by
Sen. Elissa Slotkin
Michigan freshman Sen. Elissa Slotkin, who is Jewish and has been a long-time supporter of Israel, says she favors blocking the U.S. sale of offensive weapons to Israel.
"I have been a strong supporter of the Jewish State of Israel my whole life. And I still am. But despite the fact that Hamas began this bloody round of conflict—and refuses to release the hostages—the images of emaciated children are hard to turn away from. As are the calls from Michiganders who have friends and family trying to survive in Gaza," she wrote on X Thursday night.
Her statement was met with both favorable and critical responses from X readers.
She writes on X:
Last night I unfortunately missed a vote series on two Joint Resolutions of Disapproval regarding the sale of weapons to Israel.
I have struggled with this Joint Resolution of Disapproval more than any previous votes in the nearly two years since Hamas initiated the attacks of October 7. I represent a state with a large Arab and Muslim population and a large Jewish population. And over these last two years, few issues have been as raw as this one. I have therefore worked very hard to call balls and strikes based on my experience and the facts on the ground, even as most people fall firmly into one side or another, and are often reluctant to consider new information.
I owe it to my state to make clear where I stand: Had I made it back for the vote yesterday, I would have voted yes to block offensive weapons to Israel based on my concerns over lack of food and medicine getting to civilians in Gaza...
But it appears today that the Netanyahu government thinks that there are no limits to what they can do while still receiving U.S. support. And so, I believe a message has to be sent. Should similar votes on offensive weapons come up in the future, I will take them on a case-by-case basis, with the hope of important humanitarian course corrections. I continue to support the U.S.-Israel security relationship and sale of defensive weapons such as the Iron Dome.
The responses on X include:
Nina Turner:
You don’t need to explain being against sending offensive weapons to Israel. This is what your constituents want. No essay needed.
Scott Brightman:
Making peace requires taking risks. Israel cannot now take any risk and must destroy Hamas because someday leaders like you will return to power.
Andrew Day:
Your only mentioning of the victims come in sentences that begin by defending Israel. The longest paragraphs are about you and your struggle/biography. It's false that you "unfortunately" didn't "make it back for the vote"--you skipped the vote to go on the Colbert show.
David Harsanyi:
What would you have Israel do differently, given the fact that she’s been bending over backwards to distribute food aid to hungry civilians while Hamas has been working just as hard to prevent that?
Bootsy319:
Israel has not been bending over backwards to supply food to the starving people. Having only four distribution sites for Hundreds of thousands of people is a joke, especially when the IDF opens fire on people when they approach the sites. Genocide is not justifiable.
peak:
Finally the mask is off and everyone can see Israel for what it is. Even sections of the right wing/GOP in the US are becoming strongly opposed to Israel, no surprise.
Read the full statement below:
Last night I unfortunately missed a vote series on two Joint Resolutions of Disapproval regarding the sale of weapons to Israel.
— Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) July 31, 2025
I have struggled with this Joint Resolution of Disapproval more than any previous votes in the nearly two years since Hamas initiated the attacks of…
