2023-12-15 22:45:53
Sanders, an independent senator, sought to force the debate under a provision in the US Foreign Assistance Act that prohibits security assistance to any government that “engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights” and allows Congress to vote to require a report on a country’s human rights practices. .
What are the next steps?
• If the draft information request resolution is approved, the State Department must submit a report within 30 days, otherwise all security assistance to the country concerned will be cut off.
• But it is not clear how much support any such draft resolution might receive, as American lawmakers, whether Democratic or Republican, have agreed for years to provide huge amounts of military aid to Israel without significant restrictions.
• Sanders’s draft resolution recognized Israel’s right to respond to the October 7 attack carried out by Hamas fighters, but he expressed his regret at the extent of the suffering in Gaza.
• Sanders said in a statement, “This is a humanitarian catastrophe, taking place with bombs and American money. We need to face this truth, and then we need to end our complicity in these actions.”
The ongoing Israeli bombing has devastated much of the Gaza Strip, with nearly 19,000 people confirmed dead, according to Palestinian health officials.
Washington has been pressing Israel for weeks to make more efforts to reduce civilian casualties as global anger mounts over a growing humanitarian catastrophe.
Israel pledged to destroy Hamas, following its fighters stormed Israeli areas, killed 1,200 people, and took 240 hostage on October 7.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government says Hamas is using civilians as human shields, something the movement denies, but allies and adversaries alike say Israel has done little to protect non-combatants.
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