The Tide is Turning in D.C.: Growing Support to Stop Arming Israel 

As Israel’s genocide against Palestinians continues unabated in the occupied Gaza Strip and its escalations continue in the occupied West Bank, the U.S. is supplying weapons that fuel this devastation.

However, the pressure is mounting in Congress as lawmakers increasingly begin to confront the role of the U.S. in enabling Israel’s impunity and sustaining its violations of international law.

Activism is working!

Increasing public pressure and grassroots activism are pushing lawmakers to reconsider their unconditional support for Israel by opposing arms sales by introducing Joint Resolutions of Disapproval and the Block the Bombs Act. These recent developments signal a historic shift and growing political will to address the role of the U.S. in arming Israel as it commits atrocities against Palestinians across the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Amnesty International has long called for the U.S. government to immediately suspend the direct and indirect supply, sale or transfer to Israel of all weapons, munitions and other military and security equipment, including the provision of training and other military and security assistance.

Joint Resolutions of Disapproval: A turning Point in the Senate

On July 30, the Senate voted on two JRDs introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders to block specific weapons sales to Israel. If passed, these JRDs would have blocked the sale of tens of thousands of fully automatic assault rifles (S.J.Res. 41) and $675 million in Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) and 1,000 pound bombs (S.J.Res 34). 

In the end, 27 Senators voted in favor of S.J.Res 41 and 24 voted in favor of S.J.Res 34 – about 25 percent of the Senate. This is the largest number of Senators that have voted to oppose weapons sales to Israel to date and marks notable increase from a similar vote earlier this year that received only 15 votes in favor.  

Although the JRDs were not passed, this vote marks a powerful shift in the U.S. political environment and reflects growing momentum, sparked by grassroots activism and public demand to end U.S. policies that enable violations of international law across the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Block the Bombs Act: A Step Forward in the House of Representatives

On May 21, Representative Delia Ramirez, joined by Representatives Sara Jacobs, Pramila Jayapal, and Mark Pocan, introduced H.R. 3565, also known as the Block the Bombs Act. 

This bill currently has 32 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives as it has continued to gain support since its introduction.  

This bill would prohibit the President from selling, transferring, or authorizing export licenses for seven specific types of weapons to the Israeli government. The bill’s list of prohibited weapons includes BLU-109 bunker busting bombs, MK80 series bomb variants, GBU-39 small diameter bomb variants, JDAM assemblies, SPICE gliding bomb assemblies, 120mm tank ammunition, and 155mm artillery ammunition, including white phosphorus munitions. Amnesty International’s research has identified a number of these types of weapons in unlawful attacks by Israeli forces in Gaza and Lebanon. 

The introduction of this legislation represents a historic step forward in Congress towards proactively restricting weapons transfers to Israel given the heightened risk they could be used in violations of international law, including genocide and war crimes. 

Stay Engaged and Harness the Momentum

A shift is happening among lawmakers in Washington, D.C.  

Increasing public outrage and grassroots activism can compel lawmakers to reconsider their stance on military support to Israel. The recent votes on the JRDs and the new Block the Bombs Act show that change is possible, but only if we keep up pressure. 

Every call, email, and conversation counts. Urge your elected representatives to support the Blocks the Bombs Act and to push for an arms embargo on Israel. The lives of countless Palestinian civilians depend on the U.S government changing course and implementing policies that protect human rights.