Washington, DC — On Monday, Demand Progress and a coalition of 56 other progressive, faith-based, humanitarian and foreign policy advocacy groups launched a grassroots campaign to thank the record 19 Democratic and Independent Senators who voted last week to block transfers of certain offensive weapons to the Israeli military. The organizations will direct their millions of supporters to thank Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and many others who cast a historic vote to block transfers of certain offensive weapons to the Israeli military.
Though the vote to approve Joint Resolutions of Disapproval ultimately failed, nearly half the Senate Democratic caucus voted to approve them—even despite a full court press from the White House and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urging Senators to oppose the resolutions.
The following are statements from members of the No More Weapons for Israel’s War campaign.
Cavan Kharrazian, Senior Policy Advisor at Demand Progress:
“Demand Progress is grateful for Senators Sanders, Welch, Merkley and Schatz for their leadership on these historic Joint Resolutions of Disapproval, and we extend our thanks as well to the 15 other senators who supported with their votes. We recognize the immense political pressures working against these resolutions, and greatly applaud their principled decisions to stand firm for peace, human rights and adherence to U.S. laws—and stand ready to continue supporting efforts to these ends.”
John Ramming Chappel, U.S. Advocacy & Legal Advisor at CIVIC:
“Nineteen members of the U.S. Senate have sent a clear message—all U.S. arms transfers need to comply with U.S. and international law. That basic principle applies for every country in the world, including Israel. A growing number of senators are objecting to the idea that the United States should provide a blank check for weapons used to kill thousands of civilians.”
Action Corps:
“We are grateful for the senators who decided to stand up for humanity—and the law—and voted in support of the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval against illegal sales of weapons to the Israeli government.”
Naveed Shah, Political Director of CommonDefense.us:
“On behalf of CommonDefense.us and the 400,000 veterans and military families we represent, I extend our deepest gratitude to the senators who courageously voted in support of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to block the sale of $20 billion in offensive weaponry to Israel. Their affirmative vote sends a resounding message that there are leaders in our government who prioritize peace, human rights, and the rule of law over political expediency.”
American Friends Service Committee:
“The Biden administration and the Senate are actively perpetuating Israel’s genocide in Gaza. We join with millions of people across the world calling for an immediate arms embargo on Israel and a permanent ceasefire. Nineteen members of the Senate listened to their constituents who are tired of seeing U.S. weapons destroy lives in Gaza. We are grateful for their stand to end U.S. complicity in war crimes.”
Defending Rights & Dissent:
“While Defending Rights & Dissent is disappointed in the outcome of Wednesday’s vote on blocking certain arms sales to Israel, we deeply appreciate the courage of Senators Sanders, Welch, Merkley and Schatz for sponsoring the Joint Resolution(s) of Disapproval, and the Senators who supported one or more of the resolutions. Israel’s slaughter of Palestinians—and its acceleration towards an all-out regional war—has been made possible by the United States. It is our government, acting in our name, that has provided the bulk of the weapons, extended diplomatic cover for the killing, and greenlit the war. The United States must stop violating our own laws by selling arms that are being used to commit war crimes and human rights abuses. We applaud these Senators for standing up for peace and human rights.”
The Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns:
“The Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns extends thanks to the nineteen Senators who voted in favor of the joint resolutions of disapproval, aimed at halting the flow of U.S. arms to Israel. We are grateful for your principled stand against a war that has already claimed over forty thousand lives. Your courageous votes are in keeping with Pope Francis’s recent exhortation ‘for a halt to any action that might fuel a spiral of violence.’ As Catholic missionaries working for peace and justice in some of the darkest corners of our world, Maryknoll missioners know that there is no military solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestinians. We also learned from our experience in El Salvador during the twelve-year civil war there that peace talks advanced only once the United States cut military aid. We commend you for taking this courage step forward for peace and for ending the human suffering in this protracted conflict.”
Sumayyah Waheed, Senior Policy Counsel for Muslim Advocates:
“The day before the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, 19 Senators voted to block U.S. funding to Israel. We thank these 19 Senators for their courage, adherence to U.S. and international law, and reflection of the majority of Americans who support halting weapons shipments to Israel. Let’s end U.S. complicity in the Israeli government’s genocide of Palestinians.”
Yifat Susskind, Executive Director of MADRE:
“We are grateful that 19 U.S. Senators voted according to their conscience and exercised long-needed political courage in this attempt to block the sale of offensive arms to Israel. This was an unprecedented first step towards ending the impunity of military-first foreign policy by the United States and its allies and, instead, advancing a feminist peace guided by the urgent demands of frontline communities and human rights advocates. This progress is also thanks to a growing peace movement, generating the pressure for these 19 Senators to join the majority of American who oppose blank checks for Israel’s war crimes and genocide.”
Hassan El-Tayyab, Legislative Director for Middle East Policy at Friends Committee on National Legislation:
“It’s welcome news that 19 Senators took a stand for humanity and U.S. law by voting to block offensive weapons to Israel. The war in Gaza is not just a humanitarian catastrophe but a mass atrocity carried out with U.S. bombs and military support, funded by American taxpayers. These Joint Resolutions of Disapproval mark a historic moment—the first vote in Congress to block offensive arms sales to Israel in United States history. Despite the fact that these resolutions didn’t pass, the fact that they were up for consideration at all signals a major shift in the U.S.-Israel relationship. Senators must continue forcing votes to end U.S. complicity and press the Biden Administration to use all forms of United States leverage to finally end the war in Gaza, bring hostages home and de-escalate tensions across the Middle East.”
David Swanson, Executive Director of World BEYOND War:
“Thank you for beginning at last to press for U.S. compliance with U.S. laws on weapons shipments. If we build on this quickly, many lives can be saved.”
Jeff Cohen, RootsAction.org cofounder:
“Thanks go to Bernie Sanders for leading this effort and for showing us, yet again, that if our political system were more democratic, Bernie and several colleagues and the majority of Democratic voters would be in a different political party than the roughly 30 Democratic senators who voted to continue the slaughter of Palestinian civilians.”
Quincy Institute:
“The Quincy Institute commends the effort of the 19 senators who courageously voted to halt the shipment of destructive U.S. weapons fueling the ongoing violence in Gaza and Lebanon. Their principled stand reflects a commitment to upholding U.S. and international law while advancing U.S. strategic interests. While these bills did not pass, leveraging arms sales remains an important way by which the United States can push for a ceasefire, protect civilians, and promote long-term stability in the region. These 19 Senators stood up for smart, strategic U.S. foreign policy, and we thank them for their votes.”
Minnesota Peace Project:
“The Minnesota Peace Project sends our heartfelt thanks to Senator Smith for her votes on the JRDs. We are very grateful for her courage and for her stand on the right side of history.”
The full coalition includes: Demand Progress, Action Corps, Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC), Oxfam America Action Fund, Common Defense, 18 Million Rising, American Friends Service Committee, Friends Committee on National Legislation, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), Arab American Institute, Arab Resource & Organizing Center Action (AROC Action), Benedictines for Peace, Brooklyn for Peace, Center for Constitutional Rights, Center for Jewish Nonviolence, Charity & Security Network, Civic Shout, Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT), DAWN, Defending Rights & Dissent, Democracy for America Advocacy Fund, Doctors Against Genocide, Extend, Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ, Historians for Peace and Democracy, HollywoodDemocrats.com, IfNotNow Movement, Israel/Palestine Mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Jewish Voice for Peace Action, Justice is Global, MADRE, MPower Change Action Fund, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Middle East Democracy Center, Minnesota Peace Project, Muslim Advocates, Muslims for Just Futures, National Council of Churches, Nonviolence International, Our Revolution,, Pax Christi USA, Peace Action, People’s Action, Presbyterian Church (USA), Office of Public Witness, Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, ReThinking Foreign Policy, RootsAction.org, Rootstrikers, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Justice Team, The United Methodist Church – General Board of Church and Society, United Musicians and Allied Workers, Women for Weapons Trade Transparency, Women’s March, World BEYOND War, Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation, Yemeni Alliance Committee.