US Senator Bernie Sanders has said there are more people in the US outraged by what is happening in Gaza than the rest of the world understands.
Speaking to RTÉ News at the start of a visit to Ireland, Mr Sanders said that what is going on in Gaza right now is unspeakable.
He said: "I have led the effort in the US Senate to stop US military aid going to [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu to continue his horrible, horrible war.
"It is beyond belief, and obviously we will do everything we can to try to reverse policy.
"And I would simply say that in America, there are more people who are outraged by what's going on in Gaza, than I think the rest of the world understands but we don't see that representation in Congress."
He rejected suggestions by senior Israeli political figures that criticisms of Israel had fuelled the sentiment that led to the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy employees in Washington DC.
Mr Sanders said: "I am Jewish, I detest antisemitism, as I hope everybody does. It's a horribly destructive ideology.
"But to be critical of Netanyahu's right wing extremist government who have killed some 53,000 people in Gaza, already, mostly women and children, that is not antisemitic, that is taking on an extremist, ugly government that is doing terrible things."
'Chaotic situation'
"It's like someone criticised the Irish government, and suddenly we hate Irish people. It's insane," he added.
Asked about US President Donald Trump's latest social media posts on tariffs for the EU and Apple, Mr Sanders said: "Wait until tomorrow".
He said: "It will be something different. This is one of the problems we have, it's what we call a chaotic situation.
"These are not thought out discussions with economic advisers, it is probably something he thought of five minutes before he wrote a tweet. Maybe it was in the middle of the night and he couldn't sleep, who knows?"
Mr Sanders was also asked about claims that there were efforts by the previous US administration to cover up Joe Biden's health issues and cognitive decline.
He said: "I think a lot of that comes from people who worked in Kamala Harris's campaign, who managed to lose a campaign which should have clearly been won."
He said that Ms Harris is a friend but she had consultants who were telling her not to talk about working class issues.
"So don't fool yourself. A lot of that (claims of a cover up) is guys trying to cover their own backsides to divert attention away from the very bad campaign that they should have won and they lost," he added.
Mr Sanders is one of the most vocal critics of the Trump administration and has been leading a 'Fighting Oligarchy' tour across the US.
He is frequently joined by New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for large rallies where they warn about the threats posed to the US by billionaires like Elon Musk.
Accompanied by his wife Jane O'Meara Sanders, Mr Sanders this afternoon met with trade union leaders at Liberty Hall in Dublin.
He will deliver a keynote address at the Robert Tressell Festival at Liberty Hall tomorrow evening.
The event brings together trade unionists and labour activists from Ireland and abroad.
While in Ireland, Mr Sanders will also attend events in Dublin, Athy and Cork.
He is due to meet with President Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin on Monday.
President Higgins previously met with Senator Sanders during his visits to Ireland in February 2024 and June 2017.
