July 22, Washington, D.C. – In anticipation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress this week at a joint session, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced the following today:
As I said last month, I will not be present for Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress on Wednesday.
Like the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor and the UN independent panel, I believe that Benjamin Netanyahu and Yahya Sinwar are war criminals.
This confrontation began with Hamas, led by Sinwar, unleashing a horrific attack on Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 innocent men, women, and children and the capture of over 240 more.
ALSO READ:
Netanyahu and his extreme right-wing government have attacked the Palestinian people with full force in reprisal, inflicting at least 39,000 dead and 89,000 injuries—60% of them are women, children, or elderly people.
Moreover, the Netanyahu war machine has decimated Gaza’s physical infrastructure, housing stock, and healthcare system, leaving the region uninhabitable. All educational institutions have been targeted for attacks, and 88% of all school buildings have received damage.
In addition, because to the ongoing restrictions on humanitarian supplies, around 495,000 people have catastrophic levels of food insecurity, meaning they are starving.
No, the US Congress should not give Netanyahu a warm welcome. On the other hand, we need to forcefully condemn his activities in the West Bank and Gaza as well as his denial of a two-state solution. In my opinion, no further public funds should be sent to his extreme right-wing government so that it may continue to brutally devastate Gaza.