The opposition to fund Israel is growing in the US Congress amid calls for the US administration to stop its “unconditional” support for Tel Aviv in the Gaza war.
While the White House awaits the Congress to approve a bill to send $10 billion in military funding to Israel, Independent Senator Bernie Sanders has issued a stern call for lawmakers to reject the funding of what he described as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Netanyahu’s illegal and immoral war against the Palestinian people.”
On Wednesday, Sanders said on X, “Congress is working to pass a supplemental funding bill that includes $10 billion of unconditional military aid for the right-wing Netanyahu government to continue its brutal war against the Palestinian people. Enough is enough. Congress must reject that funding.”
He said Americans “must understand that Israel’s war against the Palestinian people has been significantly waged with US bombs, artillery shells, and other forms of weaponry.”
This is not the first time that the progressive senator from Vermont has made a stinging criticism of Israel.
On December 4, he said the war waged by Netanyahu’s government against Hamas in Gaza is “grossly disproportionate, immoral and in violation of international law.”
Sanders also said the destruction in Gaza has surpassed the “nightmarish thresholds” of destruction caused by American bombing in Dresden, Germany, and Japanese cities during World War II.
Echoing Sanders’ positions, Democratic Senator Joaquin Castro launched a criticism against the Netanyahu’s government last month in a series of statements posted on X.
“I cannot support sending Israel more weapons as long as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains in power and I urge the Biden Administration, Israeli government, Hamas and other countries to establish a permanent ceasefire and return of Israeli hostages still in Hamas’ captivity,” he wrote.
Castro also said, “I’m not confident that our government is effectively monitoring Israel’s compliance with these laws or effectively holding them accountable.”
US lawmakers promised to block funding to Israel during a vote scheduled after their return from the legislative recess next week.
But this did not stop the Biden administration to twice bypass Congress to approve an emergency weapons sale to Israel last month.
The maneuver was met with resistance from members of Biden's own party, including moderates such as Virginia Senator Tim Kaine.
Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of Senators will travel to Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia to meet with officials to discuss the state of the Israel-Hamas war.
The five lawmakers are members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, headed by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
“We're going to assess the status of the war as well as what the opportunities are for regional allies to create a path to peace,” Gillibrand told reporters.
