Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas has consistently demonstrated unwavering support for Israel, a stance that is notably influenced by the $237,077 he has received from AIPAC. This financial backing has solidified his alignment with pro-Israel policies, even as these policies contribute to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The death toll in Gaza, as of August 2024, is nearing 40,000 civilians, including approximately 16,500 children, with projections by The Lancet indicating that 180,000 Gazans may ultimately die as a result of Israel’s genocidal project in Gaza.
Cotton's rhetoric since October 2023 has been marked by a disturbing call for violence, both against Palestinians and pro-Palestinian protestors. In an interview with Fox News, he stated, "As far as I’m concerned, Israel can bounce the rubble in Gaza," absolving Israel of responsibility for the civilian deaths by placing the blame solely on Hamas. This dehumanizing language not only overlooks the catastrophic impact of Israel's military actions on innocent civilians but also exacerbates the violence against Palestinians, both in Gaza and abroad. His inflammatory remarks have coincided with a surge in anti-Palestinian violence in the U.S., including the brutal murder of a six-year-old Palestinian boy in Chicago and the shooting of three Palestinian students in Vermont.
In the Senate, Cotton has been a vocal advocate for accelerating U.S. arms shipments to Israel, introducing the Israeli Security Assistance Support Act, which aims to fast-track the delivery of weapons to Israel while withholding pay from any U.S. officials who delay these shipments. In his speech, Cotton wrongly claimed that Israel is "under siege at home," ignoring the fact that Israel has imposed a deadly blockade on Gaza since 2007 and has been relentlessly bombing the area since 2008. His comparison of international organizations and student activists to "Hamas proxies" further demonstrates his extreme stance, one that prioritizes military support for Israel over the lives of Palestinian civilians and the pursuit of peace.
Related Links
Counting the dead in Gaza: difficult but essential, The Lancet, July 2024
Gaza infrastructure damages estimated at $18.5bn in UN-World Bank report, Al Jazeera News, April 2024
Tom Cotton’s Gaza Comments Are Horrifying, The New Republic, October 2023
Republican senator Tom Cotton calls for vigilantism to break up Gaza protests, The Guardian, April 2024
Senator Cotton Asks for Unanimous to Reverse Biden’s Arms Embargo on Israel in Floor Speech, Tom Cotton Gov., May 2024
