Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., on Sunday defended his decision to oppose a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, breaking with progressive Democrats in the House.
Progressive “Squad” members, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., who was censured last month over her antisemitic chants “from the river to the sea,” which is a slogan that calls for the elimination of the state of Israel, have voiced explicit support for a cease-fire in Gaza.
Appearing on CBS’ “Face The Nation” on Sunday, Sanders made a distinction, saying he supports a temporary humanitarian pause in Gaza, referencing the United Nations’ resolution that the United States government stood alone in rejecting before the U.N. Security Council on Friday, but argues Hamas militants want a “permanent war.”
“First of all, I strongly support and wish and hope that the United States will support the United Nations resolution that was vetoed, that we vetoed the other day,” Sanders said. “That was a humanitarian pause, a humanitarian cease-fire that would, by the way, call for the release of all of the hostages held by Hamas and would have allowed the U.N. and other agencies to begin to supply the enormous amount of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. In terms of a permanent cease-fire, I don’t know how you could have a permanent cease-fire when Hamas has said before Oct. 7 and after Oct. 7 that they want to destroy Israel. They want a permanent war. I don’t know how you have a permanent cease-fire with an attitude like that.”
BLINKEN: SEXUAL VIOLENCE HAMAS COMMITTED ON OCT 7 ‘BEYOND ANYTHING THAT I’VE SEEN’
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and a group of Democrat senators say they’re done “asking nicely” for Israel to do more to reduce civilian casualties. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
“Squad” Democrats gathered on Capitol Hill last week and doubled down on accusations that the Israel Defense Forces are targeting civilians and committing a “genocide.”
Sanders said Israel “has a right to defend itself” against Hamas but condemned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach.
The Hamas-controlled Gaza Ministry of Health has reported that more than 17,000 people have been killed in Gaza, though it does not make the distinction between civilians and combatants. CBS host Margaret Brennan cited how Israel has reported killing about 7,000 combatants in Gaza but has not said how many civilians are believed to have…
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