Staff Reports
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) is under fire for not understanding President Biden's position on Israel in light of the recent raid on relief trucks in Gaza by the Israel Defense Forces. With a scratchy head, the senator wants to know how the Biden administration's pledge to link US military assistance to Israel to human rights is really being carried out.
Sen. Van Hollen stated that he is "not clear" regarding the Biden administration's position on the matter in an interview with NBC News's Face the Nation. Speaking out against the Biden administration's handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict, Van Hollen has demanded information on the repercussions that President Biden had warned Netanyahu of.
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Van Hollen claims that neither the president nor the White House have made clear what sanctions they plan to apply to Israel. The senator called for a two-way street in the cooperation, emphasizing that the United States cannot continue to give help to Israel without receiving anything in return.
Van Hollen maintained that effective circumstances, including quantifiable goals like averting hunger and improving access to medical supplies, were necessary before help could be extended to Israel. He insisted that the United States not give Israel offensive weapons until these requirements are satisfied and underlined the necessity of enforcing measures to guarantee that they are.
Van Hollen delivered a scathing critique, pleading with the president to properly use American leverage and take legal action to enforce the terms. The senator was very clear that until the predetermined conditions are fulfilled, the United States should not be supplying Israel any more offensive weapons. He made it clear that what he is really calling for is for the United States to use its power to hold Israel responsible, not for an end to aid altogether.
