A group of a dozen Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), wrote to House and Senate leaders on Tuesday urging them to remove provisions on U.S.-Israel military and intelligence cooperation from the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act.

The lawmakers said that the provisions would “constrain the administration’s ability to independently determine how best to protect U.S. national security and would lock in long-term commitments despite our serious concerns with the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza, the West Bank, and other parts of the region.”

The letter objects to both defense technology cooperation language in the NDAA, based on the FUTURES Act, as well as to language in the Senate draft of the 2027 Intelligence Authorization Act, which could be folded into the NDAA, that would mandate greater intelligence sharing with Israel.

The letter claims that, though the defense technology provisions do not create any new cooperative programs, they “threaten U.S. national security interests by handing leverage over American weapons systems and military technology,” pointing to Israel’s decision to block American Iron Dome batteries from being sent to Ukraine.

“If enacted, these agreements would create long-term dependencies by embedding Israeli technology into the U.S. defense industrial base that could make future policy changes costly or difficult to implement,” the letter continues.

“Moreover, we do not share, let alone co-produce, many of these sensitive technologies even with our closest partners, including NATO or other treaty allies. To do so in this instance would be unwise, especially as the Government of Israel continues to pursue policies in Gaza, the West Bank and other parts of the region that are inconsistent with U.S. interests and values.”

It claims that the cooperation language is an attempt to subvert congressional scrutiny, increase Israeli leverage over the U.S. and increase American “dependency” on Israel outside of direct U.S. military aid.

The letter falsely links a letter from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a House member about an entirely separate piece of nonbinding legislation urging the wind-down of U.S. military aid to Israel to the NDAA provisions.

Regarding the intelligence cooperation provisions, the letter suggests that U.S. intelligence sharing with Israel could pose a threat to U.S. national security.

The letter was led by Van Hollen, who is teasing plans for a bid for Senate majority leader, as well as incoming Majority Whip Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) and incoming Appropriations Committee Chair Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA).

Other signatories included some lawmakers who have typically taken more pragmatic approaches to Israel even while offering criticisms, including Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Andy Kim (D-NJ), as well as Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) is leading a similar letter in the House, which was set to close for signatures last week.

Groups including J Street and the anti-Israel IMEU Policy Project offered support for the letter.

“No deepening of our military relationship with Israel unless they comply with the Gaza peace agreement, end settler violence and reverse their de facto annexation of the West Bank,” J Street said in a statement.