In First Vote On Gaza War, Senate Shields Israel From Human Rights Scrutiny

WASHINGTON ― The Senate on Tuesday roundly rejected a proposal requiring the State Department to produce a human rights report on Israel’s policies, including its controversial U.S.-backed offensive in Gaza ― the highest-profile response by lawmakers so far to mounting public pressure for a change in Washington’s approach in the Middle East.

A large bipartisan majority voted to table the measure, 72-11. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the bill’s author, Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and nine progressive Democrats joined in its defense, including Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Peter Welch (Vt.) and Jeff Merkley (Ore.).

Sanders forced senators to go on the record with their views on Israel’s conduct by using an often-overlooked provision (502B) of U.S. law that allows Congress to ask the State Department to analyze the human rights record of any country receiving U.S. aid.

Although it had been expected to fail due to bipartisan opposition, supporters of the measure hoped it would spur debate about billions of dollars in unconditional assistance for Israel as Palestinians continue to face daily bombings and the threat of famine. Sanders said that the legislation did not remove “a nickel” of the billions of dollars’ worth of military aid the U.S. sends Israel, calling it a “modest, commonsense proposal” that would simply open an inquiry into potential human rights abuses.

“It is necessary because of the scale of destruction in Gaza, the indiscriminate nature of the military campaign, the humanitarian catastrophe that is now occurring and the limits on humanitarian access,” Sanders said in a speech on the Senate floor, and because of “the extensive use of U.S. weapons in attacks that have killed thousands of civilians ― much of the destruction