Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) slammed Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the group of bipartisan congressional leaders who invited the embattled leader to address a joint-session of Congress, in a statement released by the senator on Saturday.
“It is a very sad day for our country that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been invited—by leaders of both parties—to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress,” Sanders opened the letter. “I certainly will not attend.”
Sanders lambasted the decision, referring to Netanyahu as a “war criminal” responsible for “clear and outrageous violations of international law.” Sanders similarly supported the International Criminal Court's arrest warrants for Netanyahu and other top Israeli and Hamas officials.
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The senator qualified that he supported Israel’s right to defend itself following the October 7 attack, but not Israeli violations of international law.
“Israel does not have the right to kill more than 34,000 civilians and wound over 80,000,” Sanders added.
Prime Minister Netanyahu is expected to address Congress within the coming weeks or after the August recess.
