The Senate on Wednesday failed to pass three resolutions that would have limited offensive arms to Israel, but 19 senators supported the initiative, showing there is growing resistance to the Israeli war against Hamas in Gaza.

The 19 senators who voted to block some offensive arms sales was higher than the 11 who joined a similar effort in January that was focused on conditioning weapons to Israel.

The resolutions Wednesday were introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who has led calls on Capitol Hill to end unconditional arms support for Israel, along with Sens. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).

Besides those lawmakers, several other Democrats, including Sens. Chris Van Hollen (Md.) and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), were expected to vote for the resolutions.

Though the resolutions were expected to fail, they also served as a symbolic message supporting restraining Israel in the Senate.

The Wednesday vote comes as President-elect Trump is set to take office in January and is expected to more closely embrace Israel.

Democrats, led by the Biden administration, have largely rallied around Israel throughout the war, although President Biden and the party have called for more aid to get into Gaza and for the Israeli military to limit civilian deaths throughout the 13-month war.

The White House came out publicly against the resolutions before the vote.

"We strongly oppose this resolution and we have made our position clear to interested Senators," said a spokesperson with the White House National Security Council.

The Joint Resolutions of Disapproval, Congress' formal mechanism to limit arms transfers, would have prohibited the U.S. from providing future transfers of 120mm tank rounds, 120mm High Explosive mortar rounds and Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), which are guidance kits attached to bombs.

Both the House and Senate have to pass the resolutions to block a transfer. The resolution on tank rounds saw 18 votes in favor, the resolution on mortar rounds saw 19 votes in support and the resolution on JDAMs earned 17 votes.

Sanders in September also introduced three other joint resolutions that would block JDAM receivers, certain tactical vehicles and the sale of 50 new F-15IA aircraft and associated parts. Those did........

© The Hill