Senators Vote on Investigating Human Rights Abuses in Israel-Hamas War

In a notable test Tuesday, senators were faced with a decision on whether to investigate human rights abuses in the Israel-Hamas war. This step could potentially lead to limiting U.S. military aid to Israel as the conflict continues past 100 days.

The effort, initiated by Sen. Bernie Sanders, involved tapping into a decades-old law that would require the State Department to produce a report within 30 days. The report would assess whether the Israeli war effort in Gaza is violating human rights and international accords. Failure to produce the report could result in a quick halt to U.S. military aid to Israel, which has been traditionally unquestioned.

Despite the significance of the test, the majority of senators rejected the investigation. The roll call vote revealed that 72 senators opposed the effort, while 11 senators, mostly Democrats from across the party's spectrum, supported it.

The vote sheds light on the unease among U.S. lawmakers regarding Israel's prosecution of the war against Hamas. With no end in sight to the bombardment, some view Israel's attacks against Palestinians, aimed at rooting out Hamas leaders, as disproportional to the initial terrorist attack on Israel.

Israel's Right to Defend Itself

"To my mind, Israel has the absolute right to defend itself from Hamas' barbaric terrorist attack on October 7, no question about that," stated a politician during an interview on Monday.

"But what Israel does not have a right to do — using military assistance from the United States — does not have the right to go to war against the entire Palestinian people," said the politician. "And in my view, that's what has been happening."

The White House has rejected this approach as "unworkable" as the administration seeks a transition from Israel and works to ensure support at home and abroad against a stirring backlash to the scenes of destruction from Gaza.

Another senator moved to table the measure, arguing it is "counterproductive" and would make it more difficult for the U.S. to prevent escalation of the expanding conflict.

"We do not believe that this resolution is the right vehicle to address these issues. And we don't think now is the right time. It's unworkable, quite frankly," said a statement from the White House National Security Council.

A statement from the Israeli government suggests that they are preparing to transition their operations to a lower intensity. This transition is expected to reduce civilian casualties and increase humanitarian assistance, according to U.S. State Department spokesperson John Kirby.

The Biden administration has been actively engaging with Israel, including through shuttle diplomacy by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in an effort to push for a shift in the intensity of the ongoing conflict. The aim is to bring an end to the devastating impact on the civilian population in Gaza. The latest figures from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry indicate that around 24,000 people, mostly women and children, have lost their lives in the bombings. The destruction caused by the bombings has also displaced the majority of Gaza's 2.3 million people, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis.

Meanwhile, President Biden's request for $106 billion in supplemental national security aid, which includes funding for Israel, Ukraine, and other military needs, is currently facing obstacles in Congress. Republicans are insisting on attaching policy changes related to immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border. The aid package includes more than $14 billion for Israel, with $10 billion designated for U.S. military assistance. This aid is intended to support Israel as it retaliates against Hamas for the deadly surprise attack on October 7, which resulted in the loss of 1,200 lives and the hostage-taking of 250 individuals.

Democratic Senators Express Concern over Israel's War in Gaza

Several key Democratic senators have announced their unease with Israel's war in Gaza, insisting the Biden administration must do more to push the Netanyahu government to reduce civilian casualties and improve living conditions for Palestinians in Gaza.

Going further, Sanders had already announced his refusal to support more military aid to Israel in the package because of the war.

"The time is now for the U.S. Senate to act," Sanders said ahead of the vote, which he vowed was "just the beginning" of his efforts to limit the war's devastation.

Heading toward the vote, Sanders said, what he's trying to do is unprecedented in procedure, and essentially in practice.

"The Congress has always been supportive of Israel in general, and this begins to question the nature of the military campaign." Sanders said.

The resolution is drawn from the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, which was amended after the Nixon era, enabling Congress to provide oversight of U.S. military assistance abroad. It requires that any arms or military aid must be used in accordance with international human rights accords.

While senators have voted to try to halt foreign arms sales to other countries in the past, this is an untested mechanism.

Recreated News

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The participants were divided into two groups: one group was assigned a regular exercise routine, while the other group was not. The researchers then assessed the participants' mental health and well-being at the beginning and end of the study.

The results showed that the group who engaged in regular exercise experienced a significant improvement in their mental health and well-being compared to the group who did not exercise. The researchers noted that exercise had a positive impact on various aspects of mental health, including reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, improving mood, and increasing overall life satisfaction.

Furthermore, the study found that the benefits of exercise on mental health were not limited to a specific type of exercise or intensity level. Both aerobic exercises, such as running and swimming, and strength training exercises, such as weightlifting, were found to have a positive effect on mental health.

The researchers concluded that incorporating regular exercise into one's routine can be a simple and effective way to improve mental health and well-being. They emphasized the importance of finding an exercise routine that is enjoyable and sustainable in order to reap the long-term benefits.