Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) slammed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) over his calls to fully cut U.S. military aid to Israel amid their war against Hamas.
Sanders appeared on NBC News’s Meet the Press just before Graham and declared that “Israel should not be receiving the nickel in U.S. military aid,” accusing the Jewish State of violating international law in its war against Hamas terrorists. After the Vermont senator’s segment, Graham denounced Sanders’s comments.
“What Sen. Sanders said — ‘not another nickel on military aid [from] the United States’ — is the most dangerous, irresponsible statement in the history of the U.S. relationship. This is not Vietnam. Israel isn’t a fight for their lives. Hamas says they will do it again and again and again. They’re dedicated to the destruction of the Jewish state, not helping the Palestinian people,” Graham said.
“Iran, the great Satan, vows to destroy Israel, so does Hezbollah. Israel is surrounded by forces, terrorist groups, that want to destroy the Jewish state, not help the Palestinians. There, this is 9/11 and Pearl Harbor all rolled into one. To abandon Israel under these circumstances would be outrageous, it would be dangerous, and Republicans are going to fight back against Bernie Sanders and the ‘squad,’” he added.
Graham, who has been an adamant ally of Israel, expressed his continued support for the Jewish State, saying that the U.S. “should be all in” on supporting the country “against an existential threat.” He also added that Israel should limit civilian causalities, but defended Israel by saying they have safeguards in place but that Hamas uses civilians as human shields.
The South Carolina Republican also added that he talked with Israeli officials on Sunday and that officials from both countries are discussing “a way forward” from current disagreements.
“I am somewhat hopeful we can jump over this impasse, but do not let Bernie Sanders run this war. Bernie Sanders and the ‘squad’ are insane when it comes to how to defend Israel,” Graham said.
“He just said on national television, cut off every nickel of military aid to the Jewish state who’s being threatened with oblivion. Shut these people down. This decision was political. He’s trying to appease the radical left, Biden is,” he added.
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Sanders’s call goes further than President Joe Biden’s current policy, which is limiting some weapons so as not to assist in an operation in Rafah.
The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza began just over seven months ago when Hamas terrorists committed multiple attacks against mostly Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, 2023.
