Sanders introduces resolution to block arms sale to Israel

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders introduced a resolution on Thursday in an effort to block the administration's sale of 735 million U.S. dollars in weapons to Israel as the conflict in Gaza continues, reported Xinhua.

"At a moment when U.S.-made bombs are devastating Gaza, and killing women and children, we cannot simply let another huge arms sale go through without even a Congressional debate," the independent senator from Vermont said in a statement.

"I believe that the United States must help lead the way to a peaceful and prosperous future for both Israelis and Palestinians. We need to take a hard look at whether the sale of these weapons is actually helping do that, or whether it is simply fueling conflict," he added.

The resolution only requires a simple majority to pass the Senate, the Washington Post said in a piece, but it would need a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House if President Joe Biden vetoes it.

The move came after a group of House Democrats led by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York filed a similar resolution on Wednesday.

The proposed sale of the precision-guided weapons includes the Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) and GBU-39 small diameter bombs. The Biden administration notified Congress of the sale on May 5, nearly a week before the conflict escalated between the Israeli forces and Palestinian militants in Gaza.

U.S. media noted that the 735 million dollar weapons sale to Israel is unlikely to be stopped by Congress, as the 15-day window for Congress to take action has basically closed.

Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a call on Wednesday that he expected "a significant de-escalation today on the path to a ceasefire."

Netanyahu rebuffed Biden's request, saying the operation will continue "until its aim is met." Israel continued to hit Gaza with airstrikes into Thursday.

Since the beginning of its military campaign on May 10, Israel pounded Gaza with airstrikes and artillery that destroyed residential buildings, roads, and other infrastructures. At least 227 Palestinians have been killed, including 64 children and 38 women, according to Palestinian health officials in the Gaza Strip.

In Israel, 12 people have been killed, including a five-year-old boy and a soldier.