In a stunning Senate floor speech, Senator Chris Van Hollen has unleashed a fierce critique of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former President Donald Trump, demanding an end to U.S. military aid to Israel. He specifically calls for blocking the transfer of 2,000-pound bombs and armored bulldozers worth $446 million, accusing the Netanyahu government of using American weapons to violate international law in Gaza and Lebanon.
Van Hollen’s remarks highlight the urgent need to halt what he describes as collective punishment in Gaza, where the Netanyahu administration is allegedly pursuing ethnic cleansing. He references a joint report with Senator Mark Kelly from a visit to the region, detailing the destruction of civilian infrastructure and the displacement of over a million people. This isn’t isolated, he warns, as similar tactics threaten southern Lebanon.
The senator points to recent escalations, including Israeli forces killing over 2,000 people in Lebanon since the conflict restarted, with entire villages obliterated in mere minutes. He condemns the use of U.S.-funded bulldozers in these operations, drawing parallels to past atrocities like the death of American activist Rachel Corrie over two decades ago. No justice has been served, Van Hollen asserts.
Trump bears direct responsibility, according to Van Hollen, for dragging the U.S. into an illegal war with Iran at Netanyahu’s urging. He cites public statements from Netanyahu boasting about initiating attacks and pulling America into the fight. This reckless alliance, Van Hollen argues, violates the United Nations Charter and risks global stability.
Experts in international law have echoed these concerns, with over 100 officials labeling the U.S.-Israel campaign as potential war crimes. Van Hollen urges colleagues to support resolutions blocking further arms transfers, emphasizing that American taxpayers should not fund such violations. The implications are dire, he says, for U.S. credibility on the world stage.
In Gaza, Van Hollen recounts witnessing firsthand the rubble-strewn landscape during visits to the Rafah crossing in 2024 and 2025. He describes how 2,000-pound bombs and bulldozers have leveled homes, schools, and hospitals, displacing thousands in what he calls a systematic campaign of destruction. This pattern, he warns, is now repeating in Lebanon.
Van Hollen doesn’t mince words on settler violence in the West Bank, where Israeli forces and extremists have killed over 1,000 Palestinians, including children, with near-total impunity. Investigations into these acts rarely lead to indictments, fostering a climate of lawlessness. He demands accountability, especially for American citizens killed in these conflicts.
The broader context includes Netanyahu’s long-standing push for war with Iran, a goal he’s pursued for decades. Van Hollen recalls Netanyahu’s address to Congress opposing the Iran nuclear deal, which Trump later dismantled. Now, this alliance has escalated into open conflict, with no imminent threat justifying the aggression.
Democrats in the Senate overwhelmingly voted to end Trump’s involvement in the Iran war, a move Van Hollen applauds as a step toward reining in reckless policies. He stresses that the same scrutiny must apply to Netanyahu’s actions, backed by U.S. dollars. Failure to act, he warns, makes America complicit in ongoing atrocities.
Van Hollen’s call to action is clear: Support the resolution to block military sales and demand investigations into abuses. He paints a vivid picture of the human cost, from obliterated villages in Lebanon to razed homes in the West Bank, urging immediate intervention to prevent further escalation.
The senator’s speech comes amid growing international outcry, with reports from organizations like Amnesty International documenting widespread destruction. Videos shared by Israeli military personnel show controlled demolitions of civilian areas, underscoring the scale of the devastation. This is not just a regional crisis, Van Hollen argues, but a global one demanding U.S. leadership.
In closing his remarks, Van Hollen yields the floor but not his resolve, vowing to fight for accountability. The urgency of his message resonates as tensions simmer, with potential for wider conflict. Lawmakers must now decide whether to continue funding what he deems an illegal war or stand against it.