Washington, DC – In response to today’s Senate vote to block the sale of D9 bulldozers and 1,000-pound bombs to Israel, J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami issued the following statement:
“A growing number of senators – including Ranking Members of the three key national security committees – recognize that unquestioning US military support for Israel has enabled Netanyahu to pursue policies of endless war and occupation that have cost tens of thousands of lives and made the entire region less safe.
We continue to oppose Trump and Netanyahu’s war of choice against Iran, and applaud those senators whose principled stand in today’s vote reflects the American public’s strong opposition to both the Iran war and to Israel’s actions in Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank that undermine efforts for peace in the region.
This is a uniquely important moment to double down on diplomacy – in Lebanon, where a moderate, US-aligned government is willing to cooperate with Israel in disarming Hezbollah; in Iran, where a diplomatic agreement to end the war and address Iran’s nuclear program remains possible; and in Gaza, where the stalled 20-point plan offers a path toward demilitarizing the Strip and moderate Palestinian governance.
J Street remains committed to the US-Israel security relationship and will continue to support Israel’s ability to defend itself. But as American voters – and the overwhelming majority of American Jews – have made clear, it is time to stop enabling Israeli policies that undermine US law, interests and values.
Today’s vote marks an important step in opposing Netanyahu and Trump’s destructive policies that have devastated the region and done immense harm to Israel’s security and its global standing.”