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Sanders rejects ceasefire, says Arab countries know ‘Hamas has got to go’

The Vermont senator acknowledged that the terror group was dedicated to destroying Israel.

Bernie Sanders
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks about Israel and Gaza on the Senate floor on Oct. 25, 2023. Source: C-SPAN screenshot.

In an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) responded to the growing calls globally from left-wing groups and Arab nations for the Jewish state to stop its efforts to defeat Hamas.

“Well, I don’t know how you can have a ceasefire … with an organization like Hamas, which is dedicated to turmoil and chaos and destroying the State of Israel,” said the legislator. “And I think what the Arab countries in the region understand is that Hamas has got to go.”

In the same breath, he issued a plea to “end the bombing,” calling it an “immediate task,” and to go forward with a two-state solution.

“Israel has a right to defend itself,” he said. “But what Israel does not in my view have a right to do is to kill thousands and thousands of innocent men, women and children who had nothing to do with that attack.”

Ambassador Tom Barrack clarified his comments regarding Israeli control of the strategic plateau after drawing rebukes from Jerusalem and Capitol Hill.
The sides discussed a U.S.-supervised communication mechanism involving Ankara that would prevent escalation in Syrian territory.
IDF troops seized the suspect in the area of the attack on Sunday afternoon.
“Erdoğan is an antisemitic dictator who has massacred Kurds, harbors Hamas terrorists, occupies half of Cyprus, and jails record numbers of journalists.”