J Street – the pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy movement – today called on Senators to vote yes on at least one resolution of disapproval of proposed arms sales to Israel when they come to the Senate floor on Wednesday.
With this vote, J Street is asking Senators to send a message of disapproval of the Netanyahu government’s conduct of the war in Gaza and the disrespect it has shown to the Biden Administration and international law, as well as of the US administration’s failure to enforce American laws and use leverage to rein in Netanyahu’s policies and actions.
Although symbolic, Wednesday’s vote will not lead to the suspension of offensive arms transfers to Israel as the procedural deadline for the votes to block the arms sales has expired. The resolutions will in no way impact Israel’s ability to defend its citizens against threats from Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis and other Iranian proxy groups. The resolutions also, importantly, do not at all impact defensive systems, like Iron Dome.
By supporting the resolutions, Senators will make clear to the Netanyahu government that Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza – which has killed thousands of innocent Palestinians and flattened civilian infrastructure – is unacceptable. Despite US-led diplomatic efforts and statements of warning and condemnation, Prime Minister Netanyahu has continued to prosecute the war without an end in sight while hostages remain in captivity – and he continues to block sufficient aid to tens of thousands of Palestinian families who face starvation.
This vote will also send the message to the administration that US security assistance to Israel is not a blank check, and that, when US law is violated by any recipient of our assistance, full enforcement, including withholding certain offensive weapon systems, must follow.
“Voting yes on at least one resolution of disapproval sends a signal – seen throughout Washington, American politics, the Middle East and the world – that there is political will in Washington to object to the course of the war, to enforce American law and to use the leverage we have when Israel’s government consistently defies the American president’s will,” said J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami.
As a pro-Israel organization, J Street takes no pleasure in calls for withholding certain arms to Israel. That being said, we acknowledge that promises and threats without consequences yield few results, erode trust in a relationship and weaken future diplomatic efforts. We believe in an Israel that upholds international law and abides by US laws governing foreign arms sales. Anything less puts Israel’s standing at a deficit in the international community – actions by the US government that enable anything less make us complicit in tragedy.
“I urge Senators to come together this week and make a joint statement to highlight their support for the state and people of Israel – whether they vote yes on one or more of the resolutions of disapproval – and for continued security assistance so Israel can meet its legitimate security concerns,” Ben-Ami said. “But they must also highlight their deep disapproval of the manner in which this war has been conducted and the devastation it’s caused to Palestinian civilians. They should reiterate that our assistance is not provided in the form of a blank check.”
On Sunday, November 17, J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami penned a personal letter to Senators on the implications of a vote in support of the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval. You can find the full letter here.