Senator Bernie Sanders has expressed support for the U.S. sending aid to Israel, while demanding that the funds are not used to kill innocent residents of the Gaza Strip.
Islamist militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel October 7, marking the start of the deadliest-ever Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israeli officials said that over 1,400 people had been killed in Israel as of Monday, most during the initial attack, according to the Associated Press. More than 8,300 people have been killed in Gaza, according to officials there.
With the death toll increasing as Israel expanded its ground operations in Gaza over the weekend, criticism over the killing of civilians in the territory has ramped up, particularly among progressives. The approval of an expected new U.S. aid package to Israel has been moving at a slow pace amid partisan politics in Washington, D.C.
Sanders, a progressive independent who ran two campaigns for the Democratic presidential nomination, on Monday urged President Joe Biden and Congress to "make it clear" to Israel that any aid it receives from the U.S. must not be used to kill civilians in Gaza. The senator, who is Jewish, also stressed that Israel had the right to "destroy Hamas terrorism."
"The U.S. provides $3.8 billion a year to Israel," Sanders wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "The Biden administration and Congress must make it clear. Israel has the right to defend itself and destroy Hamas terrorism, but it does not have the right to use U.S. dollars to kill thousands of innocent men, women, and children in Gaza."
The U.S. provides $3.8 billion a year to Israel. The Biden administration and Congress must make it clear. Israel has the right to defend itself and destroy Hamas terrorism, but it does not have the right to use U.S. dollars to kill thousands of innocent men, women, and children…
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) October 30, 2023
In response to a request for comment, a spokesperson for the Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C., told Newsweek that "the eradication of Hamas's terror infrastructure is crucial to the security of the Israeli people," while arguing that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) work hard in attempts to avoid civilian casualties.
"The IDF is putting a lot of effort into keeping the civilians of Gaza out of harm's way," the spokesperson said. "Unfortunately, that is not the case for Hamas. Hamas hides under hospitals and schools, embedding itself in the civilian population of Gaza and endangering innocent people."
Newsweek reached out for comment to the White Housevia email on Monday.
In a statement calling for a "humanitarian pause" on the conflict last week, Sanders said that "the American people have a right to know" if additional U.S. aid to Israel will "be used to defend Israel or whether it will be used for an invasion and occupation."
"I have serious concerns about what this invasion and potential occupation of Gaza will mean, both in terms of the long-term security of Israel and the well-being of the Palestinian residents of Gaza," Sanders said.
The senator also expressed concerns that Israel was waging "indiscriminate warfare" against Gaza civilians while calling for the pause, arguing that not enough was being done to address the "growing humanitarian catastrophe."
"Killing innocent Palestinian women and children in Gaza will not bring back to life the innocent Israeli women and children who have been killed," said Sanders. "It will only make a terrible situation even worse and more intractable."
"Innocent Palestinians also have a right to life, security, and peace," he added. "Hamas is an authoritarian organization that does not necessarily represent a broad swathe of the Palestinian people, and we must not conflate all Palestinians with this terrorist organization."
Despite Sanders voicing his support for Palestinian civilians, he has not been immune to criticism from progressives and others who are demanding a ceasefire, rather than a humanitarian pause.
Hundreds of Sanders' former presidential campaign staffers sent an open letter to the senator urging him to introduce ceasefire legislation to the Senate last week.
"We urge you to make it clear what is at stake in this crisis politically, morally, and strategically," the ex-staffers wrote. "We need you to stand up forcefully, as you always have, against war and bombs, and for peace, freedom, and justice."
While the Biden administration and most Democrats and Republicans in Congress remain opposed to calling for a ceasefire, polling suggests that a large majority of Americans are in favor of U.S. lawmakers demanding an end to the violence.
A poll published by progressive firm Data for Progress earlier this month found that 66 percent of Americans "strongly agree" or "somewhat agree" that the U.S. should use its "close diplomatic relationship with Israel" and "call for a ceasefire and a de-escalation of violence in Gaza."
Support for a ceasefire was seen across the political spectrum, with 80 percent of Democrats, 56 percent of Republicans and 57 percent of independents all supporting the move, according to the poll.
Update 10/31/23, 1:55 p.m. ET: This article has been updated to include comment from a spokesperson for the Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C.
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Aila Slisco is a Newsweek night reporter based in New York. Her focus is on reporting national politics, where she ... Read more
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