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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) condemned the Israeli response to riots in Gaza and criticized President Donald Trump’s foreign policy during an interview Monday.
Speaking to Mehdi Hasan of the Intercept, Sanders maintained that America needs to dial back its involvement abroad and argued Israel is to blame for violence in Gaza. Hasan said various "human right groups" have accused the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) of committing war crimes.
"Do you believe, as many human rights groups — American, Israeli, Palestinian, European — are saying, that the IDF snipers shooting kids, people in wheelchairs, are those war crimes?" Hasan asked.
"Those are terrible actions," Sanders said, stopping short of calling them war crimes. "Instead of applauding Israel for its actions, Israel should be condemned. Israel has a right to security, but shooting unarmed protesters is not what it is about."
The terrorist organization Hamas directed the riots Hasan spoke about, according to the Israeli internal security service Shin Bet. The purpose of the riots is to use civilians to breach a border fence so that Hamas terrorists can enter Israel with cover from the rioting crowd, but Sanders did not address Hamas in his response except when he accidentally referred to Hamas’ "unemployment" crisis.