Democrats divided over whether to attach conditions to Israel aid

Democrats in the Senate on Wednesday continue to debate whether more conditions need to be placed on aid sent to Israel, just one in a series of hurdles stalling a legislative package members in both chambers of Congress hope to send to aid Israel, Ukraine and the US southern border.

Democratic Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont, who has been outspoken in advocating for conditions to be placed on any aid to Israel, told CNN on Wednesday morning that he would not necessarily vote against an aid package if conditions were not included.

Pressed on if he’d still back aid to Israel without conditions, Welch told CNN: “We’re not at that point yet. So I’ve always supported Israel aid and I expect that I will, but I’m making my point of concern, very clear.”

Many Senate Democrats who are opposed to conditioning aid to Israel have argued that the administration is engaging already with Israel about how it conducts its military operations and that international laws already exist to govern the rules of war. Democrats met with IDF officials Monday night to discuss the issue as well.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who has also been advocating for conditions on the aid, wouldn’t say Tuesday when pressed on if he’d vote against an aid package to Israel if more conditions were not included.

Conditions on the aid was the topic of a robust debate in Democratic lunch on Tuesday, members told CNN. But the chances of conditioning aid aren’t likely as top Democrats including Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, have warned against it.

Republicans have outright rejected adding them including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer dodged the question earlier this week when pressed by CNN’s Manu Raju.

Any package that passes the…