Majority Of Democrats Vote To Block Arms To Israel — But Not WA Sen. Maria Cantwell

A record number of Democrats voted “yes” on a pair of resolutions in the Senate Wednesday to bar U.S. arms sales to Israel. In Sen. Bernie Sanders’ third attempt since November 2024 to block weapons to Israel, Washington’s Sen. Patty Murray finally sided with majority of her constituents after almost two years of carnage, but Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell held strong for genocide, collaborating with the Republicans and several of her Democrat colleagues to tank the resolution. 

Sanders’s resolutions sought to block more than $675 million in weapons sales to Israel and prohibit the sale of tens of thousands of fully automatic weapons. They failed 27-70 and 24-70 respectively. Despite the resolutions’ failure, Sanders celebrated the fact that for the first time, a majority of Democrats voted against arming Israel, a sign of the tides turning. In April, only 15 Senators supported a similar bill and in November 2024 only 18. 

First-time supporter Murray kept her endorsement tempered, careful to reiterate that she believes “Israel has a right to defend itself and Hamas is a brutal terrorist organization that should be eliminated, but the level of suffering and loss of life we are seeing in Gaza must come to an end —I feel strongly that the vast majority of the American public understands these simple truths.”

She framed her support of the resolution as an indictment specifically of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rather than Israel itself. Afterall, pro-Israel groups have spent more than $680,000 on her campaigns throughout the course of her 32 year tenure, according to OpenSecrets. 

“This legislative tool is not perfect, but frankly, it is time to say enough to the suffering of innocent young children and families,” Murray said. “As a longtime friend and supporter of Israel, I am voting yes to send a message: the Netanyahu government cannot continue with this strategy.”

Murray went on to acknowledge the “man-made famine” in Gaza and accuse Netanyahu of “prolong[ing] this war at every turn to stay in power.” 

She closed by calling on the Trump and Netanyahu administrations to “finally secure a diplomatic end to this conflict, get aid into Gaza, get the hostages returned, and start working toward a permanent and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”

Cantwell voted against both resolutions. She did not explain her vote on the Senate floor, in a press release, or when The Burner asked her office for comment. But her past actions speak for themselves. She’s racked up a long record of supporting Israel, even as it wages genocide in Gaza. And just a few weeks ago, as Palestinians withered away in Israel’s man-made feminine, Cantwell posed for a picture with Netanyahu. I guess that’s the kind of loyalty about $570,000 to her campaigns over a 24 year tenure will buy the pro-Israel lobby groups.