In the wake of Israel’s persistence in the ground offensive in Rafah, the Palestinian town on the Gaza Egypt border, President Biden declared his administration’s disapproval of Israel’s plan and said he would be calling on Congress to suspend US military aid to Israel in case it persists in its assault against Rafah, given that Israel had taken no serious measures to ensure the safety of civilians. Last week, the Biden administration halted a planned shipment of heavy bombs to Israel over concerns about a possible military invasion of Rafah where over a million refugees are sheltering, but has affirmed it would continue with all other military aid to Israel. I can only describe US stances vis-à-vis Israeli aggression as theatrical stances that lack firmness.
Meanwhile, the American public’s rejection of the humanitarian crimes and ethnic cleansing committed by Israel against the Palestinians in Gaza is all over the news. Lest anyone believes, however, that such rejection is but some public sentiment that in no way echoes political stances, I today introduce to my readers a recent statement by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders before the US Congress. Following are excerpts from Senator Sanders’s statement:
“Let me just take a moment to tell you why the American people are opposed to more military aid to the Netanyahu government. Almost 35,000 Palestinians have already been killed in the seven-month war, and more than 78,000 have been wounded; over two-thirds of whom are women and children… According to humanitarian organisations, hundreds of thousands of Palestinian children face the possibility of malnutrition and starvation.
“The American people do not want to see an increase in destruction in Gaza. They want to see an end to this horrific war. As I’m sure you know, the Netanyahu government has already destroyed the civilian infrastructure of Gaza. There is virtually no electricity, virtually no clean water, and raw sewage is running through the streets spreading disease. The housing infrastructure of Gaza has been demolished. Over 60 per cent of the housing units have been damaged or destroyed, including 221,000 housing units that have been completely decimated, leaving more than one million people homeless, almost half the population of Gaza. The healthcare system has been systemically annihilated at a time when you have tens of tens of thousands of people who have been injured; 26 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza have been made inoperable and more than 400 healthcare workers have been killed.
“The educational system in Gaza has been virtually destroyed. Every one of Gaza’s 12 universities have been bombed, 56 schools have been destroyed, 219 have been damaged, and 625,000 children have no access to education.
“And some of my republican friends think this is not enough violence, this is not enough destruction? They want Netanyahu to go into Rafah and kill more people, make it impossible for humanitarian aid to get out to starving people.
“I do not believe that the American people agree with them. Last year at this time, the population of Rafah was about 300,000. Today it is about 1.3 million. In other words, the population has quadrupled in a seven-month period with people who have been driven out of their homes throughout Gaza now landing in Rafah. And that is why an attack on Rafah would make an unspeakable humanitarian disaster even worse; 1.3 million people, including 600,000 children, are sheltering in that area, that means there are some 50,000 people per square mile.
“The American people are increasingly sick and tired of the massive destruction that is now taking place in Gaza. That’s not Bernie Sanders’s opinion; that’s what poll after poll after poll shows… Let me just take a second to mention a few of the polls that are out there showing where the American people are on this issue. Just this week a data for progress poll found that 70 per cent of voters, including majorities of democrats, republicans, and independents, support the US calling for de-escalation and a cease-fire in Gaza… and a majority of voters, including 68 per cent of democrats and 55 per cent of independents, support suspending all US arm sales to Israel until it stops blocking US humanitarian aid from entering Gaza.
“On April 14, Politico Morning Consult poll shows: 67 per cent of Americans support the US calling for a cease-fire. April 12 CBS poll: 60 per cent think the US should not send weapons and supplies to Israel.. An April 10 poll, Economist: 37 per cent support decreasing military aid to Israel, just 18 per cent support an increase. Overall, 63 per cent support a cease-fire, 15 per cent oppose.
“So I’m not quite sure where my republican colleagues are coming from and who they think they are representing… Let me conclude by saying this, the United States does and should stand by its allies, but our allies must also stand by the values and the laws of the United States of America… We must now use all of our leverage to prevent the catastrophe in Gaza from becoming even worse. And that means holding back all offensive military aid, including billions in recent funding until the Netanyahu government withdraws from Gaza, restores humanitarian aid to people who are now facing starvation, ends the disastrous war and stops killing Palestinians in the West Bank. The United States of America must not be complicit in this atrocity.”
Watani International
17 May 2024