Question: Are the senators (pictured below) led by Van Hollen anti-Semitic and Jew-hating?
Democratic Senator calls US report on Israel war conduct ‘woefully inadequate’
Laura Kelly
Sat, May 11, 2024
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) described the Biden administration’s review of Israel’s war conduct in the Gaza Strip — which acknowledged the likely violation of international humanitarian law using U.S. weapons — as “woefully inadequate,” but did not indicate a ban on arms transfers.
“If this conduct complies with international standards, God help us all,” Van Hollen said in a call with reporters shortly after the State Department transmitted its report to Congress.
“Because that would set a very low bar for what is allowed, it would set a very low bar for the rules of war, it would set a very low bar what’s required to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance.”
The Biden administration delivered a report to Congress late Friday afternoon, in which it determined it was “reasonable to assess” that Israel had violated international humanitarian law (IHL) in its conduct in Gaza. The report was mandated by National Security Memorandum 20 (NSM20), which Biden issued in February.
NSM20 required foreign governments receiving U.S. military assistance, and engaged in active combat, to provide written assurances to Washington that American-provided weapons are being used in accordance with IHL, and further was not hindering the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The memo also requires the State Department and Department of Defense to scrutinize credible reports of IHL violations.
NSM20 was an outgrowth of a push by Van Hollen to get President Biden to recognize a large-scale Palestinian civilian death toll in the Gaza Strip as a result of Israel’s war against Hamas, and the challenges on the Israeli side hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Van Hollen called the Biden administration’s report “woefully inadequate” and demonstrated a “big gap” in the assessment of reports from international NGO’s that have scrutinized Israel’s war against Hamas over the course of seven months.
“While the administration has made some important general findings in this report, including the finding that it’s reasonable to conclude that Israel has violated international law in the use of American weapons, they all fall short of making difficult determinations in specific cases,” he said.
“But the administration ducked all the hard questions about making the actual determination,” Van Hollen continued.
“As I read this report, the Biden administration is taking at face value many [of] the representations made by the Netanyahu government,” the senator said, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The administration indicates in its report that Israel has engaged investigations into the reports of violations of IHL.
Van Hollen said the findings may galvanize voices to restrict weapons transfers to Israel. President Biden held back sending more than 3,000 heavy bombs to Israel this week and warned of restricting more arms transfers in opposition to Israeli military action in the southern Gazan-city of Rafah.
“This report does not dig deep because I think by digging deeper you will not just reach a general conclusion about the likelihood of violations of international humanitarian law, you’d have to make judgments about specific cases,” Van Hollen said.
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Meanwhile, this is the treasonous Senator from Georgia trusting foreign racist Zionists more than his own government:
Senator Graham says he trusts Israel more than Pentagon chief
“Number one, I trust Israel more than I trust Austin", said Graham, speaking about his years-long negotiation efforts between Saudi Arabia and Israel, adding that President Biden’s threat to withhold weapons from Israel could ruin potential stability in the Middle East.
“I think the region and the world is going to second guess future relationships with us, Mr. President, if you don’t change your mind,” he said in his remarks.
It’s not the first time Graham criticized Lloyd and the Biden administration’s Israel tactics. In December, he labeled Austin as “naive” for saying Israel risks “strategic defeat” if it does not protect civilians in Gaza, adding he had lost faith in the Pentagon secretary.
The senator’s latest message follows a declaration from Biden warning the Israeli military that if it proceeds with an invasion into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of people are taking refuge, he would stop supplying offensive weapons like bombs and artillery shells.
Biden said Wednesday that civilians have been killed in Gaza “as a consequence of those bombs” and he has “made it clear” that if Israel goes into Rafah, the U.S. will not supply the weapons.
Graham on Thursday also highlighted his efforts negotiating an “end to the Arab Israeli conflict” and isolating Iran while finding “a better, hopeful future for the Palestinians.”
“Mr. President, if you do not change this policy, you will have destroyed the last best chance to deliver lasting stability in the Mideast for generations,” Graham warned. “Saudi Arabia is watching.”
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[Comment from Iznogood: Graham is way behind: He does not see the sea change taking place. He still thinks that he can buy up Saudi Arabia to sign a treaty with Israel without addressing the Palestine Freedom question. He's from the state of Georgia where white assholes like him still dream of going back to slavery, moonshining and cotton picking. People like Graham are immune to change and progress. They're fixed in a historical formaldehyde where nothing since 1620 should change. That is why he will never come out of the closet.]
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