Senator Sanders: Israel Must Change If It Wants To Remain With US Assistance

JAKARTA — United States Senator Bernie Sanders said that aid to Israel must be aligned with changes in political and military positions in the Zionist country.

"The Netanyahu government, or hopefully the new Israeli government, must understand that not a single penny will come to Israel from the US unless there is a fundamental change in their military and political position," said Sanders, quoted by ANTARA from Anadolu, Monday, November 20.

He emphasized that the US provides aid to Israel amounting to 3.8 billion US dollars (Rp. 58.7 trillion) per year and President Joe Biden's administration has requested at least 14.3 billion US dollars (Rp. 220.8 trillion) in additional aid.

"Even though Israel has the right to crush Hamas, (PM Benjamin) Netanyahu's right-wing extremist government does not have the right to launch total war against the Palestinian people," said Sanders.

Sanders also underlined that the displacement of 1.6 million people in Gaza and the confiscation of food, water, medicine and fuel as well as the killing of around 12,000 Palestinians is a violation of international law and "a violation of every code of human decency", and emphasized the need for it to stopped immediately.

He mentioned the conditions that need to be imposed for the distribution of aid to Israel.

"An end to indiscriminate bombings that have killed thousands of civilians and a significant cessation of military operations so that large amounts of humanitarian aid can enter the region," he continued.

"Give displaced Gazans the right to return to their homes. No Israeli re-occupation or long-term blockade of Gaza, end settler violence in the West Bank and stop settlement expansion, (and) commit to peace negotiations towards a two-state solution after the war ," added Sanders.