Sanders emphasised the ineffectiveness of polite requests and urged the U.S. to leverage its substantial influence, signalling an end to the “blank-check approach.”…reports Asian Lite News
As a ceasefire ended last week and Israel geared up for continuous airstrikes, Senator Bernie Sanders and a group of Democratic senators conveyed a resolute message to President Joe Biden: they were no longer “asking nicely” for Israel to reduce civilian casualties in Gaza.
Sanders emphasised the ineffectiveness of polite requests and urged the U.S. to leverage its substantial influence, signalling an end to the “blank-check approach.”
With Biden’s request for a nearly $106 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other national security needs hanging in the balance, the senators’ tougher line on Israel has gotten the White House’s attention, and that of Israel, the Associated Press reported.
Traditionally staunch supporters of Israel, the senators’ tougher stance highlights Congress’s internal divisions amid the suffering of Palestinian civilians. They insist that Israel must take tangible actions to decrease civilian deaths in Gaza to receive the $14.3 billion in U.S. aid for its war efforts.
This stance complicates the White House’s efforts to pass the supplemental aid bill through Congress, already facing challenges from Republicans opposed to funding Ukraine’s war. While the demand focuses on Israel, it indicates potential difficulties for an Israeli government often at odds with the U.S. on Palestinian issues.
Senator Chris Van Hollen stressed the importance of achieving results and not just setting expectations in discussions with the administration. Following the senators’ warning, the Biden administration increased its demands on Israel, publicly insisting for the first time that Israeli leaders not only consider but agree to U.S. proposals to alleviate civilian suffering in Gaza.
As the ceasefire ended, Israel resumed airstrikes following an online map provided by the Biden administration, directing civilians in Gaza on evacuation measures. However, Palestinians, confined in the sealed-off territory, face challenges finding safe places as heavy bombardment continues.
The senators’ assertive approach reflects a shift in the traditional U.S.-Israel relationship, signalling a growing call for accountability and concrete measures to protect civilian lives in the ongoing conflict.
Meanwhile, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Monday said Israel was not ready to give up on the release of women hostages held by Hamas, adding that the militant group will “not release” them from their captivity.
“The first phase of the hostage negotiation was about the release of women and children. Hamas continues to hold civilian women, and will not release them. And Israel is not prepared to close the book on those women or to give them up. So Israel is insisting that Hamas follow through on the release of those women. And, then Israel has said, that if Hamas is prepared to follow through on that, Israel is absolutely prepared to discuss additional categories of hostages,” Sullivan said at a press briefing in Washington DC on Monday.
He informed, however, that the US was looking at negotiations to broker a fresh ceasefire and ensure the release of the remaining hostages.
“Civilian men, the wounded, and ultimately all of the hostages, the IDF soldiers being held there. We the United States, of course, look at that negotiation and think- How do we get back to it? The easiest, most straightforward way to get back to it would be for Hamas to be held accountable for not following through on its end of the bargain. But then we also have to think about how we get all of our American hostages out, and we are giving thought to that as well,” the NSA added.
He, however, declined to weigh in on whether Israel has been more precise in its military operation in Gaza to avoid further civilian casualties, The Times of Israel reported.
Top US officials, meanwhile, ramped up their warnings about protecting civilian lives as Israel expands its offensive to southern Gaza.