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| Peace |
QUORUM CALL BE VITIATED.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
MR. SANDERS: MR. SPEAKER, HERE
IS THE GOOD NEWS.
A FEW WEEKS AGO THE APPROVAL
RATING FOR CONGRESS WAS 10%.
IT HAS GONE UP TO 14%.
ACCORDING TO A RECENT POLL, 14%
APPROVE OF WHAT CONGRESS IS
DOING AND 68% OPPOSE.
I WOULD TELL MY FRIEND ON BOTH
SIDES THAT IT'S ABOUT EQUAL, ON
WHO PEOPLE WANT TO ELECT IT'S
ABOUT HALF DEMOCRATS AND HALF
REPUBLICANS.
WHY IS THAT?
WHY DO WE HAVE A 14% APPROVAL
RATING?
IT MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO
WITH THINGS LIKE WE ARE
WITNESSING TODAY AND THE DEGREE
TO WHICH THE CONGRESS IS
COMPLETELY OUT OF TOUCH WITH
WHERE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE.
LET ME READ SOME OTHER POLLS NOT
ON FAVORABILITY BUT ON PEOPLE'S
FEELINGS TOWARD THE ROLE THE
UNITED STATES IS NOW PLAYING IN
THE WAR IN GAZA.
APRIL 10, ECONOMIST PEW GOLF
POLL, 37% REPORT INCREASING
MILITARY AID TO ISRAEL.
18% SUPPORT AN INCREASE.
AND TO MY DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES,
I WOULD SAY 48% OF DEMOCRATS
SUPPORT DECREASING AID, 10%
SUPPORT INCREASING AID.
THEN THERE'S A MARCH 29 POLL
FROM AXIOS IPSO TELEMUNDO, 16%
LATINO SAID THE UNITED STATES
SHOULD CONTINUE SUPPORTING
ISRAEL.
39% SAID THE U.S. SHOULD NOT BE
INVOLVED IN THE CONFLICT.
MARCH 27 GALLUP POLL, 36% OF
AMERICANS APPROVE OF ISRAEL'S
MILITARY ACTION.
55% DISAPPROVE.
AMONG DEMOCRATS, 18% APPROVE.
75% DISAPPROVE.POLL.
MARCH 27, MORE AID IS OPPOSED
SENDING TO ISRAEL 52% OPPOSE IT,
39% SUPPORT MORE AID.
DEMOCRATS, 63% OPPOSE SENDING
MORE MILITARY AID, 25% SUPPORT.
MARCH 27, 52% SAID THAT WEAPONS
SHOULD BE HALTED FROM BEING
SHIPPED.
THEY SAY PRETTY OVERWHELMINGLY
THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DO NOT
WANT TO GIVE MORE MILITARY AID
TO THE NETANYAHU WAR MACHINE TO
CONTINUE ITS HORRENDOUS
DESTRUCTIVE POLICIES IN GAZA.
THAT'S WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
ARE SAYING.
EARLIER TODAY I TRIED TO BRING
UP TWO AMENDMENTS DEALING WITH
THE CRISIS IN GAZA.
ONE OF THEM BASICALLY SAID THAT
THE UNITED STATES SHOULD NOT
SUPPORT -- SHOULD NOT SUPPLY
ANYMORE OFFENSIVE -- OFFENSIVE
MILITARY AID TO THE NETANYAHU
GOVERNMENT.
I SUPPORT DEFENSIVE EMISSIONS,
THE IRON DOME, THE ISRAELI
PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO NOT BE
ATTACKED WITH MISSILES AND
DRONES.
THAT AMENDMENT NOT ONLY -- THAT
AMENDMENT COULD NOT EVEN GET A
VOTE.
THAT'S THE UNITED STATES SENATE
TODAY.
PEOPLE OVERWHELMINGLY ARE IN
OPPOSITION TO MORE U.S. AID, WE
CANNOT DISCUSS THIS ISSUE AND
HAVE A VOTE.
MR. PRESIDENT, WHY ARE THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, AS OPPOSED AS
THEY ARE TO MORE AID FOR THE
MILITARY IN ISRAEL?
WELL, AMONG OTHER THINGS, IT MAY
HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH WHAT
SOME OF THE ISRAELI LEADERS ARE
SAYING AND, IN FACT, WHO THEY
ARE.
AND I THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
ARE CATCHING ON THAT WHAT WE
HAVE TODAY IN ISRAEL IS NOT THE
ISRAEL OF GOLDA MEIR, IT IS A
GOVERNMENT NOW SIGNIFICANTLY
CONTROLLED NOT ONLY BY
RIGHT-WING EXTREMISTS, BUT BY
RELIGIOUS ZEALOTS.
MR. PRESIDENT, TODAY WHAT WE ARE
SEEING IS A SITUATION WHERE
NETANYAHU HIMSELF HAS NEVER
FAVORED A TWO-STATE SOLUTION AND
HE HAS MADE THAT VERY CLEAR AND
HAS WORKED TO SYSTEMATICALLY TO
UNDERMINE THE PROSPECTS FOR A
DEAL.
I MIGHT MENTION A TWO-STATE
SOLUTION IS THE POLICY OF THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
NETANYAHU'S PARTY FOUNDING
CHARTER SAYS QUOTE, THAT BETWEEN
THE SEA AND THE JORDAN RIVER
THERE WILL ONLY BE ISRAELI
SOVEREIGNTY.
END QUOTE.
FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE OCTOBER 7,
NETANYAHU TOLD HIS ALLIES IN
PRIVATE THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO
BOLSTER HAMAS TO ENSURE THAT THE
PALESTINIANS COULD NEVER UNIFY
AND FORM THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT.
IN JANUARY, IN TERMS OF THE
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN GAZA,
NETANYAHU SAID, AND I QUOTE,
QUOTE, WE PROVIDE MINIMAL
HUMANITARIAN AID IF WE WANT TO
ACHIEVE OUR WAR GOALS, WE GIVE
THE MINIMAL AID.
END QUOTE.
THE REST OF THE GOVERNMENT, OR
MANY OTHERS IN THAT GOVERNMENT
IS SIMILARLY EXTREME.
AT THE START OF THE WAR THE
ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER
DECLARED A TOTAL SIEGE SAYING
QUOTE, QUOTE, ISRAELI DEFENSE
MINISTER, WE ARE FIGHTING HUMAN
ANIMALS AND WE ACT ACCORDINGLY.
THERE WILL BE NO ELECTRICITY, NO
FUEL, NO FOOD, EVERYTHING IS
CLOSED.
END QUOTE.
ANOTHER MINISTER, THE START OF
THE WAR, POSTED A PICTURE OF A
DEVASTATED AREA IN GAZA SAYING
IT WAS, QUOTE, MORE BEAUTIFUL
THAN EVER.
BOMBING AND FLATTENING
EVERYTHING, END QUOTE.
ANOTHER ISRAELI LAWMAKER SAID
QUOTE THE GAZA STRIP SHOULD BE
FLATTENED AND THERE SHOULD BE
ONE SENTENCE FOR EVERYBODY
THERE, DEATH.
WE HAVE TO WIPE THE GAZA STRIP
OFF THE MAP.
THERE ARE NO INNOCENTS THERE.
END QUOTE.
SEVERAL OFFICIALS HAVE OPENLY
TALKED ABOUT RE-ESTABLISHING
ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS IN GAZA.
THE CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
MINISTER, AMONG OTHERS, OFTEN
TALKS ABOUT PERMANENTLY
DISPLACING PALESTINIANS FROM
GAZA.
ISRAELI NATIONAL SECURITY
MINISTER, WHO OVERSEES THE
POLICE HAS LONG ADVOCATED FOR
THE FORCEFUL EXPULSION OF
PALESTINIANS FROM THE REGION.
THIS IS THE CURRENT ISRAELI
NATIONAL SECURITY MINISTER.
FINANCE MINISTER, RESPONSIBLE
FOR MUCH OF THE OCCUPIED WEST
BANK HAS LIKEWISE LONG EXPRESSED
LONG RACIST VIEWS AND CALLED FOR
THE EXPULSION OF PALESTINIANS
FROM THEIR LANDS.
HE CALLED FOR SEGREGATED
HOSPITAL WARDS FOR JEWS AND
ARABS BECAUSE, QUOTE, ARABS ARE
MY ENEMIES, END QUOTE.
AS A YOUNGER MAN HE WAS ARRESTED
BY ISRAELI AUTHORITIES ON
SUSPICION OF ANTI- -- MR.
PRESIDENT, THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT
PART OF NETANYAHU'S GOVERNMENT.
THAT -- THOSE ARE SOME OF THE
PEOPLE WHOSE WAR WE ARE
SUBSIDIZING.
WE CAN PRETEND TO IGNORE ALL OF
THIS.
WE CAN PRETEND THAT TODAY'S
ISRAEL IS THE ISRAEL OF 20 OR 30
YEARS AGO, BUT THAT IS JUST NOT
AND THE REASON I RAISE THESE
ISSUES AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF
THE PEOPLE IN THE ISRAELI
GOVERNMENT IS TO UNDERSTAND THAT
WHAT IS HAPPENING TODAY IN GAZA
IS NOT AN ACCIDENT.
IT IS A BRINGING FORTH, A DOING
OF WHAT MANY OF THESE PEOPLE
HAVE WANTED TO DO FOR A LONG
TIME.
IT SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE
THAT THIS EXTREME GOVERNMENT IN
ISRAEL RIGHT NOW IS NOT SIMPLY
WAGING A WAR AGAINST HAMAS AND
ISRAEL HAS A RIGHT TO DEFEND
ITSELF FROM THE TERRORIST
ORGANIZATION HAMAS, BUT IT IS AT
WAR WITH THE ENTIRE PALESTINIAN
PEOPLE AND FIGHTING THAT WAR IN
A DEEPLY RECKLESS AND IMMORAL
WAY.
AND THAT IS WHY THE NETANYAHU
GOVERNMENT HAS CONSISTENTLY
IGNORED PRESIDENT BIDEN'S
REQUESTS THAT THEY DO MORE TO
MEN MIEZ CIVILIAN -- MINIMIZE
CIVILIAN CASUALTIES, THAT THEY
BE MORE TARGETED IN THEIR
APPROACH AND THEY LET MORE
HUMANITARIAN AID IN.
AND SO, MR. PRESIDENT, GIVEN THE
ATTITUDE AND THE BELIEF, THE
RACIST BELIEFS OF A NUMBER OF
PEOPLE IN NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT,
LET US TAKE A LOOK AND SEE WHAT
IS HAPPENING TODAY IN GAZA.
WE ALL KNOW THAT HAMAS, A
TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, BEGAN
THIS WAR WITH A HORRIFIC ATTACK
ON ISRAEL THAT KILLED 1,200
INNOCENT MEN, WOMEN, AND
CHILDREN AND TOOK 230 CAPTIVES,
SOME OF WHOM ARE STILL IN CAV
ACTIVITY -- CAPTIVITY TODAY.
AND AS I SAID MANY TIMES AND
REPEATED A MOMENT AGO, ISRAEL
HAS THE RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF
BUT IT DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT
TO GO TO WAR AGAINST THE ENTIRE
PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, INCLUDING
WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
MR. PRESIDENT, LET'S TAKE A DEEP
BREATH AND LISTEN TO SOME OF
THESE FACTS, AND NO ONE DISPUTES
THESE FACTS.
WAR IS ABOUT SIX AND A HALF
MONTHS OLD.
MORE THAN 34,000 PALESTINIANS
HAVE BEEN KILLED AND 77,000 HAVE
BEEN WOUNDED.
70% OF WHOM ARE WOMEN AND
CHILDREN.
70% OF WHOM ARE WOMEN AND
CHILDREN.
THAT MEANS THAT 5% -- 5% OF THE
2.2 MILLION PEOPLE IN GAZA HAVE
BEEN KILLED OR WOUNDED IN A SIX
AND A HALF MONTH PERIOD.
THAT IS AN ASTRONOMICAL FIGURE.
A NUMBER OF PEOPLE DEAD AND
WOUNDED, THE PERCENTAGE OF THEM,
70% ARE WOMEN AND CHILDREN, IT
IS ALMOST BEYOND COMPREHENSION.
MR. PRESIDENT, 19,000 CHILDREN
ARE NOW ORPHANS IN GAZA, 19,000
HAVING LOST THEIR PARENTS IN
THIS WAR.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE
CHILDREN IN GAZA, LITERALLY IT
IS HARD TO IMAGINE.
IMAGINE A 7-YEAR-OLD IN AN AREA
WHERE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY HAS
BEEN FLATTENED, WHERE THERE IS
MASSIVE DEBT, NO FOOD, NO WATER,
INTO SCHOOLS, YOUR PARENTS MAY
OR MAY NOT BE ALIVE, RELATIVES
ARE DEAD, THAT IS WHAT THE
CHILDREN IN GAZA ARE GOING
THROUGH RIGHT NOW AND I DOUBT
THAT ANY OF THEM WILL EVER FULLY
RECOVER FROM THE SIDEKICK
TRAUMA, THE TERRIBLE,
UNBELIEVABLE TRAUMA THEY ARE
EXPERIENCING AT THIS MOMENT.
MR. PRESIDENT, THE KILLING HAS
NOT STOPPED.
OVER THE WEEKEND, 139
PALESTINIANS WERE KILLED AND 251
WERE INJURED.
OF THESE, 29 WERE KILLED IN AND
AROUND RAFAH, INCLUDING 20
CHILDREN AND SIX WOMEN, ONE OF
WHOM WITH WAS PREGNANT.
JUST TODAY -- TODAY MORE NEWS
EMERGED FROM MASS GRAVES FOUND
BY PALESTINIAN HEALTH
AUTHORITIES AND U.N. OBSERVERS
AT THE HOSPITAL.
SO FAR MORE THAN 300 BODIES HAVE
BEEN FOUND.
U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE REPORTS
THAT THE DEAD INCLUDE ELDERLY
PEOPLE, WOUNDED AND SOME HAVE
BEEN FOUND STRIPPED OF THEIR
CLOTHES AND SOME APPARENTLY HAD
THEIR HANDS TIED, THE U.N. SAID.
MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT CAN WE SAY
ABOUT THIS HORROR?
ROUGHLY 1.7 MILLION PEOPLE, AND
IT'S, AGAIN, HARD TO UNDERSTAND.
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, THINK ABOUT
YOUR OWN STATE AND WHAT THIS
WOULD MEAN AND LOOK LIKE IN YOUR
OWN STATES.
WE'RE DEALING WITH A POPULATION
OF 2.2 MILLION PEOPLE, WHICH IS
THREE AND AN OF HALF TIMES THE
SIZE OF THE STATE OF VERMONT.
ROUGHLY 1.7 MILLION PEOPLE, OVER
75% OF THE POPULATION, HAVE BEEN
DRIVEN FROM THEIR HOMES.
IT'S NOT A COMMUNITY WHICH HAS
BEEN FORCED TO EVACUATE IN ORDER
FOR A MILITARY ACTION TO TAKE
PLACE, THIS IS THREE-QUARTERS OF
THE POPULATION DRIVEN FROM THEIR
HOMES.
SATELLITE ASSOCIATE SHOWS --
DATA SHOWS THAT 62% OF THE HOMES
HAVE BEEN DAMAGED OR DESTROYED,
INCLUDING 231,000 HOUSING UNITS
THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY
DESTROYED.
A NUMBER OF MONTHS AGO IN
VERMONT WE HAD A TERRIBLE FLOOD
AND DOZENS OF HOUSES WERE
DESTROYED AND I SAW THE IMPACT
OF WHAT THE DESTRUCTION OF
DOZENS OF HOUSES IN MY SMALL
STATE MEANT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 221,000
HOUSING UNITS THAT HAVE BEEN
COMPLETELY DESTROYED.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST HOUSING.
MR. PRESIDENT, GAZA'S CIVILIAN
INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN
DEVASTATED.
THERE IS LITTLE OR NO
ELECTRICITY APART FROM
GENERATORS OR SOLAR POWER.
MOST OF THE ROADS ARE BADLY
DAMAGED.
MORE THAN HALF OF THE WATER AND
SANITATION SYSTEMS ARE OUT OF
COMMISSION.
CLEAN WATER IS SEVERELY LIMITED
AND IS SEWAGE, RAW SEWAGE IS
RUNNING THROUGH THE STREETS
CREATING DISEASE.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST HOUSING AND
CIVILIAN INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THIS IS QUITE UNBELIEVABLE,
BUT THERE IS A REASON, I THINK,
FOR ALL OF THIS.
NONE OF THIS IS HAPPENING BY
ACCIDENT.
MR. PRESIDENT, ISRAEL HAS
SYSTEMATICALLY DESTROYED THE
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN GAZA.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT AN
OCCASIONAL ACCIDENTAL BOMB THAT
DESTROYS A MEDICAL UNIT OR A
HOSPITAL.
THOSE THINGS HAPPEN.
WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS THE
REALITY THAT 26 OUT OF 37
HOSPITALS ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF
SERVICE.
THEY HAVE BEEN BOMBED AND
ATTACKED IN ALL KINDS OF WAYS.
THE 11 HOSPITALS THAT ARE
REMAINING ARE PARTIALLY
FUNCTIONING BUT THEY ARE BEING
OVERWHELMED BY TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF TRAUMA PATIENTS AND THEY ARE
SHORT ON MEDICAL SUPPLIES.
SEE, 77,000 PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN
WOUNDED AND YOU'VE GOT ALMOST
ALL OF THE HOSPITALS OUT OF
COMMISSION.
AND I MET RECENTLY WITH A GROUP
OF AMERICAN AND BRITISH DOCTORS
WHO RECENTLY RETURNED FROM GAZA
WHERE THEY HAD GONE, BRAVELY
RISKING THEIR OWN LIVES, TRO TRY
TO HELP -- TO TRY TO HELP
ALLEVIATE THE TERRIBLE SUFFERING
TAKING PLACE THERE AND IT IS
DIFFICULT TO RELATE THE
UNSPEAKABLE THINGS THEY
WITNESSED.
THEY SAW THOUSANDS OF PATIENTS,
MANY YOUNG CHILDREN, KILLED OR
MAIMED IN ISRAELI BOMBINGS.
THEY OPERATED ON LITTLE CHILDREN
ALREADY ORPHANED ON DIRTY
HOSPITAL FLOORS.
ON MANY DAYS THEY HAD NO
MORPHINE.
ON OTHER DAYS THE WATER -- NO
WATER OR CLEAN GLOVES.
THEY KNEW MANY VICTIMS, EVEN IF
THEY SURVIVED THE WEEK WOULD DIE
OF INFECTION WITHOUT ACCESS TO
SANITARY ENVIRONMENTS OR ANTE
BIOTICS.
THEY REPORTED THAT THE ISRAELIS
WOULD NOT ALLOW THEM TO BRING IN
WHEELCHAIRS OR SYRINGES.
THEY WITNESSED ISRAELI FORCES
CUTTING OFF FOOD, ELECTRICITY
AND WATER TO HOSPITALS AND B
ABDUCT MEDICAL WORKERS.
THEY REPORTED THAT ISRAELI
SOLDIERS DESTROYED MEDICAL
EQUIPMENT LIKE MRI'S, OXYGEN
TANKS FOR NO REASON.
THESE ARE AMERICAN DOCTORS WHO
WITNESSED THESE THINGS.
OVERALL 84% OF HEALTH FACILITIES
HAVE BEEN DAMAGED OR DESTROYED
AND MORE THAN 400 HEALTH CARE
WORKERS HAVE BEEN KILLED.
AN EXTRAORDINARY NUMBER.
BUT WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT
HOUSING BEING DECIMATED.
WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE BEING
DECIMATED.
WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT A
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM BEING
DECIMATED.
MR. PRESIDENT, GAZA IS A YOUNG
COMMUNITY, A LOT OF CHILDREN
LIVE THERE.
AND THEIR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM HAS
BEEN DESTROYED.
56 SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN BOMBED AND
COMPLETELY DESTROYED, AND 219
HAVE BEEN DAMAGED.
SCHOOLS.
THE LAST OF GAZA'S
UNIVERSITIES -- I THINK THEY HAD
12 UNIVERSITIES IN GAZA.
AND THE LAST ONE WAS DEMOLISHED
IN JANUARY.
NOW, I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW
FIGHTING HAMAS HAS ANYTHING TO
DO WITH DESTROYING UNIVERSITIES,
BUT IT DOES LEAD TO THE FACT
THAT SOME 625,000 STUDENTS IN
GAZA HAVE TODAY NO ACCESS TO
EDUCATION.
MR. PRESIDENT, JUST TODAY,
TODAY, DAVID SATTERFIELD, THE
U.S. SPECIAL ENJOY TO THE GAZA
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS SAID THAT
THE RISK OF FAMINE THROUGHOUT
WAR-DEVASTATED GAZA, ESPECIALLY
IN THE NORTH, ISSOUT -- UN KWOET
UNQUOTE -- IS, QUOTE, UNQUOTE,
VERY HIGH.
QUOTE, WE ALWAYS STRESS WE'RE IN
A MANMADE SITUATION.
SO ON TOP OF THE DESTRUCTION OF
HOUSING, INFRASTRUCTURE, HEALTH
KC
CARE, AND EDUCATION, WE'RE NOW
LOOKING AT MASS STARVATION AND
MALNUTRITION.
THE UNITED NATIONS ESTIMATES
THAT MORE THAN ONE MILLION
PALESTINIANS, INCLUDING HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN, FACE
STARVATION.
DESPERATE GAZIANS HAVE BEEN
SCRAPING BY FOR MONTHS FORAGING
FOR LEAVES OR EATING ANIMAL
FEED.
AT LEAST 28 CHILDREN HAVE DIED
OF MALNUTRITION AND DEHYDRATION
AND THAT IS A NUMBER THAT CAME
OUT SEVERAL WEEKS AGO.
THERE IS A HE NO REASON TO
BELIEVE THAT THE REAL NUMBER IS
MUCH, MUCH HIGHER.
USAID ADMINISTRATOR SAMANTHA
POWELL SAID FAMINE WAS ALREADY
PRESENT IN NORTHERN GAZA.
WITHOUT FEED, CLEAN WATER,
SANITATION, OR SUFFICIENT HEALTH
CARE, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE ARE AT SEVERE RISK OF
DEHYDRATION, INFECTION, AND
EASILY PREVENTABLE DISEASES.
YET FOR MONTHS, THOUSANDS OF
TRUCKS CARRYING LIFESAVING FOOD,
MEDICINE, AND OTHER SUPPLIES
HAVE SAT JUST MILES AWAY FROM
STARVING CHILDREN.
GOT THAT?
AND I HOPE WE ALL TRY TO PUT
THAT IMAGE IN OUR MINDS.
STARVING CHILDREN OVER HERE.
TRUCKS LOADED WITH FOOD ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE BORDER UNABLE
TO GET THROUGH.
AND THEY WERE KEPT FROM ENTERING
GAZA BY ISRAELI RESTRICTIONS AND
A BRUTAL WAR FOUGHT WITH LITTLE
REGARD FOR CIVILIANS.
BUT LET US BE CLEAR.
AND I THINK THIS IS THE MAIN
POINT THAT I WANT TO MAKE THIS
EVENING.
THIS WAR STOPPED BEING ABOUT
DEFENDING ISRAEL AND GOING TO
WAR AGAINST HAMAS A LONG TIME
AGO.
THIS IS NOT ANY LONGER A WAR
AGAINST THE TERRORIST
ORGANIZATION CALLED HAMAS.
THIS IS NOW A WAR THAT HAS
EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE
DESTRUCTION OF THE VERY FABRIC
OF PALESTINIAN LIFE.
THAT IS THE GOAL OF THIS WAR.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO LOOK AT
THESE FACTS AND NOT CONCLUDE
THAT THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT'S
POLICY HAS BEEN TO MAKE GAZA
UNINHABITABLE.
THAT'S WHAT SOME OF THEIR
GOVERNMENT LEADERS HAVE WANTED
AND THAT IS IN FACT WHAT IS
HAPPENING.
THESE ARE NOT ACCIDENTS OF WAR,
MISTAKES.
THIS IS CALCULATED POLICY.
INDEED, THIS IS WHAT HAS BEEN
GOING ON SYSTEMATICALLY OVER THE
LAST SIX MONTHS.
THESE CRUEL ACTIONS ARE ENTIRELY
CONSISTENT WITH THE PUBLIC
STATEMENTS OF NUMEROUS ISRAELI
SENIOR OFFICIALS, INCLUDING
PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU
HIMSELF.
MR. PRESIDENT, THAT BRINGS US TO
THE UNITED STATES' ROLE IN THIS
HORRIFIC WAR.
PUT SIMPLY, WE ARE DEEPLY
COMPLICIT IN WHAT IS HAPPENING.
THIS IS NOT AN ISRAELI WAR.
THIS IS AN ISRAELI-AMERICAN WAR.
MOST OF THE BOMBS AND MOST OF
THE MILITARY EQUIPMENT THE
ISRAELI GOVERNMENT IS USING IN
GAZA IS PROVIDED BY THE UNITED
STATES AND SUBSIDIZED BY
AMERICAN TAXPAYERS.
THE U.S. MILITARY IS NOT
DROPPING 2,000-POUND BOMBS ON
CIVILIAN APARTMENT BUILDINGS.
U.S. MILITARY IS NOT DOING THAT.
BUT WE ARE SUPPLYING THOSE
BOMBS.
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS
NOT BLOCKING THE BORDERS AND
PREVENTING FOOD, WATER, AND
MEDICAL SUPPLIES FROM GETTING TO
DESPERATE PEOPLE.
WE ARE NOT DOING THAT.
BUT WE HAVE SUPPLIED BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS TO THE NETANYAHU
GOVERNMENT WHICH IS DOING JUST
THAT.
SO THIS IS NOT JUST AN ISRAELI
WAR.
THIS IS AN AMERICAN WAR AS WELL.
AND YET DESPITE THE MASSIVE
FINANCIAL AND MILITARY SUPPORT
THE UNITED STATES HAS PROVIDED
TO ISRAEL FOR MANY YEARS,
NETANYAHU'S EXTREMIST GOVERNMENT
HAS IGNORED URGENT CALLS FROM
THE PRESIDENT AND OTHERS TO
ALTER THEIR MILITARY APPROACH
AND TO END THIS HUMANITARIAN
DISASTER.
IN MY VIEW, THE UNITED STATES'
UNCONDITIONAL, FINANCIAL, AND
MILITARY SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL MUST
END.
AND THAT IS WHY I OFFERED AN
AMENDMENT TO THIS BILL TO DO IN
FACT WHAT A MAJORITY OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT US TO DO,
AND THAT IS NO LONGER TO PROVIDE
MILITARY AID TO THE DESTRUCTIVE
NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT.
MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD HAVE
WELCOMED THE CHANCE TO VOTE FOR
THE HUMANITARIAN AID PROVISION
IN THIS BILL, TERRIBLY IMPORTANT
THAT WE START FEEDING PEOPLE NOT
ONLY IN GAZA BUT IN SUDAN AND
ALL OVER THE WORD.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT PROVISION.
I WANT TO SUPPORT IT.
I BELIEVE VERY STRONGLY THAT WE
SHOULD SUPPORT UKRAINE AND HELP
THEM END, DEFEAT THE IMPEERALIST
VENTURES OF PUTIN AND THE
RUSSIAN ARMY, BUT I'M NOT GOING
TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE
I'M GOING TO STAND WITH THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE TODAY WHO OPPOSE
MORE MONEY FOR NETANYAHU.
SO LET ME CONCLUDE, MR.
PRESIDENT, BY SIMPLY SAYING
THIS.
WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY IS VERY
BAD POLICY.
WE ARE AIDING AND ABETTING THE
DESTRUCTION OF THE PALESTINIAN
PEOPLE.
WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY IS NOT
WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT.
I SAY TO MY DEMOCRATIC FRIENDS,
IT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT WHAT -- A
LOT OF REPUBLICANS DON'T WANT US
TO CONTINUE THAT AS WELL, BUT A
STRONG MAJORITY OF DEMOCRATS ARE
SAYING ENOUGH WITH NETANYAHU'S
WAR.
YOU JUST CAN'T GIVE HIM ANOTHER
$10 BILLION FOR UNVETTED
MILITARY AID.
I SUPPOSE AS THINGS HAPPEN IN
CONGRESS, WE'LL IGNORE THE NEEDS
OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
WE WILL NOT PAY ATTENTION TO
WHAT THEY WANT, AND THEN THEY
WERE SHOCKED, JUST SHOCKED THAT
WE HAVE A 14% APPROVAL RA
Brian
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