Senator Bernie Sanders: U.S. Must Not Be Drawn Into Netanyahu’s War on Iran
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has sharply condemned Israel’s recent air strikes on Iran, denouncing the action as illegal, reckless, and a direct threat to global stability. He emphasized that the United States must not be pulled into what he called “Netanyahu’s illegal war.”
In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Sanders warned that American involvement would be a catastrophic mistake. “This would be a major and deadly error,” he wrote. “Netanyahu’s unauthorized attack has made the world more dangerous. The United States must urgently work with the international community to find a diplomatic resolution.”
Sanders accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately derailing ongoing diplomatic efforts. According to the senator, Israel’s surprise attack killed key Iranian officials involved in nuclear negotiations—just days before scheduled U.S.-Iran talks were set to continue.
“Regardless of anyone’s views on Iran’s authoritarian regime, this was a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter,” Sanders stated.
He strongly cautioned against any U.S. military or financial involvement in the conflict, reiterating that only Congress has the authority to approve offensive military actions—authority that has not been granted.
“The Constitution is unequivocal—there can be no war without congressional approval. Any U.S. participation in this strike would be illegal,” Sanders said.
In one of his most direct criticisms yet, Sanders called Netanyahu a “war criminal,” referencing the Israeli leader’s indictment by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes in Gaza, including deliberate targeting of civilians and obstruction of humanitarian aid.
“Israel continues to block UN agencies and aid workers from delivering desperately needed supplies to civilians in Gaza. In recent weeks alone, Israeli forces have killed hundreds of people attempting to access food and humanitarian aid,” Sanders added.
Calling the current Israeli government a “rogue regime under extremist leadership,” Sanders concluded with a stark warning: “Netanyahu’s unilateral and unlawful strike on Iran is a serious breach of international law. The U.S. must not allow itself to be dragged into another disastrous war.”
