Ammon News - US Senate Republicans ​on Tuesday blocked a bid to require President Donald Trump's administration to report to Congress on increasing ‌violence in the occupied West Bank, including the deaths of American citizens.

The procedural vote was the latest sign of friction between US Democrats and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government over Israel's treatment of Palestinians and of Republicans' continuing strong support for his coalition.

The Senate voted 47 ​to 51 to block the resolution. The vote was largely along party lines, with every Republican voting no except ​for Rand Paul of Kentucky and every Democrat except John Fetterman of Pennsylvania in favor.

The ⁠resolution would have required the State Department to report to Congress on the killing of US citizens by Israeli settlers ​or Israeli security forces in the West Bank and to assess the human rights situation.

Violence by Jewish settlers against Palestinians in ​the territory has risen sharply this year.

While the resolution would not have cut aid to Israel, the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign assistance since World War Two, a failure by the administration to deliver the report could have triggered restrictions on aid.

Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen of ​Maryland, the measure's lead sponsor, had argued that it was "long past time" to examine human rights in the West Bank, including the ​deaths of nine Americans since 2022.

"It is our responsibility to ensure recipients of US taxpayer dollars act in line with our laws and our ‌values," he ⁠said in a statement, referring to Israel.
Aftermath of an Israeli settlers attack, in Abu Falah, near Ramallah

Republicans accused Democrats of seeking to score political points as Israel is under threat, seven months after US and Israeli forces launched airstrikes that began an ongoing conflict with Iran.

"I urge my colleagues to vote no on this resolution so we can stand with our ally Israel as they beat back the scourge of Iranian-backed terrorism," Montana ​Republican Senator Steve Daines said ​in a speech.


Reuters