Senator Bernie Sanders Accuses Israel of Violating Laws

(UnitedHeadlines.com) – On May 12, Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, 82, accused Israel of violating international humanitarian law and, therefore, should not receive “another nickel in U.S. military aid.”

During an interview on “Meet the Press,” Sanders claimed that Israel has gone to war “against the entire Palestinian people” and not just Hamas, adding that the “results have been absolutely catastrophic.”

Sanders’ comments come after a U.S. State Department report to Congress found that Israel’s use of weapons supplied by the U.S. against Hamas in Gaza may have been a violation of international humanitarian law. The report noted that there were no specific instances of Israel violating the terms of U.S. weapons agreements found, but that “it is reasonable” to assume Israel could have used the weapons in instances that violate international humanitarian law because of the high number of civilian casualties reported. The report noted that Israel has the “knowledge, experience, and tools” to mitigate civilian casualties but the high number raises “questions as to whether the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] is using them effectively.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has noted that “definitive conclusions” that Israel violated international humanitarian law have not been made yet by the State Department.

However, during the interview, Sanders definitively stated that “Israel has broken international law” and “American law,” accusing Israel of blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza. Sanders added that this is “not the way you conduct a war in a civilized society.”

Sanders’ comments follow those of President Joe Biden, who halted a shipment of weapons to Israel due to its Rafah invasion. However, Biden did not rule out shipping the bombs to Israel at a later date and did note that the U.S. would continue making sure Israel is “secure in terms of Iron Dome.” While some have criticized the decision, Sanders stated that he agrees with Biden withholding the “2,000-pound bombs which could level an entire square block” in Rafah.