In statement commemorating Oct. 7, Elizabeth Warren attacks Netanyahu
Warren: ‘Instead of securing the release of the hostages, however, Prime Minister Netanyahu has unleashed unthinkable violence on innocent civilians in Gaza’
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Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) used her statement commemorating the anniversary of Oct. 7 to criticize Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his handling of the war in Gaza.
After noting that the anniversary marked “the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust” and recognizing the “deep pain” felt by Israelis and hostage families, Warren turned her attention to Netanyahu directly.
“People are experiencing deep pain. Israel has the right to defend itself from terrorist attacks, and we must bring these hostages home,” the Massachusetts senator said in a statement released Monday morning.
“Instead of securing the release of the hostages, however, Prime Minister Netanyahu has unleashed unthinkable violence on innocent civilians in Gaza. More than a million Palestinians are facing starvation. We see videos of dead children held in the arms of their parents. Violence is escalating throughout the region, including most recently in Lebanon, threatening even more human suffering,” Warren said.
“This cycle of violence won’t make anyone safer. The United States must commit to upholding human rights, international law, and accountability for the use of U.S. weapons. We urgently need a ceasefire, release of the hostages, massive humanitarian relief in Gaza, and diplomatic efforts towards a two-state solution,” she continued.
Warren, a progressive Democrat, has been critical of Israel’s war in Gaza. She boycotted Netanyahu’s joint address to Congress over the summer, which she called a “political show.”
She voted for the foreign aid package earlier this year that provided $14 billion in military aid to Israel, arguing at the time it would provide “life-saving humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza and for millions more people facing starvation around the world.”