Sen. Bernie Sanders and a robust group of Democratic senators say they're done “asking nicely" for Israel to do more to reduce civilian casualties in its war against Hamas in Gaza. The lawmakers are warning President Joe Biden’s national security team that planned U.S. aid to Israel must be met with assurances of concrete steps from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right government. It is all but inconceivable that Congress would vote down the wartime aid, and the Democratic senators are adamant that’s not their intent, as strong supporters of Israel’s right of self-defense against Hamas. But just the fact that pressure is building shows the fractures in Congress as the aid debate drags on.
