Sen. Bernie Sanders: U.S. Must Threaten to Cut Off Funding for Israel

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: And Senator Sanders is joining the program from Capitol Hill. Welcome back to our program, Senator. So we have laid out your criticisms. We have heard President Biden’s criticisms of the current military operation. What is he doing, the president, that he — what do you want him to do that he hasn’t done up until now?

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): Look, Christiane, we are looking right now in Gaza at one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the modern history of the world. As you indicated, right now, hundreds of thousands of people face starvation. Children are dying from malnutrition. Eighty percent of the population has been displaced. Over half the buildings have been damaged or destroyed. And Israel continues to make it difficult to get the kind of humanitarian aid in that desperate people need. So, to my mind, the most important thing the United States government can do is say to Mr. Netanyahu, you know what? You cannot continue this disastrous, horrific war. You cannot allow children by the thousands to face starvation, or you’re not getting another nickel. Now, I think one of the incongruities that a lot of people in America see is, everybody is criticizing Netanyahu and, then they’re saying in the next word, oh, here, Mr. Netanyahu, here’s another $14 billion on top of the $3.5 billion you got. You’re a terrible guy, you’re doing terrible things, but here’s your money. I think our policy has got to be very clear, not another nickel for Netanyahu’s right-wing, extremist government while hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza face starvation, period.

AMANPOUR: Senator, can I ask you, when you say not another nickel, do you actually mean actual aid money, or do you mean the American weapons that are not nickels and dimes? They are actual bombs and artillery and ammunition?

SANDERS: Oh, oh, absolutely. The idea that we have supplied and are continuing to supply 2,000-pound bombs, which could wipe out an entire block, and other military aid is unacceptable. Look, there is a terrible war going on which violates international law. In fact, it is violating American law. Let me tell you how. Foreign Assistance Act is very, very clear that, if a country blocks American humanitarian aid, no more funds for that country. Israel has blocked American humanitarian aid. So, what I am saying right now, talk is cheap. But we cannot be critical of Netanyahu and his right-wing extremists and, at the same time, give them money and weapons to continue this terrible war. That’s where the leverage is. I suspect that President Biden is beginning to use that leverage in his discussions with Netanyahu. What we have seen in the last week is a — we don’t know exactly, but an improvement in the number of trucks. The U.N. says now that over 200 trucks got in yesterday. That is an improvement. But, obviously, you need 500 trucks. You need 1,000 trucks. You need those trucks getting to the most desperate parts of Gaza, where people are literally starving to death. So, we’re seeing a little bit of an improvement, but we have got to hold Israel accountable. And, in my view, the leverage we have is money. Not another nickel until Netanyahu changes its entire policy.

AMANPOUR: OK, so tell me how that works, because, in America, we have the legislative process. You are part of that. A lot of this, I think, is mandated by Congress and approval — and approvals in aid packages. And, as you said, the law states that this amount of aid and stuff cannot go into — in certain conditions. But, on March 25, the State Department said they found no violations made by Israel either when it comes to the conduct of the war or the provision of humanitarian assistance.

SANDERS: Right.

AMANPOUR: Now, clearly, you don’t agree with that, but what can you do about it?

SANDERS: No, I — look, this — this is exactly the problem. You can’t go around criticizing Netanyahu, who clearly, clearly, the language is clear, is in violation of American law, and then to say we have not found any reasons to deny aid. That is nonsense. And the State Department has got to change its tune big time.

AMANPOUR: What is the process, then?

SANDERS: OK.

AMANPOUR: If it wasn’t — what is the process, and what will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back?

SANDERS: All right. I don’t know what the straw will be, but here’s where we are right now. As you know, there is a supplemental bill that passed the Senate against my vote. I think, if I’m not mistaken, I was the only member of the Senate to vote against that, specifically because of $14 billion in there going to Israel, including $10 billion, $10 billion for unfettered military aid. Another amount of money went for the defense for the Iron Dome and so forth, what I can live with. But the idea of giving Netanyahu another $10 billion to continue this war seems to me to be totally absurd. That bill is now in the House of Representatives. God knows what goes on in the House of Representatives, if they’re able to do anything. But that is where it is right now. And I would hope that my colleagues in the House will say, no, Israel does not deserve another nickel at this point.