Bernie Sanders announces re-election bid, takes a jab at 'Israel'
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In a video posted on X, 82-year-old Sanders touches on the war on Gaza, emphasizing that although "Israel" had the "right to respond," it does not have the right to "go to war against the entire Palestinian people."
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Senator Bernie Sanders speaks during a news conference on January 25, 2024. (AP)
Bernie Sanders, the left-leaning Senator from Vermont, has announced that he is seeking another term in office.
In a video posted on X, 82-year-old Sanders also touched on the war on Gaza, emphasizing that although "Israel" had the "right to respond," it does not have the right to "go to war against the entire Palestinian people, which is exactly what it is doing."
The Senator thanked the people of Vermont for allowing him to serve in the Senate, calling it the "honor of his life," and explained why he has chosen to run again.
Let me thank the people of Vermont, from the bottom of my heart, for giving me the opportunity to serve them in the United States Senate. It has been the honor of my life.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 6, 2024
Today, I am announcing my intention to seek another term. Here is why: pic.twitter.com/cfO8MF4Cep
He said on May 1 that the main focus should be on the Israeli genocide in Gaza rather than the "violence" in pro-Palestine protests across US universities.
"It is time to not simply worry about the violence we are seeing on American college campuses, but to focus on the unprecedented violence we are seeing in Gaza, which has killed 34,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 77,000, 70% of whom are women and children," Sanders announced on the Senate floor.
"I suggest that CNN and maybe some of my colleagues here maybe take your cameras, just for a moment, off Columbia and off UCLA. Maybe go to Gaza and take your cameras and show us the emaciated children who are dying from malnutrition because of Netanyahu's policies," he added.
"Show us the kids who have lost their arms and their legs. Show us the suffering that is going on over there," Sanders stressed.
Addressing the protests, Sanders said that he condemns all forms of violence no matter who it stems from, highlighting the importance of condemning and stopping all forms of bigotry in the US.
"We are seeing a growth of antisemitism in this country, which we must all condemn and work to stop. We are also seeing a growth of Islamophobia in this country, which we must all condemn and stop," Sanders then stressed that holding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government responsible for their actions in Gaza is "not antisemitic".
