Bernie Sanders Opposes $10 Billion in Emergency U.S. Aid to Israel Proposed by Biden

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced Monday evening that he opposes the $10 billion in emergency U.S. aid to Israel proposed by President Joe Biden as part of a national security spending bill.

In remarks on the Senate floor, Sanders expressed his concern about the scale of Palestinian civilian deaths and displacement, and cited his opposition to the current military approach of the right-wing extremist Netanyahu government. Sanders also noted that Netanyahu is the leader of the most right-wing Israeli government in history.

The proposed aid package is part of a supplemental spending bill that is due for a vote this week. Sanders has drawn criticism from the left for stopping short of endorsing a permanent cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

The aid package has been met with mixed reactions from both sides of the aisle. While some have argued that the aid is necessary to ensure Israel’s security, others have raised concerns about the potential for the money to be used to fund military operations that could lead to further civilian casualties.

The debate over the aid package is likely to continue as the Senate prepares to vote on the bill this week. In the meantime, Sanders has made it clear that he does not believe the U.S. should be appropriating such a large sum of money to the Netanyahu government.