\n<\/p>\n
Democratic senators overwhelmingly<\/span> voted to block bomb and bulldozer sales to Israel on Wednesday, in a reflection of the Jewish state\u2019s plummeting stock among party rank-and-file and growing anger over the war with Iran.<\/p>\n The Democratic votes on the pair of resolutions from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., were not enough to overcome universal opposition from Republicans.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is where the American people are. The polls are very clear.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n Still, the votes represented a watershed moment in the party\u2019s relationship with Israel and the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel had continued to enjoy strong support from Democratic leaders, despite outrage from the base over the war on Gaza. Sanders said the votes signaled that party leaders are finally taking note.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is where the American people are. The polls are very clear: The overwhelming majority of American people do not want to continue to give weapons to Netanyahu and his horrific wars in the Mideast,\u201d he said. \u201cI think the Democrats have caught on to that. It took a little while, but they caught on to that. But Republicans, I think, are standing in opposition to millions of their own supporters.\u201d<\/p>\n Some of the most notable names to vote in favor of blocking military transfers to Israel on Wednesday are potential 2028 presidential contenders.<\/p>\n New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Arizona Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego were among the Democrats to vote for both the resolutions.<\/p>\n One resolution targeted the sale of the bulldozers<\/a> that have been used to demolish neighborhoods in Gaza. Critics say the heavy equipment could accelerate the destruction of Palestinian property<\/a> in the West Bank<\/a>, an Israeli-occupied territory that has come under greater threat of annexation under the country\u2019s far-right government.<\/p>\n The bulldozer resolution drew support from 40 members of the Democratic caucus.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Democratic support for the measures came as Americans are increasingly expressing dissatisfaction with Israel in public opinion polls. Hassan El-Tayyab, a policy advocate at the Friends Committee on National Legislation who supported the resolutions, said the votes were a sign that Democrats are starting to take their voters seriously.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is happening on the Hill is a lagging indicator of these trends we have seen among Americans,\u201d he said. \u201cThese folks are starting to see the writing on the wall, reading these tea leaves, that continually supporting this blank check to Israel is going to cost them electorally.\u201d<\/p>\n Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., was among those who voted against it, as did Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; Chris Coons, D-Del.; Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; John Fetterman, D-Pa.; Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.; and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev.<\/p>\n The other resolution, which failed 36\u201363, was aimed at blocking the transfer of 1,000-pound bombs, of the type that have been linked to civilian casualties in attacks by Israel on Gaza and Lebanon.<\/p>\n That resolution drew support from fewer Democrats. Sens. Gary Peters of Michigan, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Mark Warner of Virginia, and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island joined the others in voting against it.<\/p>\n El-Tayyab said the bulldozer vote seemed to be an easier commitment for some Democrats. <\/p>\n \u201cIt was directly tied to annexation efforts by Israel in the West Bank that threatened the two-state solution,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n On the other hand, the massive bombs were viewed by some senators as defensive weapons. \u201cWe heard some arguments on the Hill that certain members considered the 1,000-pound bombs defensive in nature, as they were a deterrent that helped prevent attacks,\u201d said El-Tayyab.<\/p>\n The argument, he said, held no water.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n