Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont have come out in defense of President Joe Biden’s decision to pause military aid to Israel. The move, which involved halting the shipment of bombs to Israel, was met with criticism from conservatives, including former George W. Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer.
Fleischer took to Twitter to express his disapproval, stating, “Biden has lost his mind. If he does this, he is helping Hamas to survive — and win. I’ll take Donald Trump’s mean tweets any day. None of them is as bad as Biden.”
However, Ocasio-Cortez, a vocal advocate for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, stood by Biden’s decision, emphasizing the importance of upholding the word of the US and avoiding civilian casualties in Rafah. Sanders also weighed in, condemning a tweet from Israel’s national security minister that accused Biden of supporting Hamas.
Both Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez have previously voted against legislation to provide military assistance to Israel, aligning with their stance on the current situation. Meanwhile, Representative Jamaal Bowman of New York criticized his Democratic primary opponent for opposing Biden’s actions, framing it as a choice between supporting the president or siding with Republican interests.
The debate over US military aid to Israel continues to be a contentious issue, with lawmakers and public figures expressing differing opinions on the matter.