Congressional Progressive Caucus Backs Bill to Halt Arms to Israel

The Block the Bombs Act, introduced by Rep. Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.) and currently supported by 49 co-sponsors, seeks to prohibit the transfer of specific destructive munitions. The legislation targets bunker-buster bombs, 2,000-pound bombs, Joint Direct Attack Munitions, tank rounds, and artillery shells. Notably, the bill excludes defensive systems like the Iron Dome, reflecting a strategic effort to narrow the scope of the proposed arms embargo.

Rep. Greg Casar, chair of the caucus, framed the endorsement as a moral imperative, stating that the United States must stop providing weapons utilized in actions described by critics as atrocities. The move arrives shortly after a U.S. veto of a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire, further fueling criticism from lawmakers and activists who argue the current policy violates international law. Analysts suggest this internal shift signals the end of a long-standing reluctance within the party’s left wing to confront U.S. policy toward Israel directly.