United States Senator Bernie Sanders鈥 three resolutions in the US Senate to stop US weapons transfers to Israel were defeated on November 20. The resolutions to end US support for Israel鈥檚 genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza all received between 18鈥19 votes from Democrats and none from Republicans.
While less than 20% of the 100 senators supported the bills, the vote reflected a growing divide in the Democratic Party and demonstrated significant opposition to President Joe Biden and the majority of Democrats who solidly back the Jewish state. that two-thirds of Democrats would like to either stop military aid to Israel altogether or make it conditional on a ceasefire.
As the Democratic Party failed that political and moral test, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued warrants for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including starvation as a method of warfare, intentional attacks on civilians, 鈥渕urder, persecution, and other inhumane acts鈥. The ICC also issued a warrant for Hamas commander Mohammed Deif.
Biden condemned the ICC鈥檚 actions, stating, 鈥淭he ICC issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli leaders is outrageous. Let me be clear once again: whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence 鈥 none 鈥 between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security.鈥
Also, at this same time, in the United Nations Security Council, the US cast the only vote against a proposal calling for an immediate and unconditional cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, effectively vetoing the resolution in the 14鈥1 vote. 鈥淲e could not support an unconditional cease-fire that failed to release the hostages,鈥 said Robert Wood, a US ambassador to the UN. This was the fourth time that the US blocked a ceasefire resolution in the Security Council.
The week before, the UN Human Rights Office condemned the killing of civilians in the war in Gaza, saying that 70% of the victims were women and children. It reported that 43,300 people had been killed but that many other dead are buried under the bombed-out buildings. UN Human Rights Chief Volker T眉rk said, 鈥渢his unprecedented level of killing, and injury of civilians is a direct consequence of the failure to comply with fundamental principles of international humanitarian law鈥.
While Biden鈥檚 support for Israel remained unwavering, Donald Trump鈥檚 administration will be even worse. During the presidential debate before Biden dropped out of the race, Trump called for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to 鈥渇inish the job in Gaza鈥. In his first presidential term (2016鈥20), Trump supported the Netanyahu government, moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. He also supported Israeli claims to the Golan Heights and to the West Bank and cut aid to Palestinians. Trump鈥檚 new ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, is a Christian Zionist who does not recognise the existence of the Palestinian people.
Protests against US support for Israel and against Israel鈥檚 war against Palestine have continued, though the campus movement was suppressed as students were suspended, expelled or jailed. But off campus, activities continue. At Travis Airforce Base in northern California, about 50 protestors blocked the entrance to the base, and 28 people were arrested. One activist posted on X, 鈥淎mericans want peace! STOP KILLING CHILDREN People鈥檚 Embargo! Stop funding Israel and War crimes.鈥
Under Trump, protesters will face greater surveillance, investigations, accusations of being foreign agents or terrorists, and the possible deportation of immigrants. Anti-Zionists will be accused of antisemitism and may be charged with hate speech. Resisting Trump is going to require a new strategy on the left.
[Reprinted from . Edited for clarity.]