Heinrich Statement on U.S. Senate Vote to Block Select Offensive Weapons Transfers to Israel

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement after voting to block select offensive weapons transfers to Israel.

"We need to end Trump's war with Iran and de-escalate the conflicts in the West Bank, Gaza, and Lebanon. These conflicts are destabilizing the Middle East, taking the lives of innocent civilians, and skyrocketing the price of gas and everyday essentials.

"While Israel undoubtedly has the right to defend itself, it must follow U.S. and international humanitarian law. Israel's indiscriminate use of gravity bombs in Gaza and the use of bulldozers for large-scale destruction of homes and infrastructure in the West Bank is a direct violation of requirements mandated under the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Export Control Act.

"We must send Israel's government a strong message that we will not hand them a blank check of American taxpayers' money to kill and displace innocent civilians. It's time to end the bloodshed and achieve lasting peace for the region."

Specifically, Heinrich voted to block the sale of 12,000 1000-pound gravity bombs and the sale of 132 Caterpillar bulldozers. Bulldozers have been used by Israel to demolish Palestinian and Lebanese homes, carve settler-only roads that fragment the West Bank, destroy refugee camps, and uproot Palestinian olive groves.

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