Jamie Raskin backs bill to restrict US arms to Israel

In a move signaling a deepening rift within the Democratic Party over U.S.-Israel relations, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland a Jewish Democrat has added his name to the list of lawmakers supporting legislation to restrict the transfer of offensive weapons to Israel.

Raskin’s endorsement of the “Block the Bombs Act” places him among a growing coalition of 34 House Democrats pushing for limits on military aid as the war against Hamas in Gaza stretches into its 22nd month. The legislation would bar the U.S. from sending certain offensive arms to Israel a stark departure from the longstanding bipartisan consensus on supporting the Jewish state’s right to defend itself.

Other Jewish Democratic representatives, including Sara Jacobs of California, Becca Balint of Vermont, and Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, have also signed onto the bill. This comes after an unprecedented move in the Senate, where a majority of Democratic senators supported resolutions to block arms sales to Israel last month, although those resolutions were ultimately defeated by the Republican majority.

Raskin, a constitutional law professor and a high-profile liberal voice in Congress, has consistently taken positions that diverge from traditional pro-Israel stances. In November 2023, just weeks into Israel’s campaign against Hamas, he became one of the first Jewish Democrats in the House to call for a ceasefire. He later voted against emergency aid to Israel in May 2024 and joined a December 2023 letter accusing Israel of violating U.S. arms export laws a claim rejected by both the Israeli government and the White House.

While framed as a humanitarian stance by its sponsors, the bill and Raskin’s support have triggered concern among pro-Israel advocates. Critics argue that conditioning arms to Israel the region’s only democracy and a close U.S. ally undermines its security and emboldens terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah, both of which continue to target Israeli civilians and threaten regional stability.

The political trend reflects a broader shift, as younger and more progressive voices in the Democratic Party increasingly scrutinize America’s relationship with Israel. But to many in the pro-Israel community, such moves betray a fundamental misunderstanding of Israel’s fight for survival in a hostile neighborhood.

At a time when Israel continues to face rocket fire, drone threats, and hostage crises, U.S. lawmakers should be reinforcing not restricting the alliance with its most reliable partner in the Middle East.

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