Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a leading progressive voice in the Senate, expressed strong opposition on Monday to the proposed $10.1 billion aid for Israel’s military operations under Prime Minister Netanyahu. Sanders criticized the Netanyahu government’s actions in Gaza as “immoral” and in violation of international law. “I do not think we should be appropriating $10.1 billion for the right-wing, extremist Netanyahu government to continue its current military approach,” Sanders stated on the Senate floor.
The funding in question, requested by the Biden administration, is intended for Israel’s Iron Dome and David’s Sling missile defense systems, and for replenishing military stocks used in the war. Sanders acknowledged the importance of defensive systems to protect Israeli civilians but argued against unconditional military aid that supports Netanyahu’s offensive strategies.
Sanders highlighted the severe impact of the conflict on Palestinian civilians, citing the Palestinian Health Ministry’s statistics: 16,000 Palestinians killed in two months, with a significant number being women and children, and the displacement of 1.8 million people. He also mentioned the deaths and displacement in the West Bank.
While Sanders did not explicitly state he would vote against the emergency funding package, he criticized its lack of domestic investments. He emphasized the need to address the challenges faced by American families, many of whom are living paycheck to paycheck. Sanders suggested reallocating some defense spending to address domestic crises and argued for incorporating a portion of military spending into the regular appropriations process to save funds for domestic needs.
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