On Thursday, August 6th, 2026, a Senate hearing was held after former chief medical advisor Anthony Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment and refused to answer questions regarding Covid-19. Concurrently, senior Democratic senators and representatives accused the Donald Trump administration of enabling violent Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. They warned that the administration's policies fostered "a climate of impunity and unbridled violence" endangering both Palestinians and US citizens.

In a letter obtained by the Guardian, 19 Democratic lawmakers called for the restoration of sanctions against extremist settlers. They also demanded independent US investigations into the deaths of nine US citizens killed in the West Bank since 2022.

This development highlights ongoing concerns about US foreign policy in the region and domestic political tensions surrounding accountability for Covid-19 and international human rights issues.

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