US senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren yesterday said that the United States should consider regulating military aid to Israel.
This came during told a virtual meeting with the US left-wing Jewish advocacy group, J Street, which held its national conference that featured a panel of speakers ranging from Israeli party leaders to senior US democrats.
“In terms of aid to Israel, in my view, the American people do not want to see that money being used to support policies that violate human rights and treat the Palestinian people as second-class human beings,” Sanders noted.
Sens. Sanders, Warren call for ‘restricting’ US aid to Israel at J Street confab https://t.co/9leZkmAPBz
— The Times of Israel (@TimesofIsrael) April 20, 2021
“I strongly believe that we must also be willing to bring real pressure to bear, including restricting US aid, in response to moves by either side that undermine the chances for peace,” Sanders said.
“The truth is that the United States gives an enormous amount of military aid to Israel. It also provides some humanitarian and economic aid to the Palestinians. It is totally appropriate for the United States to say what that aid may and may not be used for,” he added.
In her prerecorded speech for the conference, Senator Elizabeth Warren also called for restricting military aid from being used in the occupied Palestinian territories, noting that Palestinians deserve to live in freedom and prosperity.
NEW: Elizabeth Warren suggests U.S. explore conditional military aid to Israel. "We should talk about the elephant in the room." https://t.co/QfSCNBCcpu
— Akela Lacy (@akela_lacy) April 19, 2021
“If we’re serious about arresting settlement expansion and helping move the parties toward a two-state solution, then it would be irresponsible not to consider all of the tools we have at our disposal,” Warren said.
“One of those is restricting military aid from being used in the occupied territories. By continuing to provide military aid without restriction, we provide no incentive for Israel to adjust course,” the senator added.
“The United States cannot stand for security, human rights, and dignity, and at the same moment turn a blind eye to the suffering of Palestinians under Israeli occupation,” said Warren. “Palestinians deserve to live in freedom and prosperity.”
“I believe that a two-state solution is the path to respect for every human being,” she said.
(WAFA, PC, Social Media)
