As reactions to Israel’s attacks on Gaza continue from within the US, Benjamin, the founder of the anti-war organization CodePink, which has organized many pro-Palestinian protests in the capital Washington DC, talked about his feelings and thoughts.
“The United States is a powerful country and has never been held accountable for what it has done in Iraq, Afghanistan and Abu Ghraib prison. As an American citizen, I want my government to be held accountable for what it has done.”
“What is happening in Gaza is genocide”
Describing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel’s attacks as “terrible”, Benjamin said: “What is happening in Gaza is genocide, ethnic cleansing, massacre, even Holocaust. What is happening there is horrible. More than 30,000 innocent people, mostly women and children, have been killed.”
Reminding that the US Congress is still trying to send new aid to Israel, Benjamin emphasized that the American media has not been honest in its coverage of what is happening in Gaza.
“I’m a Jew and I think I have a right to have a say in this. It doesn’t help the Jewish people, it doesn’t help Israel, it doesn’t help US relations with the Muslim world, and it doesn’t help world stability in general,” Benjamin said.
“Shame on the Biden administration”
Addressing the US administration, which continues its unconditional support for Israel, Benjamin said it was time to put a “stop” to the arms and aid being sent to this country.
Medea Benjamin continued:
“I say to the Biden administration, shame on you for what you have done so far (in Gaza). This is how I paint my hands (blood red) every day because this administration and members of Congress have blood on their hands (in Gaza). Of course we are calling for a ceasefire and we are saying, don’t send any more aid to Israel. Too much damage has already been done. I don’t think the world should forgive the United States for what it has done (in Gaza), and I don’t think the American people, who have their eyes open, should forgive the Biden administration.”
Reminding that people in Gaza are dying of hunger and that this is a heartbreaking situation, the American activist said:
“Congress doesn’t want to help the people of Gaza and is allowing this starvation to happen. The Biden administration says, ‘We care about the people in Gaza and we say to Israel, please don’t kill so many people,’ but what they are doing is the opposite. Now they are trying to send Israel another 14 billion dollars to buy bombs to kill more people.”
“Put this man (Netanyahu) in jail and take him to The Hague”
At the end of his remarks, the American Jewish activist also addressed Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, saying, “What else can you say to the Netanyahu government but ‘resign’. Put this man (Netanyahu) in jail and take him to The Hague (International Court of Justice). They are all war criminals, but frankly we have our own war criminals in the United States.”
Benjamin called on the international community to urgently unite to open borders and ports to allow the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to Rafah and other parts of Gaza.
