Sen. Bernie Sanders: The United States Is Complicit In The Slaughter Of The Palestinian People
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) weighed in on the Middle East in an interview with MSNBC host Chris Hayes.
CHRIS HAYES, MSNBC HOST: I want to ask you about another issue in the news. You’ve been very outspoken on, U.S. foreign policy, particularly as it pertains to the Middle East, Israel and Gaza. The president, of course, is in the region, made a series of announcements of policy yesterday. There is a real concern once again about mass starvation in Gaza. This is after a blockade that’s been applied by Israeli forces who say that they are applying it to put pressure on Hamas in the next phase of this deal. The New York Times running a piece today saying that in private, some Israeli officers admit that Gaza is on the brink of starvation. Is the U.S. doing enough to pressure the Israeli government to allow aid and food in? SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): Is the U.S. doing enough? The U.S. has provided billions and billions of dollars to Netanyahu’s war machine to cause this horrible, horrible humanitarian disaster. It is absolutely — you know, there was a guy at the U.N., I don’t know if you caught this. He gave a very impassioned speech at the Security Council, unlike U.S. — usual U.N. bureaucrats. And the guy said, history will remember what we are doing right now. And what we in the United States are doing is being complicit in the slaughter of the Palestinian people. Over 50,000 are dead, there’s (ph) massive malnutrition taking place right now. Children are starving to death. And that is all backed up with U.S. military aid to Netanyahu. As you will remember, I tried to stop that military aid. I think the United States should simply say tomorrow to Netanyahu, you’re not getting another nickel, not only until there’s massive humanitarian aid coming in, but until you start treating the Palestinian people with respect. We move toward a two-state solution. But what is going on now is almost unspeakable. And the United States is complicit in this atrocity. HAYES: Senator Bernie Sanders, I appreciate you taking so much time with us off the top of the show. Really — really, thank you. Come back. SANDERS: Thank you very much, Chris.
