Senator Bernie Sanders (Independent, Vermont) on Tuesday repeated his criticism of the Israeli government’s military approach in Gaza, calling on his fellow lawmakers to reject the Biden administration’s request for billions in military aid for Israel.
The Biden administration has asked Congress to approve an additional support package for US allies, including Israel, which Sanders described as “unconditional military aid” for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to continue with their brutal war.
“Enough is enough,” Sanders said in a statement. “Congress must reject that funding. The taxpayers of the United States must no longer be complicit in destroying the lives of innocent men, women, and children in Gaza.”
The war has so far killed over 22,300 people in Gaza, according to local officials, and displaced 85% of the territory’s population.
Sanders said the issue at hand “is not complicated,” noting that while Hamas’ October 7 attack on Southern Israel in which about 1,200 people were killed and nearly 240 were taken hostage initiated the current conflict, Israel’s war has led to “catastrophic” results on the ground for Palestinians.
“While we recognise that Hamas’ barbaric terrorist attack began this war, we must also recognise that Israel’s military response has been grossly disproportionate, immoral, and in violation of international law,” Sanders said.
He added that is important for Americans to keep in mind that Israel is fighting mostly “with US bombs, artillery shells, and other forms of weaponry.”
Last month, Sanders wrote a letter to US President Joe Biden, saying it would be inappropriate to provide funding for Israel beyond what’s needed for “defensive systems that will protect Israeli civilians against incoming missile and rockets attacks.” He also urged Biden to support UN efforts to stop the suffering on the ground.
The UN Security Council passed a resolution to provide more aid for Gazans on December 22 amid US resistance that led to the weakening of the proposal. The US abstained from the vote.
The US had previously vetoed a resolution calling for a humanitarian cease-fire in the besieged territory.
Sanders has also introduced a resolution to investigate Israel’s indiscriminate bombing in Gaza.
Meanwhile, as the fighting continues, Israel is thought to be behind a blast in Beirut that killed Saleh Arouri, a top Hamas political leader Tuesday, prompting fears that the conflict could spread across the region. Israel has not commented on the strike.
