Bernie Sanders says Israel is ‘becoming a religious fundamentalist country’ | EUROtoday

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Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders says Israel is ‘becoming a religious fundamentalist country’ beneath Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Too many people do not understand that the Israel of today is not the Israel of…20 to 30 years ago,” Mr Sanders instructed information outlet Crooked Media. “It is a right-wing country, increasingly becoming a religious fundamentalist country where you have some of these guys in office believe that God told them they have a right to control the entire area.”

Mr Sanders has lengthy been vital of the Israel-Hamas struggle, which started 7 October when Hamas militants attacked Israel,  killing some 1,200 individuals and taking one other 200 hostage. Since then, greater than 32,000 Palestinians, most of them ladies and kids, have been killed by Israeli assaults, in keeping with the Hamas-run well being ministry. Now, half of Gaza’s inhabitants is dealing with imminent famine, the United Nations warns.

“So bottom line, Hamas committed an atrocity in my view, Israel certainly had the right to defend itself, but it did not and does not have the right to go to war against the entire Palestinian people,” Mr Sanders continued. “Two-thirds of the casualties and deaths are women and children. Unacceptable.”

Mr Sanders beforehand instructed The Independent he needs to “kill funding for Netanyahu’s war machine — period,” referring to ongoing US assist to Israel. He was considered one of solely 4 members of the Senate Democratic caucus — together with Senators Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and fellow Vermonter Peter Welch — who voted in opposition to a nationwide safety bundle final month that would offer assist to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. However, Mr Sanders has but to name for a everlasting ceasefire in Gaza.

Meanwhile, US assist for Mr Sanders’s place is rising. Some 55 per cent disapprove of Israel’s ongoing offensive within the besieged territory, whereas 36 per cent approve, in keeping with a Gallup ballot launched on Wednesday, marking the primary time a ballot has discovered {that a} majority of Americans don’t assist the struggle. This is a major shift from November when the identical survey discovered most Americans have been in favour.

The Biden administration has additionally begun to shift its place on assist to Palestinians.

On Monday, the US withheld its veto on the United Nations Security Council and allowed the physique to cross a decision demanding a direct ceasefire within the struggle. This is the primary time the US has executed so for the reason that struggle started; beforehand, the Biden administration used the US veto 3 times to dam a ceasefire decision in assist of Israel’s continued offensive in Gaza.

Mr Netanyahu criticised the decision, saying it “is not contingent on the release of hostages.”

On Tuesday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin additionally mentioned the civilian demise toll in Gaza is “far too high” forward of a gathering along with his Israeli counterpart on Tuesday. Mr Austin additionally made an pressing name for Israel to extend the quantity of assist it’s permitting into Gaza to stop a famine.