Israeli Defense Minister Gallant said: “I have ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip…No electricity, no food, no fuel. We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly.”
That is what they have done.
The world community cannot allow this barbarism. pic.twitter.com/tnBHbadX2d
"Any objective observer knows Israel has broken international law, it has broken #American law, and, in my view, Israel should not be receiving another nickel in #US military aid," #Sanders said.
@plink@palestine@israel he is on the correct side of history. Biden’s footnote in history will not be for anything positive he’s achieved, but how he was an enabler of the destruction of Gaza and deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians
US politicians step up condemnation of Israel over Gaza
Connecticut Democrat Chris #Murphy, a member of the Senate foreign relations committee, warned that Hamas was likely to become stronger if Israel waged an all-out assault in Rafah.
“I want #Hamas gone,” Murphy said. “I don’t want them to ever have the ability to hit Israel again. ⭐️[But] I worry that the number of civilians that are dying are ultimately going to provide permanent recruiting material to Hamas, and it will be a threat for years to come.
“We cannot have an invasion of Rafah that ends up in tens of thousands of additional civilians dying. ⭐️That will be bad for Israel from a moral and strategic standpoint.”
He continued: “So I am certainly willing to call out Israel when I think that they have made strategic and moral mistakes in this war. We should [also] be calling out Hamas for the attacks that began this war, the way in which they have violated the rules of engagement, and the fact that the quickest route to end this war is for Hamas to surrender and protect the people of Gaza.”
Murphy’s comments amounted to some of the strongest criticism yet by a centrist US politician against Israel, which the Gaza health ministry said on Sunday had now killed more than 35,000 people in strikes since the 7 October attacks by Hamas.
Stronger condemnation came from Vermont Democratic senator Bernie #Sanders, a member of the party’s progressive wing.
“Any objective observer knows Israel has ⭐️broken international law … has ⭐️broken American law – and in my view, Israel should not be receiving another nickel in US military aid,” he told NBC’s Meet the Press, adding that Hamas was “a terrible, disgusting terrorist organization that began this war”.
Meanwhile, #Blinken’s commentary was considerably more measured. In an interview with CBS’s Face the Nation, the Joe Biden White House’s top diplomat said it is “reasonable to assess that in certain instances Israel acted in ways that are⭐️ not consistent” with international humanitarian laws.
Blinken’s comments on Sunday came after #Biden threatened to ⭐️stop supplying Israel with weapons if it invaded Rafah.
That came as the White House said the US had stopped the transfer of 3,500 high payload “dumb” bombs over concerns of the growing number of civilian casualties in Gaza.
Blinken stopped short of explicitly accusing Israel of violating international law as it pursued its offensive against the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
He said it was “critical” to note that Israel itself has accountability processes – and there were hundreds of active inquiries as well as criminal investigations into different incidents, showing Israel had “the ability, means and the actions to self-correct.
“It had been very difficult to determine, particularly in the midst of war, exactly what happened and to draw final conclusions from any one incident,” he said, adding that the US was avoiding any firm assessment over a potential breach because Hamas “hides behind as well as underneath civilian populations, in schools and hospitals”.
US threatens to block more arms sales if assault on Rafah goes ahead
The US may block more weapons systems to Israel if it goes ahead with a ground offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has said.
The US has already suspended the shipment of 3,500 2,000lb (907kg) and 500lb (227kg) high-payload bombs following concerns over the scale of civilian casualties in Israel’s war in the territory.
Blinken also said he was concerned that any further ground captured by Israel would create a vacuum “that’s likely to be filled by chaos, by anarchy, and ultimately by Hamas again”.
US Senator Bernie #Sanders criticized the #Biden administration after reports emerged of the #US providing Israel with more bombs that were responsible for killing thousands of innocent Palestinians in #Gaza.
#Sanders Introduces Resolution to Investigate Israel’s Indiscriminate #Bombing Campaign in #Gaza
With nearly 19,000 people #killed and more than 50,000 wounded in Gaza since October 7 – seventy percent of whom are women and children – Sen. #Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) Thursday introduced a resolution under Section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act to force a debate on the indiscriminate bombing being carried out by Prime Minister #Netanyahu right-wing government.
@GW But, if I was in the US I'd probably just vote for whoever is pro-ceasefire that happens to be on the ballot in whatever state I lived in...with probably Cornell West, being the best of them.
Sen. Bernie Sanders opposes giving Israel $10 billion in aid
The White House has called on Congress to approve aid to Israel and Ukraine, but Republicans oppose any measure that excludes provisions to address security on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Sens. Chris #Murphy, Bernie #Sanders Come Out In Support of Conditions On U.S. Aid to #Israel
The Connecticut Democrat joined his Vermont colleague Sunday, calling the levels of civilian harm in #Gaza “unacceptable” and “unsustainable.”
The Democrat, sits on the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, confirmed that attaching strings to the House-approved $14.3 billion aid package to Israel is in the mix when Congress returns from Thanksgiving recess on Monday.
Bernie Sanders says Congress can’t pass Israel spending until bombing stops
“There is a horrific humanitarian disaster in Gaza. Israel must stop the bombing now and allow for massive amounts of humanitarian aid, including fuel, to reach those who need it,” Sanders posted on X.
“Congress cannot pass a supplemental spending bill that allows these actions to continue.”
Sanders has failed to call for a ceasefire in Gaza despite intense pressure from US progressives. @palestine #Israel #Sanders
After failed bid to crack down on price gougers last year, #Schumer, #Klobuchar, #Warren, #Sanders want new probe of huge #Exxon & #Chevron oil deals that could lead to higher gas prices, harm to operators, and depress wages.
Exxon's & Chevron's vertically integrated operations may harm smaller competitors. Both announced huge profits from strong energy prices since #Russia's invasion of #Ukraine. The oil deals could supercharge both companies' outsized political power.
>> The oil deals could supercharge both companies' outsized political power.
The companies already have a great deal of political power.
Don't forget that #Trump appointed chairman of #Exxon, Rex #Tillerson, as his Secretary of State. Prior to his appointment by Trump, Tillerson made business deals with #Russia on behalf of Exxon. After his appointment, he opposed US #sanctions against Russia. Halfway through his term Trump fired Tillerson on soured relations.