American Congresswoman Ilhan Omar says the administration of US President Joe Biden green-lighted the Israeli regime’s massacre of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, blasting the US arms aid to the regime as “state-sponsored violence.”
Omar made the statement at a press conference on Thursday along with other US lawmakers, including Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), as she voiced concerns about the high death toll of Palestinian civilians and the displacement of over one million people in Gaza.
Criticizing the Biden administration for approving additional aid to Israel without congressional approval, Omar said, “This administration cannot claim to be an honest broker of peace while green-lighting the massacre of Palestinians. The restocking of Israel’s arsenal is not foreign policy. It is state-sponsored violence waged against defenseless families who want to only live in peace.”
The US lawmaker stressed that, “If we truly want to uplift humanity to protect … the innocent people of Gaza, to bring hostages safely home, to hold out hope for peace, then we must demand cease-fire now.”
My heart breaks as the crisis in Gaza worsens. 1.5 million terrified Palestinians crowded into Rafah, attacked relentlessly.
My constituent’s family in Gaza was harassed and arrested. For the sake of our humanity – ceasefire now! pic.twitter.com/DEqnZINIlN
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) February 29, 2024
Omar also expressed disappointment with the response from the US and the world’s political leaders to Israeli atrocities, underlining that empty rhetoric about human rights without any meaningful action is unacceptable.
The Democratic representative for Minnesota said the Biden administration’s policies lack effective pressure on Israel and fail to deter the regime from the continuation of its crimes against Palestinians.
“Despite the clarity surrounding Gaza’s despair, the response from political leaders has been nothing short of callous inaction; empty rhetoric about human rights ring hollow when no action follows,” Omar said.
“This administration’s policies fail to meaningfully pressure Israel through restrictions, sanctions or any hint of consequence,” she added. “Each war crime and violation compiled by journalists, human rights groups and UN agencies are bearing witness. And still, I ask where is the accountability for these crimes.”
Israel waged its genocidal war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.
Since the start of the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has killed 30,228 Palestinians and injured 71,377 others.
The Tel Aviv regime has also imposed a “complete siege” on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.
