US weapon sale to Israel may further fuel conflict: Senator asks to stop deal

Washington: Bernie Sanders, the US Senator from the ruling Democratic Party, has introduced a resolution in House urging the Biden Administration to abort its $735 million weapon deal with Israel, apprehending that the sale could further fuel the conflict in the Middle East.

He reminded the US of its commitment to bringing peace in the region and doubted whether the US weapons to Israel would help towards the course. "I believe that the United States must help lead the way to a peaceful and prosperous future for both Israelis and Palestinians," he tweeted.

In another resolution he introduced on Wednesday, he admired the lives of both Palestinian and Israeli and demanded an immediate ceasefire.

Meanwhile, political experts view that Sanders latest resolution is a direct countering of the resolution brought out in the House by the Republican senator Rick Scott who sought the US should affirm its support to the cause of Israelis interests.

The recent conflict between Israel and Hamas has created a split in the Democratic Party between its progressive wing and its centrists, including the White House. Joe Biden's administration has approved the potential sale of $735m in weapons to Israel this year and sent it to Congress on 5 May for formal review.

The clashes have prompted calls from some lawmakers for a more concerted US effort to stop the violence, including Israeli airstrikes that have killed dozens of civilians, most of them Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.