Senator Bernie Sanders has said that the United States should take an even-handed approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He has also said that:
- Israel’s attacks on Palestinians are “reprehensible”.
- The United States should be pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian.
- Israel’s siege of Gaza is a serious violation of international law.
- The conflict did not begin with Hamas firing rockets into Israeli communities.
- Palestinian families in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah have been living under the threat of eviction for many years.
Sanders has also said that:
- He is extremely concerned by the growing conflict in Israel and Palestine.
- The irresponsible actions of government-allied right-wing extremists in Jerusalem can escalate quickly into devastating war.
- He hopes that Israelis of all persuasions will find ways to come together to try to make sure that the recent intercommunal violence does not happen again.
- He has supported U.S. legislation that provides aid for Palestinians.
“The targeting of civilians is a war crime, no matter who does it,” said Sanders. “Israel’s blanket denial of food, water, and other necessities to Gaza is a serious violation of international law and will do nothing but harm innocent civilians.”
Targeting civilians, even during a time of war, violates Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions of 1949.
Sanders also reiterated his prior condemnation of the Hamas attack, calling it a “major setback for any hope of peace and reconciliation in the region – and justice for the Palestinian people.”
“The gunning down of young Israelis at a music festival is an image the world will not soon forget,” said Sanders.
While President Joe Biden and lawmakers on Capitol Hill have pledged their unwavering support for Israel in the wake of the attack, Sanders argued that the US must also “insist on restraint from Israeli forces attacking Gaza.”
Sanders is among the most prominent Jewish politicians in America, and during his presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020, he was notably far more critical of Israel than most Democrats. He has also previously called for placing conditions upon American aid to Israel, an idea that’s radioactive in Washington.
His comments are largely in line with those of progressive “Squad” members in the House, who have called for a cease-fire in the wake of the Hamas attack.
Some of those lawmakers have also used the word “apartheid” to describe Israeli’s occupation of the West Bank and blockade of Gaza, a term that’s used by numerous international human rights groups but is largely eschewed by American politicians.
As the conflict unfolds, ongoing Democratic divisions over the US relationship with Israel are likely to come to the fore.
