ZOA Condemns 8 Jew-Hating Senators (Bernie Sanders & 7 Democrats)’ Libelous, Disgraceful, Pro-Hamas Letter to End Military Assistance to Israel and Biden’s Threats to Do So
News Press Release
March 14, 2024

American politicians help Hamas’ terrorist army and make peace impossible when they libel the Jewish State of Israel and promote cutting off lifesaving military assistance to Israel at this time. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what eight hostile Senators led by Bernie Sanders (I-VT) just did in a March 11th letter to President Biden. The other Jew-hating/Hamas supporting signers are: Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.); Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.); Peter Welch (D-VT); Tina Smith (D-Minn.); Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.); and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.)

The 8 Senators’ letter cites VP Kamala Harris’ statement (out-of-context) about children dying of malnutrition in Gaza; and then falsely blames Israel for this, and fails to mention that Wharton statisticians have shown that Hamas casualty numbers are largely false and highly exaggerated and that the real cause of any casualties is Hamas. The eight radical anti-Israel Senators’ letter falsely accuses Israel of “interference with humanitarian operations” and falsely asserts that “Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian access . . . are one of the primary causes of this humanitarian catastrophe.” The letter then demands an immediate cutoff of military assistance to Israel.

Shamefully, Biden is also reportedly considering cutting off military assistance to Israel if Israel takes the necessary step of destroying Hamas’ stronghold in Rafah, due to the prospect of “dead Palestinians.”

In fact, Israel continues to allow in massive amounts of humanitarian aid and continues to minimize civilian casualties. And if you won’t fight a war due to Hamas supporting civilians dying, Hamas wins and remains in power to massacre more Israelis and Americans.

Remember:

  • Israel was the party that initiated the idea of bringing in humanitarian aid by sea with checks in Cyprus, back during Prime Minister Netanyahu’s conversations with President Biden on October 22 and 31 and January 19. (Despicably, Pres. Biden stated in his SOTU address that he would finally start bringing in aid by sea because “we’re not waiting for Israelis” – when in fact it was the Israelis who were waiting for Biden!)
  • Three Israeli divisions (Israel’s International Cooperation Division of the Strategic Planning and Cooperation Directorate (J5), Coordination and Liaison Administration to Gaza (CLA) of the COGAT Unit, and the 98th Division and the Israeli Air Force) worked in cooperation with five nations to air drop 160 packages of food and medical equipment for the residents of southern Gaza and the Jordanian field hospital in Khan Yunis (including fuel supplies for the hospital).
  • Israel facilitates several hundred tons of humanitarian supplies every day – even though Hamas possesses many essential supplies which it could itself provide to the civilian population. Israel is also providing water to Gaza from its own supplies.
  • Israel facilitated the establishment of field hospitals in southern Gaza, floating hospitals in the sea and is working with third parties to establish additional field hospitals. Israel has facilitated the movement of people out of Gaza to receive medical treatment, has facilitated the entry of medical supplies and equipment into Gaza, and itself provided medical supplies to patients and staff in the Shifa hospital during IDF operations to uncover and disable Hamas military infrastructure inside the hospital complex.
  • Israel has continuously, scrupulously observed international law while prosecuting the necessary war to protect and rescue Israel’s civilians and defeat Hamas’ brutal terrorist army. Despite Hamas deliberately placing civilians in harm’s way, there has only been approximately one civilian Gazan casualty per each of the 13,000 Hamas terror combatants that Israel has eliminated. This low number and ratio of civilian casualties is virtually unprecedented in the history of warfare.
  • Israel has gone above and beyond what is required under international law regarding humanitarian efforts. International law does not require providing access to humanitarian aid when there are serious reasons to fear that the enemy (Hamas) will divert the aid from civilians or otherwise use the aid to the advantage of the enemy’s military efforts – which is exactly what Hamas has been doing. International law also does not obligate a party in a conflict to itself provide supplies to the territory of the other party. But Israel has also itself provided supplies.

The real cause of the humanitarian problem continues to be Hamas. For instance:

  • Hamas steals the aid and sells it for exorbitant profits; hoards and uses aid (especially fuel) to serve Hamas’ war machine, and deliberately causes Gazan civilians to starve so that the west will blame and pressure Israel, and enable Hamas’ brutal regime to regroup, rebuild and continue its bloody reign.
  • Hamas destroyed supply lines from Israel. Hamas fired on and hit nine out of the ten electricity lines coming in from Israel on October 7 (which has previously supplied 50% of Gaza’s electricity), and fired on and hit out of the three water pipes from Israel.
  • Hamas destroyed and fires on humanitarian crossings. On October 7, Hamas invaded the Erez crossing, murdered and abducted personnel, and caused significant damage. This was the crossing through which people from Gaza passed into Israel with work permits, for medical treatment and travel purposes, and through which personnel from international organizations passed into Gaza. Hamas has also put the Kerem Shalom crossing (through which goods and aid passes through into Gaza) in the south under constant fire.
  • Hamas places rocket launching sites, military operations centers and other military assets within and adjacent to critical humanitarian infrastructure, including a water desalination plant funded by the international community and hospitals.

In sum, the eight Senators’ letter – and Biden’s consideration of cutting military aid to Israel are a pro-terror, pro-Hamas, anti-American hateful disgrace.

Our Mission
ZOA STATEMENT
The ZOA speaks out for Israel – in reports, newsletters, and other publications. In speeches in synagogues, churches, and community events, in high schools and colleges from coast to coast. In e-mail action alerts. In op-eds and letters to the editor. In radio and television appearances by ZOA leaders. Always on the front lines of pro-Israel activism, ZOA has made its mark.
  • Center for Law & Justice
    We work to educate the American public and Congress about legal issues in order to advance the interests of Israel and the Jewish people.
    We assist American victims of terrorism in vindicating their rights under the law, and seek to hold terrorists and sponsors of terrorism accountable for their actions.
    We fight anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias in the media and on college campuses.
    We strive to enforce existing law and also to create new law in order to safeguard the rights of the Jewish people in the United States and Israel.