Arrests of pro-Palestinian activists at Capitol Hill on eve of US Senate vote on arms to Israel

A group of around 50 activists were arrested on Capitol Hill on Tuesday while calling for an arms embargo on Israel and urging US senators to vote for a bill that would block a $20 billion weapons package to Israel.

The demonstration of more than 100 activists from a broad coalition of different groups, including Palestinians, Jews, climate advocates, veterans and indigenous people, took place in the atrium of the Senate Hart Office Building one day before senators vote on the bill.

The measure, called the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval, a series of resolutions introduced by Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch of Vermon, Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Jeff Merkley of Oregon, would block around $20 billion in weapons sales to Israel that was put forth by President Joe Biden's administration.

"Every day we keep sending weapons to Israel is a day dozens of Palestinian children and families are horrifically murdered using our tax dollars. This week, Senators will clearly go on the record with their stance on genocide in the first vote in US history to directly block weapons to Israel," said Sandra Tamari, executive director of Adalah Justice Project, in a public statement. 

"They must do what the Biden administration has failed to do and what the American people are demanding: block this weapons package and support a full arms embargo on Israel," she added.

Palestinian allies, including progressive Jews, have also been advocating for the bill.

"American Jews are sick and tired of the US government using Jewish safety as a justification for funding the slaughter of Palestinians and Lebanese men, women and children," said Jewish Voice for Peace member Eliana Fishman, in a public statement.

"What will make our communities safer is investment in housing, education, and healthcare, and addressing inequality right here in the US," she said, echoing a growing sentiment across the country of Americans frustrated over a lack of social welfare compared with foreign military support. 

During Tuesday's demonstration, some activists wore red T-shirts reading "Fund schools not genocide" and "Fund climate not genocide" as they suggested alternatives to US offensive military funding to Israel.

The bill is unlikely to pass, given the make-up of the Senate with Democrats holding only a one-seat majority, within which only a small proportion would identify as progressive. 

Nevertheless, supporters of these joint resolutions see them as supporting the will of the American people, who, according to multiple polls, are against Israel's actions in Gaza. Moreover, US law itself, under the 1997 Leahy amendments, prohibits the arming of a military that is committing grave human rights violations.

Since October of last year, when Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israel, killing around 1,200, daily Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 44,000 and wounded more than 110,000 Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Some estimates have put the casualties much higher. Multiple human rights groups have described Israel's military assault and siege on Gaza as genocide. 

Though some have criticised the move, arguing that Israel has "the right to defend itself", supporters of the resolution note that it specifically targets offensive operations and defensive programmes, such as the Iron Dome.