Senate rejects Sanders resolution on human rights violations in Gaza
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A resolution mandating the State Department to inform Congress about any evidence of human rights violations by Israel in Gaza was sidelined or defeated by the Senate on Tuesday evening with a vote of 72-11.
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Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks at a campaign event, on Saturday, April 9, 2016. (AP)
The US Senate on Tuesday rejected a resolution that would have halted security aid to "Israel" unless the State Department produced a report within 30 days assessing whether "Israel" committed human rights violations in its war on Gaza.
The resolution was set aside with 72 senators voting against it, while 11 supported it, easily surpassing the simple majority needed to defeat the resolution in the 100-member chamber.
Senator Bernie Sanders compelled the vote. Despite the resolution's decisive defeat, it highlighted increasing unease among some of President Joe Biden's Democrats, particularly on the left, regarding the provision of US weapons to "Israel" amid the significant humanitarian impact on Palestinian civilians in the war on Gaza.
Sanders emphasized in a speech urging support, "We must ensure that US aid is being used in accordance with human rights and our own laws." He expressed disappointment over what he described as the Senate's failure to consider any measure examining the impact of the war on civilians.
The White House had expressed its opposition to the resolution, as it had the potential to open the door to imposing conditions on security assistance to "Israel". Senators who were against the proposal argued that it conveyed the wrong message, especially when "Israel" had indicated a shift toward a more targeted campaign, 24,000 victims later.
"This resolution is not only off-base, it's dangerous. It sends absolutely the wrong signal at the wrong time," said Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
It is noteworthy that Sanders' request was submitted under the Foreign Assistance Act, which allows the US Congress to direct the State Department to provide a report on human rights and other information about any country that receives US security assistance.
