Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders recently addressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assertion that protests on US college campuses are driven by antisemitism. Sanders emphasized the importance of holding the Israeli government accountable for its actions in Gaza.
In a Sunday morning interview, Sanders expressed that a significant portion of the American populace is critical of Netanyahu’s military operations in Gaza and opposes further aid to Israel. While acknowledging the presence and growth of antisemitism in the United States, Sanders clarified that it is not antisemitic for protesters to demand accountability from Netanyahu for what he described as unprecedented actions in Gaza.
Sanders highlighted Israel's extensive destruction of homes and infrastructure in Gaza, along with a death toll exceeding 30,000 individuals according to the enclave's health ministry, as the primary reasons behind the calls for accountability from the Israeli government.
The senator stressed that raising concerns about these actions is not antisemitic but a reflection of the harsh reality on the ground. Sanders made it clear that he condemns Hamas, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of bigotry, while underscoring the urgent need to address the dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.
“We must not turn a blind eye to the catastrophic and unparalleled humanitarian catastrophe currently unfolding in Gaza,” Sanders reiterated.
