"War Criminal", "Disgrace": Bernie Sanders Vehemently Denounce Benjamin Netanyahu (image@BernieSanders)

Bernie Sanders, the Vermont senator, and several others in the front rows of US politics, has strongly condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the US Congress. Netanyahu has been branded as the “war criminal” by the US lawmakers. Sanders vehemently denounced the Israeli PM’s visit to US. He called Netanyahu a “war criminal” presiding over a “right-wing extremist government”.

Regarding the invitation of Netanyahu, Sanders said, “This invitation to Netanyahu is a disgrace and something that we will look back on with regret. With this invitation, it will be impossible, with a straight face, for the United States to lecture any country on Earth about human rights and human dignity”.

During a speech on Tuesday, he said, “It will be the first time in American history that a war criminal has been given that honour”. Reminding the senators of the ongoing hunger, destruction to housing and damage done to Gaza’s health and educational system, he said, Israel’s war on Gaza has “trampled on international law, on American law and on basic human values”.

Read also: US: Lawmakers, Jews Including Veteran Soldiers To Boycott Netanyahu’s Speech

“His [Netanyahu’s] policies in Gaza and the West Bank and his refusal to support a two-state solution should be roundly condemned. In my view, his rightwing, extremist government should not receive another nickel of US taxpayer support to continue the inhumane destruction of Gaza”, Sanders said in a statement on Monday.

He reminded that every universities in Gaza has been bombed, and 88 percent of all school buildings have been damaged. “And now, because of the ongoing restrictions on humanitarian aid, some 495,000 people face catastrophic levels of food insecurity – in other words, they are starving”, said Sanders.

After Netanyahu’s speech in the joint session of the US Congress, Sanders said “Netanyahu is not only a war criminal. He is a liar”. During the speech, the Israeli PM said his government’s genocidal war in Gaza is “not a clash of civilisations. It’s a clash between barbarism and civilisation”. “It’s a clash between those who glorify death and those who sanctify life. For the forces of civilization to triumph, America and Israel must stand together. Because when we stand together, something very simple happens: We win, they lose”, said Netanyahu.

Read also: ‘Beijing Declaration’: A New Agreement Between Palestinian Groups Against Israel

Taking to his X account, Sanders said, “All humanitarian organizations agree: Tens of thousands of children face starvation because his extremist government continues to block aid. Israelis want him out of office. So he came to Congress to campaign”.

Netanyahu is not only a war criminal. He is a liar.

All humanitarian organizations agree: Tens of thousands of children face starvation because his extremist government continues to block aid.

Israelis want him out of office. So he came to Congress to campaign.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 24, 2024

Sanders had previously supported Israel’s right to defend itself after the 7 October attacks, and lashed out against Hamas.

In January this year, Sanders sponsored an unsuccessful Senate bill to make US aid to Israel conditional on its observance of human rights and international law.