WASHINGTON — US Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked a bid to require President Donald Trump’s administration to report to Congress on increasing violence in the occupied West Bank, including the deaths of American citizens.The procedural vote was the latest sign of friction between US Democrats and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government over Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and of Republicans’ continuing strong support for his coalition.The measure, titled the “Israel Human Rights Practices” resolution, directs the State Department to furnish Congress with detailed reporting on human rights conditions throughout the occupied West Bank, specifically regarding the circumstances surrounding the deaths and detention of American citizens.The motion failed to attain the necessary majority, with 47 senators voting in favor and 51 opposing it.The vote was largely along party lines, with every Republican voting no except for Rand Paul of Kentucky and every Democrat except John Fetterman of Pennsylvania in favor.Republican Senators Bill Cassidy and Dan Sullivan did not cast votes.Addressing the floor prior to the roll call, Van Hollen appealed directly to his colleagues to allow the resolution to advance to a full debate.”I rise today to call up Resolution 852, a resolution to require the State Department to provide Congress with information on the growing violence and human rights abuses taking place in the West Bank, including against American citizens,” he said.Van Hollen pointed out that nine US citizens have been killed in the occupied West Bank over a four-year period by violent illegal Israeli settlers or members of the Israeli security forces.”The United States government has repeatedly said that our number one priority overseas is to protect American citizens. And yet, as violent Israeli settlers continue to terrorise civilians in the West Bank, American citizens have been killed time and again, in many cases with the complicity of the government of Israel, the Netanyahu government,” he said.The senator challenged whether American authorities have demonstrated sufficient political will to pursue justice for citizens harmed in the occupied territory.”How many more Americans must die in the West Bank before this administration takes serious, credible steps to secure accountability?” he asked.“It is our responsibility to ensure recipients of US taxpayer dollars act in line with our laws and our values,” he said, referring to Israel.The resolution would have required the State Department to report to Congress on the killing of US citizens by Israeli settlers or Israeli security forces in the West Bank and to assess the human rights situation.Violence by Jewish settlers against Palestinians in the territory has risen sharply this year.While the resolution would not have cut aid to Israel, the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign assistance since World War Two, a failure by the administration to deliver the report could have triggered restrictions on aid.Republicans accused Democrats of seeking to score political points as Israel is under threat, seven months after US and Israeli forces launched airstrikes that began an ongoing conflict with Iran.“I urge my colleagues to vote no on this resolution so we can stand with our ally Israel as they beat back the scourge of Iranian-backed terrorism,” Montana Republican Senator Steve Daines said in a speech.The vote took place weeks before US midterm elections on November 3, in which polls show Trump’s Republicans could lose their congressional majorities, signaling a potential shift in Israel policy in the new Congress.Polls show the war with Iran is not popular with Americans, who are frustrated with higher energy prices resulting from the conflict.Netanyahu, who has long aligned himself with US Republicans, faces an election in Israel on October 27, which public opinion polls show his right-wing coalition could lose.Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. The UN and most countries consider settlements there illegal under international law governing military occupation. Some Democrats — and a few Republicans — also have called for curbs on military aid to Israel over its conduct of the war in Gaza, with tens of thousands of Palestinians killed and much of the enclave in ruins.WASHINGTON — US Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked a bid to require President Donald Trump’s administration to report to Congress on increasing violence in the occupied West Bank, including the deaths of American citizens.The procedural vote was the latest sign of friction between US Democrats and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government over Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and of Republicans’ continuing strong support for his coalition.The measure, titled the “Israel Human Rights Practices” resolution, directs the State Department to furnish Congress with detailed reporting on human rights conditions throughout the occupied West Bank, specifically regarding the circumstances surrounding the deaths and detention of American citizens.The motion failed to attain the necessary majority, with 47 senators voting in favor and 51 opposing it.The vote was largely along party lines, with every Republican voting no except for Rand Paul of Kentucky and every Democrat except John Fetterman of Pennsylvania in favor.Republican Senators Bill Cassidy and Dan Sullivan did not cast votes.Addressing the floor prior to the roll call, Van Hollen appealed directly to his colleagues to allow the resolution to advance to a full debate.”I rise today to call up Resolution 852, a resolution to require the State Department to provide Congress with information on the growing violence and human rights abuses taking place in the West Bank, including against American citizens,” he said.Van Hollen pointed out that nine US citizens have been killed in the occupied West Bank over a four-year period by violent illegal Israeli settlers or members of the Israeli security forces.”The United States government has repeatedly said that our number one priority overseas is to protect American citizens. And yet, as violent Israeli settlers continue to terrorise civilians in the West Bank, American citizens have been killed time and again, in many cases with the complicity of the government of Israel, the Netanyahu government,” he said.The senator challenged whether American authorities have demonstrated sufficient political will to pursue justice for citizens harmed in the occupied territory.”How many more Americans must die in the West Bank before this administration takes serious, credible steps to secure accountability?” he asked.“It is our responsibility to ensure recipients of US taxpayer dollars act in line with our laws and our values,” he said, referring to Israel.The resolution would have required the State Department to report to Congress on the killing of US citizens by Israeli settlers or Israeli security forces in the West Bank and to assess the human rights situation.Violence by Jewish settlers against Palestinians in the territory has risen sharply this year.While the resolution would not have cut aid to Israel, the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign assistance since World War Two, a failure by the administration to deliver the report could have triggered restrictions on aid.Republicans accused Democrats of seeking to score political points as Israel is under threat, seven months after US and Israeli forces launched airstrikes that began an ongoing conflict with Iran.“I urge my colleagues to vote no on this resolution so we can stand with our ally Israel as they beat back the scourge of Iranian-backed terrorism,” Montana Republican Senator Steve Daines said in a speech.The vote took place weeks before US midterm elections on November 3, in which polls show Trump’s Republicans could lose their congressional majorities, signaling a potential shift in Israel policy in the new Congress.Polls show the war with Iran is not popular with Americans, who are frustrated with higher energy prices resulting from the conflict.Netanyahu, who has long aligned himself with US Republicans, faces an election in Israel on October 27, which public opinion polls show his right-wing coalition could lose.Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. The UN and most countries consider settlements there illegal under international law governing military occupation. Some Democrats — and a few Republicans — also have called for curbs on military aid to Israel over its conduct of the war in Gaza, with tens of thousands of Palestinians killed and much of the enclave in ruins.
US Senate rejects motion demanding report on Israeli violations in West Bank
