Blocking 'Destructive' GOP Resolution on Israel, Sanders Offers Alternative Measure Urging Cease-Fire

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that he is "determined" to continue an assault of the besieged Gaza Strip that has left over 200 Palestinians dead, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday blocked what he called a "destructive" Republican resolution affirming support for Israel--then offered an alternative.

"Perhaps some people think Palestinian lives don't matter. I would hope not."
--Sen. Bernie Sanders

Echoing his recent opinion piece for the New York Times, the resolution (pdf) from Sanders (I-Vt.) says that "every Palestinian life matters" and "every Israeli life matters."

The resolution goes on to say that the Senate "urges an immediate cease-fire" to prevent additional deaths and "further escalation of conflict in Israel and the Palestinian territories."

Sanders' resolution adds that the Senate supports diplomatic efforts "to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," uphold international law, and protect human rights.

Unlike the GOP resolution, Sanders said on the Senate floor, "mine is short and to the point." He read the full resolution and named his 10 Democratic co-sponsors.

Sanders noted that leaders around the world have called for a cease-fire, from the United Nations secretary-general to the pope. He also pointed out that Gaza has endured a devastating blockade by Israel and Egypt since 2007 and the current Israeli assault "has only made a bad situation much, much worse."

Israel's bombardment of Gaza, now in its second week, has featured attacks on medical facilities and residential buildings--including a high-rise that also housed multiple media organizations, which led press freedom groups to accuse the Israeli government of trying to block on-the-ground coverage.

Amnesty International has called on the International Criminal Court to investigate the destruction of Palestinian homes as war crimes or crimes against humanity. The U.N. humanitarian chief says the bombings have displaced over 58,000 people and affected water, sanitation, and hygiene services for hundreds of thousands.

The proposal from Sanders stands in stark contrast to the GOP resolution (pdf) led by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), which says that the "United States supports Israel, our greatest ally in the region, and its right to defend itself against terrorist attacks."

Though Israel's air defenses have blocked the majority of rockets that Palestinian militant groups have fired from Gaza since last week, some Israelis have been killed. Reutersreports that "Israeli authorities put the death toll at 12 in Israel."

The Republican resolution notes the U.S. government designated the Palestinian group Hamas a terrorist organization over two decades ago, adding that "since Israel's founding in 1948, Congress has repeatedly expressed our nation's unwavering commitment to the security of Israel."

Sanders highlighted that Scott's resolution only "mourns" the loss of Israeli lives, ignoring the scores of recent Palestinians deaths. The loss of 12 Israeli lives, said Sanders, "is in fact a tragedy--but what about the loss of 227 Palestinian lives, including 64 children and 38 women?"

"Does Sen. Scott not believe that the loss of those Palestinian lives... [is] a tragedy?" he asked. "I believe that we should be mourning the loss of Israeli life but we should also be mourning the loss of Palestinian lives--or perhaps some people think Palestinian lives don't matter. I would hope not."

Scott objected to the adoption of Sanders' resolution by unanimous consent but claimed that "no one in this body supports the loss of innocent life." He also declared that "today is a sad day" for the Senate and accused Democrats--with whom Sanders caucuses--of abandoning Israel to support a terrorist organization.

The creation of Israel displaced over 700,000 Palestinians--who refer to this as the Nakba, which means catastrophe in Arabic. Some Democrats, including Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestinian-American woman elected to Congress, detailed this history on the House floor last week.

At a Tuesday event in Detroit, Tlaib confronted U.S. President Joe Biden about his support for Israel's government as it massacres civilians in Gaza. Tlaib--a critic of United States military aid to Israel--also joined with Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) on Wednesday to introduce a resolution that aims to block the proposed sale of $735 million in weaponry to the Israeli government, which the Biden administration notified Congress of days before the assault of Gaza began.

Progressive U.S. lawmakers and advocates for Palestinian rights worldwide have criticized the Biden administration's response to the bloodshed--including its ongoing opposition to a U.N. Security Council statement calling for a cease-fire.

"If the United States is going to be a credible voice on human rights on the global stage, we must recognize that Palestinian rights matter--Palestinian lives matter."
--Sanders

Although Biden has expressed support for deescalation and a cease-fire in calls with Netanyahu this week, the Israeli leader vowed Wednesday that he was "determined to continue" the operation attacking Gaza "until its aim is met."

Sanders, for his part, said Sunday that "the devastation in Gaza is unconscionable. We must urge an immediate cease-fire. The killing of Palestinians and Israelis must end. We must also take a hard look at nearly $4 billion a year in military aid to Israel. It is illegal for U.S. aid to support human rights violations."

On the Senate floor Wednesday, Sanders added that "we, Congress, must understand that in more than a decade of his right-wing rule in Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu has cultivated an increasingly intolerant and authoritarian type of racist nationalism. In his frantic effort to stay in power and avoid prosecution for corruption, Netanyahu has legitimized extremist forces such as the Jewish Power party by bringing them into the government."

"We should lead the world in attempting to bring the Israeli people and the Palestinian people together. If the United States is going to be a credible voice on human rights on the global stage, we must recognize that Palestinian rights matter--Palestinian lives matter," Sanders added. "I object to the Scott resolution."