The Senate’s nine Jewish members banded together in a vote to end U.S. participation in the U.N. arms embargo on Bosnia.
Surpassing the expected support for the bill, Senate voted Wednesday 69-29 to approve the measure, which was sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R- Kan.) and Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.).
Only five Republicans and 24 Democrats voted against the measure, which President Clinton has vowed to veto.
Several Jewish organizations welcomed the move, which comes as fighting has intensified in Bosnia.
Rebel Serbian forces have overtaken two Muslim “safe havens” in the region as Western nations have been meeting to decide a course of action.
Further complicating the matter, a senior adviser to Russian President Boris Yeltsin reportedly warned that if the United States unilaterally lifts the arms embargo, Russia would consider doing the same for Serbia.
In a statement released minute after Wednesday afternoon’s vote, the leaders of the American Jewish Congress said:
“We applaud the broad bipartisan recognition that United States policy on Bosnia has been a stunning and tragic failure, and one of historic magnitude.”
In a speech shortly before the midday vote, Dole thanked the AJCongress for its previous letter supporting the initiative.
The National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council “hope this will lead to action that will begin to bring this tragedy to an end,” said Martin Raffel, associate executive vice chairman of the umbrella group.
B’nai B’rith International also immediately welcomed the vote.
“The time has come for the embargo to be lifted. It’s long overdue,” said Robin Schwartz-Kreger, B’nai B’rith spokeswoman.
At least one Jewish group, however, opposed the Senate action. The American Jewish Committee said it opposed a unilateral move by the United States.
“This could have serious ramifications for lifting other sanctions, including those against Iraq and Libya,” said Jason Isaacson, director of the Washington office of the American Jewish Committee.
“This move could b a prescription for a bloodbath,” Isaacson said, predicting that the Bosnian Muslims would likely be overrun by the Bosnian Serbs before any arms could be delivered.
The overwhelmingly strong show of support for the measure has thrown the White House’s Bosnia policy into further disarray. The Senate has enough votes to override a presidential veto of the legislation.
Administration officials lobbied in vain to keep Democratic senators from supporting the measure.
The House, which passed a similar measure by a 3-to-1 margin earlier this year, is expected to approve the legislation.
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