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Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., at an oversight hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. Credit: Allison Robbert / AP

No.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., did not vote to block the U.S. sale of around $500 million in arms sales to Israel.

He was one of seven Democratic senators who joined 52 Republicans in voting against blocking the sale of U.S. bulldozers to Israel. And he voted against another resolution, which would have blocked the sale of bombs to Israel for use in its war against Palestinians in Gaza and Lebanon. Both failed measures were introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.

Amnesty International has argued Israeli forces use bulldozers to destroy civilian homes and infrastructure.

In a statement, Blumenthal said, “The current resolution is not the solution or vehicle to address these problems. I continue to be critical of this Israeli government’s conduct.” He argued that Israel is an ally of the U.S. and he cannot support “leaving it vulnerable.”

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Mariana Navarrete Villegas is a Community Engagement Reporter for The Connecticut Mirror, covering Hartford. She recently graduated from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism with a master’s degree in Bilingual Journalism. Previously, she was the Community Engagement and Video Assistant at Epicenter-NYC and a Podcast Intern at The Take, Al Jazeera English’s daily news podcast. As a reporter, she has covered stories from New York to Florida, California, Panama, and Mexico, focusing on labor rights, immigration, and community care. She also hosts 'La Chismesita,' a community radio show in New York that archives oral histories through conversations with women community leaders. Originally from Mexico, Mariana spent her teenage years in Panama. She holds a B.A. in Global Studies with a minor in Psychology from Saint Leo University, where she interned at the International Rescue Committee.