Washington (November 20, 2024) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement today on the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval of Arms Sales.

“For those of us horrified and outraged by Hamas’s brutal October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel and who remain steadfastly committed to Israel’s right to exist and defend itself, the U.S. strategy of giving the Netanyahu government a blank check for offensive weapons cannot continue. In fact, it is bringing us further away from peace and closer to a wider Middle East conflict. The Netanyahu government’s conduct of the war in Gaza has caused the loss of tens of thousands of innocent Palestinian lives and the destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure. The Netanyahu government has impeded the delivery of aid to Gaza, resulting in a humanitarian catastrophe. Netanyahu has thumbed his nose at the Biden administration and U.S. law that requires recipients of U.S. weapons to comply with U.S. and international law prohibiting human rights violations. All the while, Israelis and Americans taken on October 7, the single deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust, remain hostages in Gaza.

“In April, I voted for a $14 billion defense aid package for Israel, assistance that it needs in the face of enemies committed to its destruction. And I continue to support providing Israel with defensive weapons, the types of weapons such as the Iron Dome that allow it to defend itself from attacks by Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, and others. But today I voted to oppose the transfer of certain deadly offensive weapons -- mortars, tank rounds, and Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) -- so that the Netanyahu government will understand that its reckless and indiscriminate prosecution of the war cannot continue. Even Israel’s former Minister of Defense General Yoav Gallant says that Israel has achieved all it can militarily in Gaza. No nation, not even a close ally such as Israel, is entitled to military assistance from the United States without following U.S. and international law. The Netanyahu government must recognize the need for it to end the war in Gaza. We need an immediate ceasefire to bring the hostages home and a surge of humanitarian aid to Gaza.”

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