first time, saw over half of the Senate Democratic caucus endorsing such a position, a stance that Sullivan and the White House had forcefully lobbied Democrats against during the final months of the Biden administration when Sanders made his first such effort.
He continued by reframing the issue around the future of the US-"Israel" relationship, questioning whether the United States would be dealing with the same prime minister and right-wing government for years to come or if there was potential for political change within "Israel".
Sullivan added that this political direction would fundamentally shape the nature of the relationship and the democratic character of "Israel" in the coming years, stating that it would have a huge impact and warning that without change, the entity would become unrecognizable, a sentiment many Israelis would share.
Congress votes down resolution to halt arm shipments
On July 30, the US Senate voted down a resolution that aimed to halt US arms sales to "Israel", an action that exposed the deepening divisions among Democrats and highlighted the mounting frustration over "Israel's" conduct in Gaza.
Led by progressive Senator Bernie Sanders, the resolution was defeated 27–70, marking a renewed attempt to block weapons transfers to "Israel" in light of the worsening Gaza humanitarian crisis and the ongoing military aggression.
"This resolution is absolutely necessary because the United States will have no credibility in the international community if we don’t stand up against this," Sanders, an independent, stated during floor debate.
The vote reflects a growing rift within the Democratic Party and, while the effort failed, it drew support from 12 senators who had not previously voted to limit US arms sales to "Israel", indicating a shifting political sentiment.
