Independent Senator Says He's Done Supporting Any Aid to Israel
By: Robert McCoy (The New Republic)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Angus King says it's time to end all aid to Israel's "indefensible" horrors.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
A staunch Senate moderate on Monday issued a remarkable statement regarding the hunger crisis in Gaza, saying he will not back U.S. support for Israel so long as its campaign of starvation continues.
The centrist Senator Angus King, an independent of Maine, stated, "I cannot defend the indefensible. Israel's actions in the conduct of the war in Gaza, especially its failure to address the unimaginable humanitarian crisis now unfolding, is an affront to human decency."
King, who has previously been critical of Israel's actions, said the starvation gripping Gaza is "a deliberately induced famine among a civilian population—including tens of thousands of starving children" and "can never be an acceptable military strategy."
The October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, King said, "cannot in turn justify the enormous toll on Palestinian civilians caused by Israel's relentless bombing campaign and its indifference to the current plight of those trapped in what's left of Gaza." While condemning Hamas in no uncertain terms, King noted that "recent events have placed a moral burden on Israel to ameliorate the current crisis, a burden it has thus far totally failed to meet."
"For these reasons, I am through supporting the actions of the current Israeli government and will advocate—and vote—for an end to any United States support whatsoever until there is a demonstrable change in the direction of Israeli policy. My litmus test will be simple: no aid of any kind as long as there are starving children in Gaza due to the action or inaction of the Israeli government."
King's statement comes amid horrific images and reports of starvation in Gaza thanks to Israel's blockade. Meanwhile, the tide appears to be slightly turning, domestically and internationally, against Israel's actions—which B'Tselem, a leading Israeli human rights organization, on Monday deemed a genocide, joining other organizations such as Amnesty International.
s, Washington
Article is LOCKED by author/seeder
Has Israeli media been keeping the images of starvation in Gaza from its citizens ?
Maybe because fake stories of starvation in Gaza are a Hamas lie. Plenty of food there, Hamas takes a lot of it for themselves, and their buddies in the UN make it difficult for aid groups to distribute it.
Why is Hamas still holding hostages after all this time. Why are they starving their own people?
Food Is Stockpiled in Gaza and the UN Is Refusing the Group Ready to Deliver It
Trump acknowledges 'real starvation' in Gaza, urging Israel to let food in
Trump acknowledges ‘real starvation’ in Gaza, urging Israel to let food in : NPR
Did you miss the MAGA memo? It's the latest conservative dance step, the hip-swivel flip-flop. It's where they accuse all those on the left who have been pointing out the tragedies like starvation in Gaza of being antisemites, and then they come swoop in and say "Ah, now we see there is starvation in Gaza and our Dear Leader has acknowledged it! But we're not antisemites! No, we're just champions of children! Yeah! That's how we'll frame it! The leftists are still the antisemites for daring to care about Palestinians! [ deleted ][ ✘ ]
"independent.." Lol. Guy who boycotted Netanyahu's speech is now a "staunch moderate."
words have no meaning..
He is a registered independent Senator.
What does one have to do with another?
You have demonstrated that admirably.
He's just another antisemitic leftist in disguise who supports Hamas terrorism.
Let's leave trump out of this....
Prove it.
Oh. You believe what he calls himself matters! How quaint.
You need that explained to you? Really?
I believe what he say he is since he has been a registered independent his entire career. Or do you think he did it because he could see into the future?
Yup. Do you think moderates cannot boycott speeches that they don't believe in? Is this world so utterly black and white to you?
He's a Schumer puppet. He caucuses with democrats and votes no different than any democratic glass of water. That you fall for such silly branding as "independent" is completely on you.
o you think moderates cannot boycott speeches that they don't believe in
an elected government official who is actually a moderate will in fact show the basic level of respect to his "opponent" and attend a congressional speech by a head of state even if he "doesn't believe in the speech," whatever that means. By boycotting the speech, he demonstrated that he's an extreme partisan who isn't even open to listening to his opponents.
If you want to ignore King's actual record and pretend he's a "staunch moderate " that's on you. It's your credibility.
I am put in the unusual position of having to speak up on this: Pay 2.16. no attention. The comment would not impugn any independent statesman that supports the comment's position. Truth is truth and until one can prove a lie has been committed it's bull.
Has Florida Representative Randy Fine’s shameless cheerleading for death gone too far for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee?
After winning Florida’s special election in April, Fine claimed that he was AIPAC’s “fastest-ever endorsement.” But on Monday, his name was mysteriously missing from AIPAC’s database of pro-Israel candidates .
It’s not clear why Fine’s name has been removed from the ranks of lawmakers championing consent for Israel’s catastrophic military campaign, which has killed more than 62,000 people in Gaza. However, one possible explanation is that Fine’s recent remarks on the widespread famine in Gaza are too grotesque for even the most staunchly pro-Israel.
Last week, ABC News reported that 15 people in Gaza had died from starvation within just 24 hours, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health. Fine responded to the report by wishing for more death and then claiming that it was all a hoax anyway.
“Release the hostages. Until then, starve away,” Fine wrote on X. The post continued, “(This is all a lie anyway. It amazes me that the media continues to regurgitate Muslim terror propaganda.)” The same day, Fine was appointed to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The American Jewish Committee condemned Fine’s statement. “The serious humanitarian situation in Gaza must not be taken lightly, especially by those at the highest levels of government. Implying that starvation is a legitimate tactic is unacceptable,” AJC wrote on X. “All those in need of humanitarian aid should receive it promptly and safely. Our leaders must focus less on scoring political points and more on doing their jobs.”
But Fine doubled down Sunday, writing on X, “There is no starvation. Everything about the ‘Palestinian’ cause is a lie.”
If not his comments on Gaza, perhaps it was his bloodthirsty statements advocating violence against protesters that lost him AIPAC’s support ?
In another post Sunday, Fine revealed that the only thing he really supports is murder, pushing for a bill that would allow drivers to run over pro-Palestinian protesters blocking bridges and roads with impunity.
“The Thump Thump Act will allow Americans to run over these Muslim Terrorists,” he wrote . “They don’t try this in Florida because of the bill I helped pass in the Legislature to allow them to be run over. It’s time to take it national. Thump thump.”
“To be clear, the Thump Thump Act will also allow you to run over BLM, Antifa, illegal immigrants, and anyone else who intentionally blocks roads! Thump thump!” he wrote in a separate post .
AIPAC has not returned The New Republic ’s request for comment. Just a few months ago, the lobbying group celebrated Fine. Crucially, AIPAC poured more than $126,000 into Fine’s campaign, according to FEC filings .
But Fine insisted he didn’t need AIPAC’s money to be a bigot. “And for the haters who said they bought me, I have news for you,” Fine wrote on X in April. “They had me for free.”
"They" have for free alright, Religion, Bigotry and Greed. Another fine example of the garbage that IS the GOP!
Things progressives care about:
1. Thousands of children actually starving to death in Nigeria? Nope.
2. Slaughter of aid workers by Hamas? Nope.
3. UN failing to deliver food because Hamas isn't getting it's skim? Nope.
4. Innocent hostages raped and murdered by Hamas? Nope.
5. Making a country that was invaded responsible for all discomfort in the land governed by the aggressor? YEP!
I guess they would have been protesting the Allies genocide of Germans during the world wars. They would have been working to protect the Nazi government just like they are hamas.
Bizarre and absurd comment.
Well, who do you support, it doesn't seem to be Israel?
How much more cash do you figure we should send them? Aren't you against sending money to foreign countries?
Things conservatives care about:
1.
[ ✘ ] 2. licking Trumps feet.
3.
[ ✘ ] I could go on with my own list of made up bullshit just like your list, or you could perhaps discuss the real elephant in the room.
Trump acknowledges 'real starvation' in Gaza, urging Israel to let food in
Trump acknowledges ‘real starvation’ in Gaza, urging Israel to let food in : NPR
Oh no! Is Trump an antisemite now?!? What will conservatives do now? That's been their most used attack on "the left" claiming they're antisemites anytime anyone points out the tragedy occurring in Gaza, what are they going to do now? Apologize and tell the left that they too care about Palestinian kids now? Talk about eating crow...
Many Leftists sure have an infatuation with Trump's body parts...especially number one.
Weird way to go through the day.
Yet it is many members on the left that keep mentioning it.
I'm simply trying to describe what I'm seeing in America using the closest analogies I can that even a Trump sycophant could understand. If a person's response to the long list of crimes and unethical behavior committed by Donald Trump is "Well what about the leftists!" or "Bill Clinton" or "Benghazi!" then they clearly have their head shoved so far up Trump ass that their eyelashes tickle his tonsils.
In this case, instead of addressing the fact that even their Lord and Master Trump has acknowledged the starvation happening in Gaza, they simply make hay of my analogies.
It would be nice if they kept their sick, twisted, fantasies to themselves.
It would have been nice if conservatives had kept their sick, twisted convicted felon and admitted sexual predator to themselves.
It would almost make it possible to take them seriously.
Maybe if the dem elites hadn’t coronated cackles the clown as their nominee things would be different?
She certainly wasn't the best they had. She couldn't have been, could she?
There is no starvation going on in Gaza. Provide proof. Ignore what Trump said.
Why do leftist apologists never blame Hamas for any wrongdoing?
Because reality is that Israel is just as guilty.
King has always been a die hard liberal, masquerading as an independent. He has caucused with democrats since he entered Congress.
When the news reports and media speak of the Gaza conflict, the words we see and hear referring to Israel are "genocide", "humanitarian crisis", "starvation", "war crimes" but what we DON'T hear are words describing Hamas as "declared terrorists", "rapists", "murderers", "kidnappers", "war criminals for taking hostages, hiding themselves, their weapons and control centres in and under hospitals, schools, mosques, UNRWA facilities and refugee centres", or "using innocent civilians as human shields", or "civilians aiding and/or hiding militants", nor do we hear HOW MANY MILITANTS are included among the inflated numbers of casualties. The media and some politicians such as Angus King release their bias and IMO latent antisemitism by accentuating the anti-Israel while omitting citicizing Hamas. As the article says, "...While condemning Hamas in no uncertain terms. FOR WHAT? For being bad guys? The defeat of Hamas is inevitable, so why don't they surrender in order to save the lives and health of their own people? Does anyone have a good answer for that? Even the Nazi regime and the Japanese had the minimal morality to surrender in order to save themselves and their civilians. Where are the demands from the rest of the world that they surrender?
As I've said elsewhere on NT, Israel MUST accomplish 2 things and cannot stop fighting in Gaza or fighting the propaganda war being waged against it by the rest of the world until they have accomplished:
1. The release of all remaining live and dead hostages
2. The eradication of Hamas which has proven that it will NEVER give up attacking Israel whether by repeats of Oct 7 or the continuation of infiltrating and carrying out terrorist attacks on Israel and its citizens, or launching missiles or sending kite bombs into Israel.
And I don't blame Israel for WHATEVER it has to do to stop the Palestinians or Hamas or Iran or its other proxies from attacking Israel, refusing to allow the Israeli people to live in peace.
CAVEAT: I do NOT agree with what the settlers are doing to the peaceful Palestinians who live near them but they ARE entitled to defend themselves from terrorist attacks. I have NO love or support for the Ultra-Orthodox, even for personal reasons. However, notwithstanding what the rest of the world demands, I believe Israel is ENTITLED to sovereignty over lands conquered by it in a war brought by others against it.
What Israelis , and those who agree with what they are doing in Gaza, need to do is listen to what people like Angus King are saying, and what they are saying is "enough is enough". Unfortunately the damage to Israel's international reputation has already been done.
The only people saying that were demanding a cease fire on the morning of October 8th.
Lucky for us, the Nazis didn't have so many useful idiots in America and other allied countries to do their work for them.
Yes it has, Hamas' propaganda war and methods taught to them by the Iranians has worked wonderfully. But then I'm not a bleeding heart, notwithstanding I'm so outnumbered by others.
But its all Israel's fault say the Hamas chorus:
WWII was an entirely different scale to this. Germany invaded and conquered over 25 countries and killed many millions of people.
Israel has had appx 7000 casualties in this war, with about 900 dead. That is a low total for a two year long war. Hamas must not be very good at killing enemy soldiers.
18,000 American pilots were killed over Nazi occupied Europe in WW2.
Not to mention ground troops casualties.
It's not the numbers that count, it's the example.
The scale of the conflict matters. Germany and Japan were bombed to bring to an end a war that killed 50 million people (some estimates are higher). It was an entirely different scale to what is happening in Gaza.
The scale matters? BULLSHIT!!! The principle of surrendering when it is inevitable that you are defeated in order to end the carnage would apply if it were a million or a hundred.
Seriously, you should stop with this shit.
If killing tens of thousands of women and children was a good idea that would bring peace it would have happened already. One of Israels arguments is that they are being forced to kill all these people because Hamas wont give up. Its a very bad argument. If killing 50,000 people wont make Hamas give up then killing 60 or 70,000 people wont do it either. All you'll have is 20,000 more dead people and more opposition to Israel around the world. Do something different for fuck's sake.
Declaring victory and leaving might be a good idea.
If the Gazan civilians want the war to end, they vastly outnumber the militants, so why don't they do something to oppose the militants for not surrendering in order to stop the carnage and destruction. IMO it's because they hate the Jews more than they hate their Hamas enslavers. Why doesn't UNRWA do something towards stopping Hamas? Easy answer - the United Nations supports the terrorists.
Golda Meir said it decades ago, and it rings true today: “If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence. If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel,”
As we have seen this year, Israel has by far the strongest military in the middle east region, and also has an implicit guarantee of their sovereignty from the United States, which has been the case from the beginning. Hamas is not an existential threat to Israel.
What is it then? From all appearances it seems that radical Islam and Hamas want to destroy Israel and exterminate all the Jews
What is it then? From all appearances it seems that radical Israelis and Christians what to destroy Gaza and exterminate all the Palestinians.
Did the United States prevent the Oct 7 attack? Is it going to prevent any repeats of it? Has it prevented the kite bombs and the balloon bombs and the missiles and infiltration of suicide bombers? Would YOU live where you had to run to a shelter now and then? Would YOU want your children to live there, when at any time they could be murdered by a suicide bomber or an invasion like Oct 7? Actually, maybe Americans might find Israel safer because you never know when or where the next mass gun violence might take place in America. Maybe some Americans are conditioned by the extent of gun violence in THEIR country that they think it's okay for Israel to experience terrorist attacks once in a while.
The key word there is "some."
Most Americans are with Israel. Don't fall for the few who are trying to speak for the rest of us.
I was careful to use the word "some", and maybe those "some" would be ones who feel that Israel should stop its war in Gaza.
You are always careful with words. I only wish the "some" were only trying to end a war.
At what point does a sense of proportionality come into play? That is Mr. King's concern. How long do we have to read horror stories of deaths of innocence. . . just because the Palestinians can not forcibly expel those who use them for great evil?
The 'impossible' Middle East and all its sagas continue to hold the world by their collective 'balls'. . . and United States presidents 'one and all' are cursed by it's lands.
Holy Land: What is holy about any of this?
I learned years ago that Ha'aretz was an anti-Israel medium, and I place its attitude about the Israel government at about the same level as Al Jazeera's.
The rest of the world has a very bad opinion of Netanyahu. Are they all anti-semites ?
I don't like him either, but that doesn't change my mind about Israel.
Lot of hate in this seed. And that's coming from the side that thinks the only good Palestinian is a dead Palestinian.
Nah...we're not advocating for genocide....
Here is what I have to say about this topic as a Jew.
First of all, both Hamas and Netanyahu have been using the Palestinian people as fodder for their political agendas. I don't believe either of them.
Second, what is not talked about is that on campuses around the US, the hate to Jewish students started 2 weeks after Oct. 7. My daughter told me about what happened on the UC Davis campus, and it was disgusting. Apparently, no one remembered that Hamas started this and killed people who supported Palestinian people. A fellow Ph.D student wrote in the school paper that all the Jews should be kicked off campus and that Jews should be killed. And no he was not Palestinian but some white dude.
Now it is open season on Jews. Don't believe me, check out this video:
Not just that, why is there no people speaking out on this? Here is a great article by Debra Messing:
Where is the outrage for what is going on here and around the world? Are we not a minority in need of protection? My daughter has had the nastiest things said to her, including why doesn't she just die.
It breaks my heart when I see children suffer, but this war was brought on by Hamas, and they will not go to the table for negotiations. They do not care about their people. They are collateral damage for their cause, and this is never discussed. Of course, Netanyahu doesn't care, since he knows that Hamas doesn't care and he has his own agenda. But don't blame Israel for what is happening here. Hate is hate, and as a minority group, we should have the same rights as any other minority group and not fall victim to collective punishment.
I don't hate Israel. They have a right to exist. I blame Netanyahu for not prosecuting this "war" logically. And Hamas did start it, there's no doubt.
Fair enough Trout. Thank you!
I always respect your point of view . Now let me express another point of view: Starving children. . . and the irrational attitude being. . . exposed by MAGA supporters professing to be defenders of children. . . all children in this world need protection or the best that every society can give them. . . even or especially from adults !
We can not look away. And what we see is WRONG. It is not enough that children died from bombings a year ago on both sides of the ADULTS falling out and declaring war on themselves, apparently it is not enough that the surviving children from the bombs will have PTSD throughout their long (or sadly shortened) lives, but now they are being told to DIE from man-made/induced starvation.
And the whole world sits, spins, looks, at the field of 'play,' but are expected to remain in the 'stands.'
We ought to feel something and so we do.
That is all that is being said. We must not condemn any child, not a one, for the actions, stupidity, or arrogance of adults.
Dearest Perrie, I have the upmost respect for you and the Jewish people, but on principle I can not support what Netanyahu's Israel is doing in the name of all Israel anymore than I can support what the United States government is doing by staying silent. It all unfortunately reminds me of what 1946 post-war confessional prose piece by the German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller wrote in that complicity is not a good 'look.'
Speaking of looks, the media showing images of starving children has the 'proper' effect that it should: We feel something. For all of us can feel the tug on our hearts or should for children slowing 'dying out' in starvation . . . in a world overflowing with food.
Our hearts (and mind) are justifiably broken.
For we made an oath spiritually and even with our mouths that we would protect the living innocent when and where we can with our internal goodness and our actions.
And no, Perrie, I do not presume to lecture you about Israel, I am simply speaking up on the issue of starvation. . . and children. . . every living child. . . that closes its eyes in death and don't even know WHY THE WORLD HATED HIM OR HER SO MUCH AS TO LET IT HAPPEN without protest or fighting to save them.
I'm torn between believing progressives either genuinely want to destroy Israel, don't care but feel its in their best interests to do so to ensure they maintain margins among islamic immigrants (cant risk losing michigan again) or are just incompetent fools who don't recognize that rewarding 10/7 will only result in more 10/7s. They are like terrible parents who keep giving their spoiled kids whatever they want so the kid will stop acting out. The kids of course recognize the pattern instantly and keep acting out to receive more rewards.
With all that put into context: MAGA supporters should stop spoiling Trump!
Israel is an important place for our country and so are the world's children equally. Adults, much like in our own national case of Sandy Hook, are missing in action on doing the one thing that adults must do for living kids. . . speak up and act to protect them. Starving does not feel good. . . it will not end good. . . you most definitely would speak up and act too if it was occurring to you. . . or anybody you call a friend.
So do not presume to lecture us about it. Do not conflate Israel's tragedy with Hamas with the man-made faces (on our television screens) of famine children with bulging bellies-atrophied muscles, and eyes searching for "help!
I will remember my humanity, every Jewish person should to remember his and hers, and so it ought to be with MAGA supporters. This is occurring 'afar off,' but it is the world 'right outside our door' and so it could be us one day APOLOGIZING as a nation for sitting on our hands while innocence dies and we did nothing but spread personal and private ideology about using power and 'retribution' where diplomacy complex as it may be a better tool.
Sorry to anyone who wanted to comment further, I am locking this seed.