Congressional candidate Jack Schlossberg has announced his support for blocking military aid to Israel, The New York Post reported.
Speaking at a candidates forum held at the Stephen Wise Synagogue on the Upper West Side, the grandson of President John F. Kennedy aligned himself with far-left legislative efforts to halt the transfer of weaponry to the Jewish State.
Schlossberg, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for the 12th House District following the retirement of Rep. Jerrold Nadler, stated his approval for resolutions spearheaded by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
These measures sought to deny Israel $440 million in munitions and military hardware.
Sanders has four times tried to bring resolutions blocking arms sales to Israel, most recently in mid-April, but those resolutions have been voted down each time, even as more Democratic Senators have voted in favor.
The 33-year-old Schlossberg linked his stance directly to the ongoing regional conflict involving the Islamic Republic of Iran. He argued that continued military support does not enhance the safety of either Americans or Israelis and characterized the broader military campaign as a failure.
During the discussion Schlossberg remarked, “I would have voted with 85% of Democrats to block those funds to Israel. Opposing that war means opposing all funding for that war. I cannot understand how we continue funding this war which we basically just lost in the Middle East."
While Schlossberg supports the cessation of offensive weaponry, he noted that he continues to favor funding for the Iron Dome defense system and affirms Israel’s status as a Jewish nation.
The forum highlighted a sharp divide among those vying to represent the heavily Jewish district. Candidate Nina Schwalbe joined Schlossberg in supporting a weapons ban, stating, “The destruction in Gaza is unacceptable. I’m ashamed America has supported it."
However, other prominent contenders firmly rejected the proposed arms blockade, according to The New York Post. State Assemblyman Micah Lasher, who has received the endorsement of outgoing Rep. Nadler, warned that such measures would be counterproductive to regional stability.
“I don’t believe it would have actually improved the lives of people on the ground, and it would have contributed to the status of Israel as a pariah state and I will not do that in Congress," Lasher asserted.
George Conway, another candidate in the race, also signaled his opposition to the Sanders resolutions.