Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has taken a firm stance against the United States’ current military support for Israel, amidst escalating tensions in Gaza.
What Happened: Sanders has made a public appeal to the White House to cease military aid to Israel, describing the situation in Gaza as an “unprecedented crisis.” His comments were made on the CBS program “Face the Nation.”
Sanders pointed out the dire humanitarian consequences of the conflict, noting the death toll reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry, which includes a substantial number of women and children. He raised alarms about the potential for widespread starvation among children, reported Politico.
“It's not just that 30,000 people, two-thirds of them are women and children, have already been killed. We are looking at the possibility of hundreds of thousands of children starving to death,” said Sanders, according to the report.
He said that the U.S. cannot be complicit in the “mass slaughter of children,” Sanders called for a change in Israeli policy to ensure humanitarian aid can reach those in need. He cited the Foreign Assistance Act, which bars aid to nations that obstruct U.S. humanitarian efforts.
“Stopping American humanitarian aid is in violation of the law. That should be clear. No more money to Netanyahu's war machine to kill Palestinian children,” said the Vermont senator, according to Politico.
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Despite his criticisms of Israeli policy, Sanders remains a supporter of President Joe Biden, encouraging his followers to support Biden in the forthcoming presidential election to prevent the re-election of former President Donald Trump.
Why It Matters: Senator Sanders’ plea comes in the wake of escalating tensions in the region. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled intentions to invade Rafah, a city on the Gaza Strip’s southern border, which could further inflame the crisis. This move is seen as a defiance of President Biden’s warning, which he articulated as a “red line” on MSNBC, concerning the potential loss of more Palestinian lives.
Previously, Sanders has been vocal about his disapproval of Netanyahu, suggesting Israel should seek new leadership to better address the conflict with Hamas, as reported in a Benzinga article from November 2023.
Furthermore, in December, Sanders opposed a bill for emergency military aid to Israel, diverging from President Biden and Senate Democratic leadership, and labeling the actions of Netanyahu’s government as “immoral” and a breach of international law.
Photo by Evan El-Amin on Shutterstock
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