In a historic bipartisan rebuke to the Trump Administration, U.S. Senators passed a bipartisan resolution today to END U.S. SUPPORT for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen! Senators also assigned responsibility for the slaying of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the erratic de facto leader of Saudi Arabia, whom President Trump has repeatedly defended in the aftermath of Khashoggi’s assassination. The resolution had failed in the Senate in March, but was revivified in the wake of the brutal murder of Khashoggi and the ensuing awareness over the shocking number of civilians killed by Saudi bombing campaigns throughout the war. In addition to the thousands of civilians killed during air raids and ground attacks, an estimated 85,000 children may have died from war-induced starvation since the war began almost four years ago, leaving the country teetering on the brink of full-fledged famine. The constant barrage of air strikes has cut-off critical supply and aid routes, decimated civilian infrastructure and health facilities, caused the economy to collapse, and allowed for cholera to spread like wildfire. Today’s resolution marks the first time Congress has taken a stand against these atrocities.
The measure passed the Senate in a 56 to 41 vote. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced the legislation, along with Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT). Jewish World Watch is proud to report that both of California’s senators — Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris — co-sponsored this groundbreaking expression of the Senate’s discontent with Washington’s continued role in facilitating the commission of potential war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Washington has been providing in-air refueling, targeting assistance, intelligence, and weapons to the Saudi-led coalition since the second term of the Obama Administration, but the U.S.-Saudi relationship has strengthened since Trump rolled out his own Middle East policy, largely focused on countering Iran. To become law, the resolution now must pass the House and be signed by Trump. Unfortunately, Trump has already signaled plans to veto, and the House has been precluded from taking up any Yemen resolutions before the end of this congressional session. Nevertheless, the Senate’s approval demonstrates a new determination to hold this administration accountable for its role in mass atrocities in Yemen, as well as its intention to wrest back some control over war powers from the executive branch.