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Senator Bernie Sanders stated on Tuesday that the Israeli government is committing genocide in Gaza, describing the assessment as “unavoidable” and establishing himself as the pioneering US senator to employ the term.

Change in Position

“During the recent period, the nation has not only acted in self-defense against Hamas,” Sanders wrote. “Instead, it has conducted an comprehensive offensive against the entire Palestinian people.”

Sanders had previously faced backlash from supporters and demonstrators for avoiding the word, which he once said made him “queasy” when chanted during a address in Ireland.

UN Report and Response

On the previous day, an independent UN panel of specialists concluded that Israel’s measures “satisfy the standards set forth in the Genocide convention”.

“I agree,” Sanders wrote in a statement. “The purpose is evident.”

He cited death tolls: no fewer than 65,000 Palestinians killed and 164,000 wounded out of a community of 2.2 million, with data from an Israeli military database suggesting that 83% of those deceased were non-combatants.

He also highlighted comments by government figures as proof of intent, citing defense minister Yoav Gallant referring to Palestinians “beasts” and treasury head Bezalel Smotrich promising “Gaza will be completely destroyed”.

Right to Defend vs Proportionality

While Sanders acknowledged Israel had a right to defend itself after the October 7 attack that killed about 1,200 people, he contended the reaction has affected every Palestinians in Gaza.

“We, as Americans, must halt our complicity in the killing of the Palestinian people,” he wrote. “Having named it as a genocide, we must use all available of our leverage to demand an halt to hostilities, a massive surge of humanitarian aid managed by the UN, and initial steps to provide Palestinians with a state of their own.”

Growing List of Backers

He now joins a limited yet increasing list of House members including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, and Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene, as well as Vermont representative Becca Balint, who also labeled it a genocide earlier in the day.

“Now, I believe the Israeli government is committing a systematic extermination against the Palestinian people,” Balint stated. “Being a descendant of a man murdered in the Holocaust, it is not easy for me to say that.”

Earlier Reports and Allegations

Last week, Democratic senators Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley unveiled a study following their recent trip to the region, where they say they’ve come to the “inevitable determination” that population removal is being perpetrated in Gaza and that the United States is involved.

International Background

The statement also comes as multiple countries including Australia, France, Luxembourg, Malta, Canada and the UK plan to recognize Palestinian statehood at next week’s UN general assembly in New York.

However, the US leadership has backed Israeli actions since coming into office. In March, the White House said Trump “fully supports” Israel’s operations in Gaza, while Trump has suggested the US take control over the territory to help facilitate Palestinian exodus.

In the US, the administration has simultaneously increased efforts to silence opposition from pro-Palestinian voices, with the state department issuing broad orders to diplomatic offices in March to vet student visas over “extremism”, which include social media posts.

Past Attempts and Appeals

Sanders has previously led Senate efforts to block offensive weapons sales to Israel through bipartisan measures of disapproval, and while getting half of Democratic party members in the Senate to support it, the initiatives have not been successful in stopping arms transfers.

Now, the senator called again for ending US military aid to “the Israeli prime minister’s genocidal government” and demanded an immediate ceasefire.

“The word genocide is a warning of what can happen if we do not act,” Sanders wrote. “That word emerged from the Holocaust – the murder of 6 million Jews – one of the most tragic chapters in human history. Make no mistake. If there is no accountability for Netanyahu and his associated war criminals, other extremists will do the same.”