Progressive Democratic lawmakers are calling on President Biden to follow through on his vow to withhold aid to Israel following a military strike in Rafah that killed at least 45 Palestinian civilians. The Israeli Defense Force conducted a strike Sunday night intended to target a Hamas compound, leading to a fire and dozens of civilian deaths at a camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed regret for the deaths of uninvolved civilians, calling the deadly fire "a tragic accident."
Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. are calling foul and saying Israel's actions in Rafah violate President Biden's warning to Israel not to conduct a major assault on Rafah. Biden stated in a CNN interview earlier this month that if they go into Rafah, they will not be supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, the cities, or to deal with the problem. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York Democrat and a member of "the Squad," said Israel's Sunday night strike was conducted "in open defiance" of Biden's red line. Rep. Greg Casar also posted on X urging Biden to "announce an end to all bomb ships" heading toward Israel.
Several other progressive Democrats condemned the incident in Rafah and blamed Israel but did so without comment about halting aid to the Jewish state. Rep. Jim McGovern, Massachusetts Democrat, disagreed with Netanyahu's attempt to frame the incident as a tragic accident and called for an immediate ceasefire to protect the lives of innocent civilians. Rep. Veronica Escobar, Texas Democrat, wrote on X, "The carnage is devastating and must end immediately." Rep. Eric Swalwell pointed blame squarely at Netanyahu, saying his "reckless prosecution of Hamas has killed Israeli hostages, aid workers, and innocent Palestinians."
Other progressive Democrats also denounced the Rafah episode and pointed the finger at Israel, but they made no mention of cutting off funding to the Jewish state. Democratic representative Jim McGovern rejected Netanyahu's attempt to characterize the event as a regrettable accident and called on all parties to implement an immediate ceasefire.
Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. are calling foul and saying Israel's actions in Rafah violate President Biden's warning to Israel not to conduct a major assault on Rafah. Biden stated in a CNN interview earlier this month that if they go into Rafah, they will not be supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, the cities, or to deal with the problem. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York Democrat and a member of "the Squad," said Israel's Sunday night strike was conducted "in open defiance" of Biden's red line. Rep. Greg Casar also posted on X urging Biden to "announce an end to all bomb ships" heading toward Israel.
Several other progressive Democrats condemned the incident in Rafah and blamed Israel but did so without comment about halting aid to the Jewish state. Rep. Jim McGovern, Massachusetts Democrat, disagreed with Netanyahu's attempt to frame the incident as a tragic accident and called for an immediate ceasefire to protect the lives of innocent civilians. Rep. Veronica Escobar, Texas Democrat, wrote on X, "The carnage is devastating and must end immediately." Rep. Eric Swalwell pointed blame squarely at Netanyahu, saying his "reckless prosecution of Hamas has killed Israeli hostages, aid workers, and innocent Palestinians."
Other progressive Democrats also denounced the Rafah episode and pointed the finger at Israel, but they made no mention of cutting off funding to the Jewish state. Democratic representative Jim McGovern rejected Netanyahu's attempt to characterize the event as a regrettable accident and called on all parties to implement an immediate ceasefire.
