Senator Sanders Leads Call to Address Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

[Donkees]

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

WASHINGTON, May 16 – Following weeks of violence in Gaza, during which roughly 100 Palestinians have been killed and some 10,000 wounded by Israeli snipers, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and 12 of his Democratic Senate colleagues called on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to "do more to alleviate the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip."

"The territory’s lack of power, clean water, adequate medical care and other necessities not only exacerbates the hardships faced by Gaza’s population, but redounds to the benefit of extremist groups who use this deprivation and despair to incite violence against Israel," the senators wrote in a letter to Pompeo last Friday.

"The political and security challenges in Gaza are formidable, but support for the basic human rights of its people must not be conditioned on progress on those fronts. For the sake of Israelis and Palestinians alike, the United States must act urgently to help relieve the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. We stand ready to work with you on this important matter."

The senators suggested that the United States restore its funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), encourage the easing of restrictions on the movement of people, goods and equipment in and out of the territory, and support proposals to build Gaza’s economy through bold initiatives such as the proposed Gaza Seaport.

In addition to Sanders, the letter was signed by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Thomas Carper (D-Del.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.).

https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-leads-call-to-address-humanitarian-crisis-in-gaza

https://www.sanders.senate.gov/download/gaza-letter?inline=file

[Squinch]

1. So really the title should be that 13 senators addressed the crisis.

Why do you, once again, give BS sole credit for something 13 senators have done? It's at best inaccurate, but it happens too often to be unintentional.

[Trumpocalypse]

2. I'm beginning to think

that he works for Sanders. There is nothing wrong with that. Just be honest about it.

[R B Garr]

10. Exactly. It is pure divisiveness to be doing this.

There's another internet word for it, too -- rhymes with hole.

[EffieBlack]

3. Why not say "Sanders joins call to address ..."

This insistence on giving Sanders more credit than he deserves is not only very off-putting to people not overly-enamoured with him, it actually undercuts him by overshadowing the fact that he’s actually doing the right thing and your embellishment suggests you don’t think that what he’s doing isn’t good enough on is own.

Joining other senators to do something good should be enough - but trying to make it more than it is and figuratively elbowing him to the front of the line doesn’t help him at all. It just provokes eyerolls and lots of “there they go agains.”

[NCTraveler]

4. Just last year he supported Jerusalem as the place for our embassy.

Now you are calling him a leader?

Lets be clear, the vote of Sanders and other Senators was used to incite this violence.

Why are we whitewashing this? Why are we whitewashing the hypocrisy.

Sanders called for the embassy to be moved to Jerusalem under a year ago. That move has been used as propaganda by the Trump regime, Hamas, and Isreal; all bringing about more violence and death.

The whitewashing of the hypocrisy is disgusting.

Was he leading when he called for the embassy to be in Jerusalem?

[tonedevil]

6. Do you have the quote...

where Senator Sanders called for the embassy to be moved to Jerusalem? I feel I would have remembered, but there has been a lot going on.

[NCTraveler]

7. His vote is on the record.

The Trump regime has repeatedly gone to this vote as justification, for good reason.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-resolution/176

The hypocrisy over this issue is stunning.

[tonedevil]

8. Is that what you mean by calling for?

I guess he called for it along with 90 other Senators.

[NCTraveler]

9. How is that not calling for it?

It is extremely clear and took directed action.

Yes, I clearly outlined he wasn't the only one. Why does that bother you? Why do you want to gloss over the hypocrisy?

Sanders called for the embassy to be in Jerusalem. That is a one hundred percent factual statement. No issue with that aspect can be taken honestly.

You said you wanted to see it, you are shown, and the whitewashing continues.

Under one year ago Sanders called for the embassy to be moved to Jerusalem. <- Fact

[tonedevil]

11. Technically...

he voted for a continuing resolution. As did 90 other Senators. Here's a keen trivia question for you, how many Senators voted nay?

[NCTraveler]

12. It's not "technically"

He did just as I have described.

List the Senators the op is talking about and we will take them on one-by-one. No need to hijack the op in a desperate attempt to hide the hypocrisy.

I’ve called all senators who voted for it and are now railing against Trumps move hypocrites.

You call it a technicality.

[tonedevil]

14. Here is your list of hypocrites...

Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Thomas Carper (D-Del.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.)

There was one Senator who did not vote for the continuing resolution, Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). A vote on a continuing resolution is a technicality or most of the Democratic leadership in the Senate are hypocritical.

[NCTraveler]

15. I've already posted the full list on DU. Your post isn't factually accurate, either.

That can often happen when one is trying to provide cover for that which cover cannot be provided.

Already done. You are arguing a point not in contention. You are doing so as a way to completley whitewash the fact that under a year ago Sanders called for the embassy to be in Jerusalem.

This is not a technicality. What a sad way to whitewash what our congresspersons do. All in the name of being able to place zero fault at the feet of one specific individual.

You are also wrong. Ten senators didn't vote for the CR. Why omit the other four democrats who did not vote for it last year? Hmmm. Seems to be a lack of honesty going around.

Votes are a technicality. You heard it here first. lol

If one is a career politician, with almost zero legislative accomplishments, and votes are a technicallity........ wow.

[malaise]

5. Misleading Headline - 13 Senators signed the letter

please edit

[Donkees]

16. ''Urge your senators to sign the letter, being circulated by Senator Bernie Sanders ... ''

Action Alert: Tell Your Senators to Support Humanitarian Relief for Gaza
by APN 05/02/18

Urge your senators to sign the letter, being circulated by Senator Bernie Sanders, that calls for action by the Trump Administration to alleviate the humanitarian disaster in Gaza. The crisis in Gaza not only makes life virtually unlivable for the two million residents of the Gaza Strip; it also endangers Israeli security by creating a breeding ground for the radicalization of Gaza’s residents.

The letter, addressed to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, calls on the Trump Administration to:

restore US funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)
encourage easing of restriction on movement of people, goods, and equipment in and out of Gaza, especially for water projects and health essentials
ensure greater electricity flow into energy-starved Gaza
pursue proposals to build Gaza’s economy, including the proposed Gaza Seaport ...

http://peacenow.org/issue.php?cat=action-alerts#.WvxeUmgvzre

[George II]

19. No doubt ALL FOURTEEN Senators who signed the letter are circulating it.

[MrsCoffee]

13. That's the headline on Bernie's site. Feinstein's had enough class to say "Senators call for....."

Instead of trying to make it all about her.

[Cha]

20. Mahalo for that bit of info, MrsCoffee..

it so figures. Senator Feinstein is being inclusive.

[George II]

18. Read what you posted:

"the senators wrote in a letter to Pompeo last Friday".

SENATORS!! Thirteen Democratic Senators and Sanders signed the letter.

None of the others claim that he/she "took the lead", only one. That's not the way it is when you're part of a 49 member caucus.