Arguing that Israel had met its objectives vis à vis Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) advocates for a halt to continued offensive military support.
“The Leahy Law and other U.S. laws are clear: All countries are held to the same standard, and all countries that receive U.S. security assistance must follow international humanitarian law,” Welch said in a statement on Monday. “Israel is no different.”
Welch stated, “I urge the Biden administration to follow through on its Oct. 13 letter, uphold international humanitarian law, and stop sending offensive military aid to Israel.”
To justify his position, Welch cited statements from Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who was recently ousted from his position by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including “there’s nothing left in Gaza to do. The major achievements have been achieved … I fear we are staying there just because there is a desire to be there.”
Welch then asked, “If their military objectives are met, why is the U.S. sending offensive weapons for Israel to use in Gaza? Why are we allowing the humanitarian crisis to worsen with U.S. taxpayer dollars?”
