Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s prosecution of the war against Hamas in Gaza is driving an unprecedented number of Senate Democrats to support measures blocking weapons sales to the longtime U.S. ally.
Once backed by just a handful of progressives, Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) months-long effort to block the transfer of certain offensive weapons to Israel now has the support of more than half the Senate Democratic Caucus. It’s also a position that’s more aligned with the Democratic base.
The Democratic shift comes amid international condemnation of Israel’s handling of the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. There are widespread reports of children dying from starvation due to what Palestinians describe as an Israeli blockade of humanitarian aid corridors.
“I think members of the Democratic Caucus are catching on,” Sanders said Thursday.
The newcomers. On Wednesday night, 27 Senate Democrats voted to block the sale of 20,000 fully-automatic assault rifles to Israel’s national police. In a subsequent vote, 24 Democrats voted to block the sale of heavy-grade munitions.
All Republicans opposed both resolutions.
Sanders’ previous bids to cut off weapons sales to Israel netted less than 20 Democratic votes. Sanders can force such votes whenever the Trump administration notifies Congress of a new arms sale.
Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), who’s long backed these resolutions, said many of his Democratic colleagues didn’t want their votes to be “misinterpreted” as a vote against Israel, but added they now believe it’s necessary to send a message to Netanyahu’s government.
“There’s such a strong historical commitment the Senate has made to Israel that is being challenged now by what the Netanayhu government is doing and how appalling it is,” Welch told us. “All of us are appalled at what Hamas did. All of us want the hostages home.”
For some Democrats, it’s not necessarily that they support the underlying policy of cutting off weapons, but rather they see a “yes” vote as a way to register opposition to Netanyahu’s conduct of the now nearly 22-month conflict. It’s also a warning shot as other close U.S. allies are responding to the Gaza crisis by threatening to formally recognize an independent Palestinian state.
“You have to start making it clear that this is not OK anymore,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who previously opposed Sanders’ push but voted “yes” this week.
More from Klobuchar:
“I just think it’s really important for people to speak out when they can, even if it’s on a vote that isn’t probably going to make all the difference right now. And it doesn’t mean I’m going to be hard-stop against aid for Israel in the future.”
Klobuchar said she brought up the deteriorating humanitarian situation with Netanyahu during a recent meeting in the Capitol, but “it didn’t work very well when I said it.”
“At some point, you’ve got to seek change. And I think this is one way you can do it,” Klobuchar added of the disapproval resolutions. “I have supported Israel’s right to defend itself, I always will. But they aren’t changing.”
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), another first-time supporter, said that while the resolution was “imperfect,” the Senate must tell Netanyahu and President Donald Trump that “we’ve got to bring this war to an end, we’ve got to bring those hostages home, we’ve got to surge food and other supplies into Gaza.”
At least one politically vulnerable Democrat backed the push, too. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), who supported a disapproval resolution in November 2024 but opposed another in April, voted in favor of one of the resolutions Wednesday. Ossoff is the most at-risk Democrat in 2026.
“I think there’s overwhelming public concern, sadness and outrage at the starvation of children,” Ossoff said when asked what he’s been hearing from constituents after his vote for Sanders’ resolutions.
Ossoff has drawn heat from local Jewish community leaders over his past support for Sanders’ anti-Israel resolutions as he’s trying to walk a fine line running for reelection in a purple state. The NRSC went after Ossoff following his votes Wednesday night.
Long time coming. Polling has shown that Democratic voters are aligning more with Palestinians than Israelis. The shift is especially dramatic among younger Democrats, who overwhelmingly oppose Israel’s actions.
In New York, where Democratic voters just nominated Zohran Mamdani for mayor, a vast majority of primary voters say they believe Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
But many top Senate Democrats are still uncomfortable voting to cut off offensive weapons sales.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer helped lead an effort of more than 40 Senate Democrats calling on the Trump administration to do more to alleviate the suffering in Gaza.
Schumer, however, opposed Sanders’ resolutions, arguing that “security assistance to Israel is not about any one government but about our support for the Israeli people.”
GOP response. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso touted Republicans’ unity on the issue. Barrasso said it’s a “sad state of affairs for the world that the Democrats continue to show how extreme they are.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and Steve Witkoff, Trump’s top diplomatic negotiator, are scheduled to be in Gaza today. The senior officials are expected to tour aid distribution centers.
Some Senate Republicans are interested in hearing from Huckabee and Witkoff following today’s tour. Both men are regularly in touch with GOP senators.
“I’d like to see if they can bring back ground truths about the children in Gaza,” said Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).
(Anthony Cruz contributed to this reporting.)
