Israeli Minister Demands Detainee Deaths, US Funds Continue Flowing
When Ben-Gvir, a minister in the current Israeli government, openly calls for the 'death penalty ' and 'torture' of prisoners (which constitutes a war crime), it's not a fringe opinion; it's a policy push from a key ally. This is the same Ben-Gvir who, in 2022, called for the creation of an 'armed civilian militia' and has a personal history of incitement and support for extremist ideology. Yet,
the usual American outrage machine, quick to condemn 'extremism' elsewhere, remains notably silent when it comes from an Israeli official. Consider the nearly $4 billion in annual US military aid to Israel, alongside recent Biden administration approvals for weapons transfers, including MK-84 bombs this past March. One might wonder if 'democracy' is the only thing we're funding. The media often
frames this as 'domestic Israeli politics' or 'hardline rhetoric' rather than a direct threat against human life, funded indirectly by US taxpayers. How many openly genocidal statements does an ally have to make before the 'shared values' narrative cracks? Or is the expectation that we simply look away?