U.S. accused of hypocrisy after ‘obscene’ arms switch to Israel | EUROtoday

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) referred to as the transfer “obscene,” writing in a publish on social media, “The U.S. cannot beg [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] to stop bombing civilians one day and the next send him thousands more 2,000 lb. bombs that can level entire city blocks.”

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) echoed that sentiment, calling the switch “wrong on every level.” The administration “can’t credibly push to increase humanitarian access to Gaza” whereas offering weapons used to “indiscriminately kill innocent Palestinians,” he mentioned.

“We have continued to support Israel’s right to defend itself,” a White House official informed The Washington Post. “Conditioning aid has not been our policy.”

News of the switch got here the identical day President Biden acknowledged “the pain being felt by so many in the Arab American community with the war in Gaza,” and as tensions have risen between the United States and Israel over plans by Netanyahu to launch a army offensive in Rafah, a metropolis in southern Gaza the place some 1.5 million Palestinians have taken refuge.

On Friday, Israel carried out strikes in Syria that killed dozens of Syrian troopers, a number of members of the militant group Hezbollah in addition to civilians, in line with a spokesperson for Hezbollah and Syria’s state information company. The strikes mark an intensification of Israel’s marketing campaign in opposition to Iranian-backed forces outdoors its borders.

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An Israeli strike killed 10 Palestinian law enforcement officials and wounded a number of civilians Friday at a sports activities membership east of Gaza City, the place police have been distributing support to displaced households, a Gaza civil protection official mentioned. The Israel Defense Forces didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon the strike, and The Post couldn’t independently confirm the account.

Humanitarian teams are calling on Israel to observe extra measures ordered by the International Court of Justice on Thursday to do extra to forestall civilian deaths in Gaza. Amnesty International mentioned the extra provisions are “a clear indication” of Israel’s “failure thus far to comply with the previous legally binding measures issued by the Court.” Philippe Lazzarini, the pinnacle of the U.N. company for Palestinian refugees, requested United Nations member states to “exert more pressure to implement the ICJ order.”

Israel’s Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the suspension of state subsidies for ultra-Orthodox Jews finding out in yeshivas as an alternative of doing army servicea transfer that intensifies the coalition disaster Netanyahu is going through over drafting ultra-Orthodox Jews. The authorities has till April 1 to resolve on a brand new legislation to permit the neighborhood to keep away from being drafted.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society mentioned 26 members of its staff have been killed for the reason that begin of the conflict in Gaza, together with 15 staff it says have been focused whereas carrying the help group’s emblem, which is protected by worldwide legislation.

At least 32,623 folks have been killed and 75,092 injured in Gaza for the reason that conflict started, in line with the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel estimates that about 1,200 folks have been killed in Hamas’s Oct. 7 assault and says 254 troopers have been killed for the reason that begin of its army operation in Gaza.