Seven Democrats voted with Republicans against the resolution, which failed 40-59 in the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate, defeating a motion to ban the transfer of military weapons to Israel.
The bill, a joint resolution by Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who caucuses with Democrats, would have blocked the sale of military bulldozers to Israel.
Advertisement
The resolution passed late Thursday with 40 senators voting in favor.
Seven Democratic Senators voted down the legislation: Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
Advertisement
A second resolution to prevent the sale of 12,000 1,000-pound bombs to Israel received 36 votes in favor and 63 against.
The findings underlined a wider shift among Senate Democrats, as more have separated themselves from the party’s longstanding support for Israel.
Advertisement
The move comes as the United States and Israel have launched coordinated strikes against Iran, and Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon has continued despite claims of a cease-fire—conflicts that have fueled concerns among many Democrats about civilian casualties, regional escalation, and ongoing U.S. involvement.
The votes came after a separate War Powers resolution to stop U.S. military participation in Iran failed 47 to 52.
Lawmakers voted primarily along party lines.
The level of Democratic support for the resolutions was a “shift” that “reflects where the American people are,” Sanders said.
“Americans, whether they are Democrats, Republicans, or independents, want to see our tax money invested in improving lives here at home—not used to kill innocent women and children in the Middle East and put American troops in harm’s way as part of Netanyahu’s illegal wars of expansion,” he said in a statement late Wednesday.
In a post on X, Sanders cited a recent poll showing that 57 percent of Americans no longer support the flow of economic and military assistance from the United States to Israel.
“According to a recent New York Times poll, 57% of Americans oppose the US providing more economic and military support to Israel, while just 37% support,” Sanders wrote on his X account.
“Congress should listen to the American people. No more blank checks for war criminals like Benjamin Netanyahu,” Sanders added.
Advertisement
Sanders said that Netanyahu has been wanted since 2024 by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
The United States has pledged $38 billion in military aid to Israel through 2028, as part of a ten-year agreement that was ratified in 2016.
This amount includes $5 billion for the Iron Dome anti-aircraft missile system.
Sanders submitted three resolutions in March with the intention of prohibiting nearly $660 million in arms sales to Israel.
Advertisement
Sanders has introduced similar measures in the past.
A November 2024 effort drew support from 18 senators, while a July 2025 resolution garnered 27 Democratic votes, at the time, more than half the caucus, to block the sale of assault rifles to Israel.
Sanders said the votes reflected growing unease among Democratic voters over the leadership of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the widening scope of the conflicts in Gaza, Iran, and Lebanon.
Advertisement
Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona also voted in support of the resolutions after opposing some of Sanders’ earlier efforts. Speaking before the vote, Kelly said his position was shaped by the actions of Netanyahu and Trump.
Republican Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, the Republican chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said he would oppose these measures as they would “embolden” Iran.
“It would send the message that the United States is prepared to leave our ally Israel vulnerable to further Iranian attacks and put the tens of thousands of Americans living there at risk,” he said on the Senate floor.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
