Kaine Statement on Effort to Block Select Weapons Transfers to Israel

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, released the following statement regarding resolutions that will come to the Senate floor for a vote to block two out of over 100 separate weapons transfers to Israel by the Biden and Trump Administrations since October 7, 2023:

“For over a year, I have called for the U.S. to support the protection of the Israeli people through the robust provision of defensive weapons, such as those that regularly defeat drone and missile attacks from Iran and Hamas. But I continue to urge a pause in the transfer of offensive weapons because of the harm they are likely to cause to innocent Palestinian civilians and my serious concerns that they will generate further instability across the region that will put U.S. servicemembers at risk. It’s clear that a durable ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, resulting in the return of all hostages to their families and a surge of humanitarian assistance into Gaza, is the only path to stability in the region—as evidenced by the fact that the Houthis stopped attacking container ships in the Red Sea during the most recent ceasefire, only to start back up after the agreement collapsed. Our focus must remain on encouraging a long-term peace, not packing a tinder box, and therefore, consistent with my long-standing view, I will oppose the transfer of these offensive weapons.”

Kaine has repeatedly reiterated his support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas following Hamas’ horrific October 7 terrorist attacks, and helped gain Senate support for the national security supplemental funding package that passed in April 2024 and included over $14 billion in security assistance funding for Israel. He has also been a leading voice in Congress regarding the need to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He’s taken a series of steps to prioritize the release of hostages taken by Hamas, protect civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, and counter threats to Israel from Hamas and Iran.

Consistent with Kaine’s years-long efforts to ensure that Congress plays an assertive and deliberate role in matters of war and peace, Kaine raised concerns over the Biden Administration’s decision in December 2023 to transfer weapons to Israel without congressional oversight. In February 2024, following reports of a pending major weapons transfer from the U.S. to Israel, Kaine urged the Biden Administration to ensure that the transfer is comprised primarily of defensive weapons critical to the security of the Israeli people, such as restocking the Iron Dome and David’s Sling air defense systems. In September 2024, Kaine opposed the transfer of three offensive weapons systems to Israel.

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