Sanders: I’ll skip ‘war criminal’ Netanyahu’s Congress speech

Bernie Sanders compares Netanyahu with Yahya Sinwar, mastermind of the October 7th terror onslaught.

By World Israel News Staff

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said he would not attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming address to a joint session of Congress, framing the move as an act of protest against the Israeli premier, whom he referred to as a “war criminal” in a media statement.

“It is a very sad day for our country that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been invited – by leaders from both parties – to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress,” said Sanders in a press release.

“Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal. He should not be invited to address a joint meeting of Congress. I certainly will not attend,” he said.

The progressive politician explicitly drew a moral equivalency between Netanyahu and the military chief of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, who masterminded the unprecedented October 7th terror attacks.

“The International Criminal Court recently announced that it is seeking warrants for the arrest of Netanyahu…and Sinwar,” Sanders continued.

“The ICC is right. Both of these people are engaged in clear and outrageous violations of international law.”

Sanders, who is Jewish, said that Israel does have “the right to defend itself against the horrific Hamas terrorist attack of October 7th.”

However, he claimed that Israel “does not have the right to go to war against the entire Palestinian people.”

Sanders did not acknowledge Israel’s extensive efforts to avoid civilian casualties and provide humanitarian aid to Gaza.

In March, Sanders claimed that the Biden administration was supporting Israel’s “mass slaughter” of civilians by providing the IDF military aid.

“America cannot be complicit in this mass slaughter of children,” he told CBS News.

“That should be clear, no more money to Netanyahu’s war machine to kill Palestinian children.”

In January, Sanders alleged that the Israeli military effort against Hamas was “grossly disproportionate, immoral, and in violation of international law.”