Seven Democrat senators and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., are demanding President Joe Biden cut off military aid to Israel if the Netanyahu government does not stop restricting humanitarian aid access to Gaza.
Their demand came in a Monday letter to Biden. The letter was signed by Sanders, who caucuses with the Democrats, along with Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore, Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Peter Welch, D-Vt., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Tina Smith, D-Minn., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M.
The senators claim that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's interference in U.S. humanitarian operations in Gaza violates Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, also known as the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act.
A statement by Sanders' office cites the law as saying: "No assistance shall be furnished under this chapter or the Arms Export Control Act to any country when it is made known to the president that the government of such country prohibits or otherwise restricts, directly or indirectly, the transport or delivery of United States humanitarian assistance."
In their letter to Biden, the senators wrote: "According to public reporting and your own statements, the Netanyahu government is in violation of this law. Given this reality, we urge you to make it clear to the Netanyahu government that failure to immediately and dramatically expand humanitarian access and facilitate safe aid deliveries throughout Gaza will lead to serious consequences, as specified under existing U.S. law.
"The United States should not provide military assistance to any country that interferes with U.S. humanitarian assistance. Federal law is clear, and, given the urgency of the crisis in Gaza, and the repeated refusal of Prime Minister Netanyahu to address U.S. concerns on this issue, immediate action is necessary to secure a change in policy by his government.”
The Hill noted Palestinian officials say the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 31,000.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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