Senate to vote on possible freeze on aid to Israel, while Democrats question war behavior

When Hamas unleashed a bloody attack on Israel in October, there were swift and strong calls in Congress for bipartisan support for the United States to spare no effort in supporting a robust military response from the Jewish state. One hundred days later, that consensus on Capitol Hill shows signs of crumbling as left-wing Democrats, alarmed by the rising human toll of the war in Gaza, push to limit aid to Israel or impose strict conditions.

These efforts have divided Democrats and led to intense lobbying counter-efforts from pro-Israel groups. It will come to a head on Tuesday when the Senate votes on a resolution that would freeze all US security assistance to Israel unless the State Department produces a report within 30 days examining whether the country has committed human rights abuses in waging the war . If the Biden administration meets the deadline, aid will be restored once Congress receives the report, or separate votes will be held to ensure aid continues uninterrupted.

The measure, which was pushed by Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent of Vermont, has little chance of passing given the opposition from Republicans and Democrats. But it is just one of many measures that Senate progressives have proposed in recent weeks that reflect their unease over Israel's war-making and raise questions about whether and under what circumstances the United States would send a new influx of funding to Israel. the country back.

“There is a growing concern among the American people and in Congress that what Israel is doing now is not a war against Hamas, but a war against the Palestinian people,” Sanders said in an interview. “For children to starve to death because of American military aid, to me is – I mean, I just don't know what adjectives to use. It's shameful. And I don't think I'm the only one who feels that.”

President Biden in October requested a sweeping emergency national security package, including about $14 billion, to support Israel in the conflict, but debate over that measure has largely focused on the much larger amount earmarked for Ukraine. Many Republicans oppose sending more money to Kiev, and others have insisted it should be accompanied by a crackdown on immigration at the U.S. border with Mexico, which has been the subject of difficult negotiations.

But aid to Israel is facing its own problems as the military campaign in Gaza continues and the number of Palestinians killed exceeds 24,000, most of them civilians, the Gaza Health Ministry said.

The rising death toll — along with the roadblocks Israel has imposed to provide aid to civilians trapped under bombardment — has sparked protests on the streets of American cities and charges of genocide at the International Court of Justice. It has also led to hand-wringing within the Biden administration, as senior officials push Israel to scale back military operations and allow more aid while maintaining a public posture of support for the war.

In recent weeks, more than a dozen Senate Democrats, almost all from the party's left wing, have signed several measures to limit or impose conditions on security aid to Israel. One would need a guarantee from the president that any weapons supplied would be used in accordance with U.S. and international law.

Other senators supporting the resolution have argued that ensuring accountability in a deadly war should not be controversial.

“It asks important questions about the conduct of the war and the rights of civilians,” Senator Peter Welch, Democrat of Vermont, said in a statement about Sanders' resolution. “Congress and the American people deserve answers to these questions.”

Still, even some Democrats concerned about Israel's actions are wary of Sanders' approach. Congress has not invoked the arcane human rights authority on which Mr. Sanders's resolution rests since 1976.

“I'm against it,” Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, told reporters last week, explaining that he was focusing his efforts elsewhere.

Mr. Kaine is leading an effort to preserve Congress's ability to review arms transfers to Israel, which would be waived under the national security spending bill now being debated. He also supports a bid by Senator Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland, to require the president to ensure that countries receiving US military aid – including Israel – use the weapons in accordance with US law, international humanitarian law and laws of armed conflict. .

Senate Republicans are expected to vote against the measure; their leader, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, called the idea of ​​imposing limits on military aid to Israel “ridiculous.” And most Democrats, including Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, have also been reluctant to support efforts to force the Biden administration to impose conditions on aid to Israel as a matter of law.

“There is no doubt that the administration can and should continue to push for fewer civilian casualties and increased humanitarian assistance, along with a possible pause that would allow for the return of the hostages,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut. “But right now, Israel is engaged in a life-and-death struggle against a terrorist organization that has vowed to destroy the country and the Jewish people, and I believe we must maintain both military and humanitarian assistance.”

It is not yet clear whether Mr. Kaine's or Mr. Van Hollen's proposals will get votes, as the national security spending bill is stalled while border security negotiations drag on without resolution.

But Democratic advocates suggest they are willing to shelve the measure unless their proposals are considered.

“Getting a bill the size of the supplemental bill through the Senate will require our support and cooperation,” Mr. Van Hollen said in an interview, adding that there is growing interest among Senate Democrats for his proposal. “We have a lot of influence when it comes to the additional proposal – we will insist that we are given the opportunity to vote on it.”

Pro-Israel groups are lobbying intensively against the proposals to impose conditions on aid to Israel, as well as against Mr. Sanders's resolution. And the Biden administration has resisted efforts by Congress to impose conditions on aid. Officials have also argued that Mr. Sanders' resolution is ill-timed and unnecessary.

“It is, quite frankly, unworkable,” John F. Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, said in a statement on Sunday. “The Israelis have indicated that they are preparing to transition their operations to a much lower intensity. And we believe the transition will be beneficial, both in terms of reducing civilian casualties and increasing humanitarian assistance.”

But Israeli congressional critics are skeptical of these claims, pointing to continued bombing in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. The Biden administration's recent use of emergency powers to bypass Congress and send weapons to Israel has also irritated many lawmakers pushing for legal changes.

“There is a huge amount of frustration because despite what we are asking for, we are not seeing significant results,” Mr Van Hollen said. He argued that the administration's simultaneous calls for Israel to reduce casualties while supplying the military with weapons sent “a very mixed message.”

Mr. Schumer has not yet committed to allowing a vote on any of the Israel-related amendments to the national security law, or to publicly commenting on Mr. Sanders's resolution.

“Discussions are taking place between members of our caucus and the administration about the best path forward,” Mr. Schumer said in a statement. “I like seeing what they come up with.”