US Senator Bernie Sanders on Saturday slammed congressional leaders who invited “war criminal” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to handle a joint session of Congress.
“It is a very sad day for our country that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been invited-by leaders from both parties-to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress,” Sanders stated in an announcement.
“Netanyahu is a war criminal. He should not be invited to address a joint meeting of Congress. I certainly will not attend,” Sanders confused.
His remarks got here a day after the leaders of the US Senate and House of Representatives on Friday invited Netanyahu to handle a joint session of the bicameral Congress.
The letter inviting Netanyahu was signed by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Sanders, who’s an unbiased however caucuses with Senate Democrats, stated Israel had the correct to defend itself in opposition to Palestinian group Hamas however it doesn’t have the correct to go to battle in opposition to all the Palestinian folks.
“Israel does not have the right to kill more than 34,000 civilians and wound over 80,000-5% of the population of Gaza. It does not have the right to orphan 19,000 children. It does not have the right to displace 75% of the people of Gaza from their homes,” he stated.
Stressing that Israel doesn’t have proper to annihilate Gaza’s well being care system and bomb faculties, Sanders added: “It most certainly does not have the right to block humanitarian aid-food and medical supplies-from coming to the desperate people of Gaza, creating the conditions for starvation and famine.”
The senator additionally underlined that the International Criminal Court lately introduced that it’s looking for arrest warrants for each Netanyahu and Yahya Sinwar, the chief of Hamas.
“The ICC is right. Both of these people are engaged in clear and outrageous violations of international law,” he added.
According to the native media reviews, Netanyahu has accepted the invitation to handle each homes of Congress. He might be first international chief to talk earlier than each homes of Congress 4 occasions.
Since final Oct. 7, Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip in retaliation for an Oct. 7 assault by Hamas which killed some 1,200 folks.
Over 36,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel started its onslaught practically eight months in the past. Most of these killed have been ladies and youngsters, with greater than 82,000 others injured, in line with native well being authorities.
Israel can also be accused of genocide on the International Court of Justice, whose newest ruling ordered Tel Aviv to right away halt its operation in Rafah, the place greater than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the battle.
Source: www.anews.com.tr