Sanders: Trump will be ‘closer to Netanyahu’ over Gaza if reelected

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Sunday he believes former President Trump will be similar to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he is reelected.

“To those people who are saying, ‘well, I can’t support Harris because she disagrees [with] Trump on that issue’ … he will be closer to Netanyahu,” Sanders said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Sanders said he thinks Vice President Harris can be moved “on that issue” of the Israel-Hamas war.

Harris has called for a cease-fire deal and pushed for the war in Gaza to end, but she faces scrutiny from both sides — from people who want to see Hamas defeated and those who call for the end of the war for Palestinians in Gaza.  

“So, if we are able to elect Harris, I think we’re going to have an opportunity to move her on that issue, to make it clear, we cannot allow children in Gaza to starve to death,” Sanders said. “She will be open to that. I doubt that Trump will.”

The Biden administration has pressed Netanyahu for nearly a year to negotiate a cease-fire deal. U.S. officials have said the Israeli leader agreed to one privately before later backing away.

Trump met with Netanyahu this summer his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, a day after Netanyahu met at the White House with President Biden and Harris.

Trump this week lauded the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, predicting that Sinwar’s death would ease up peace negotiations in Gaza, where war has raged for over a year.

“I think it makes it easier,” Trump said. “I’m glad that Bibi decided to do what he had to do.”