Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday for his leadership during Israel's conflict with militant group Hamas.
Sanders has repeatedly called on the U.S. to halt its military spending to Israel, citing the humanitarian crisis that has been unfolding in Gaza for months. He reiterated his call for an end to funding Israel on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday.
“Year after year, we have provided billions of dollars in military aid to the Government of Israel. Right now, you have a right wing extremist government under Netanyahu. There are plans to provide him with another $10 billion in unfettered military aid,” he said.
“What you can say to Netanyahu, stop the slaughter, allow the massive amounts of humanitarian aid that we need to come in to feed the children. Please, please, please. Oh, but by the way, if you don’t do it, here’s another $10 billion to continue the war,” he added.
CBS’s Margaret Brennan then asked Sanders if he stands by his view that a “full ceasefire with Hamas is unrealistic.”
“Look, what you have, what you need right now is a ceasefire tomorrow so that the trucks, the massive amount of humanitarian aid can come in to feed the people who are starving. But you have Hamas has dedicated to destroying Israel. You have the … Netanyahu government which is dedicated to destroy Hamas,” he said.
“I think at the end of the day, commands cannot be continuing to run Gaza. And Netanyahu government cannot continue to run Israel, if we’re going to ever leave — bring peace to that region,” Sanders added.
