Susan Sarandon calls for ‘permanent cease-fire’ in the halls of Congress: ‘This is a genocide’

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Susan Sarandon calls for cease-fire in Gaza while visiting Congress

The actress said a ‘permanent’ cease-fire is necessary to save the lives of those being shot at like ‘fish in a barrel.’ Credit: CODEPINK

Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon called for a "permanent cease-fire" to the conflict in Gaza on Thursday while addressing the media from the halls of Congress.

Video obtained by Fox News Digital showed Sarandon speaking to journalists with demonstrators for Code Pink. This left-wing anti-war 501 organization focuses on numerous Middle Eastern issues, including Palestinian statehood. 

"There's never been a peace that's been attained to violence. We have to have a permanent cease-fire and save the lives of all those people that are now basically in a corner, just being shot up like fish in a barrel," Sarandon said during her trip to Capitol Hill.

The actress, who was also joined by "Squad" member Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., criticized politicians during her visit and said that those who have not taken a stance on the Israel-Hamas war are afraid to engage in a dialogue because of the risk it may pose to funding received from donors. 

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Susan Sarandon, actor and activist, addresses the media with Medea Benjamin, right, of Code Pink, to call for a cease-fire in Gaza, before meeting with Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., in Rayburn Building on Thursday, February 15, 2024.  ((Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images))

Sarandon claimed that the bulk of the world, including the United States, supports a cease-fire and testimony from South Africa clearly says Israel's actions are a violation of human rights.

Many Americans, she said, do not understand why the government can allocate billions of dollars to a country that has healthcare, subsidized housing, and free education when they are told it is impossible in the U.S. 

Her comments came after the Senate passed a $95 billion foreign aid package on Tuesday that included $14.1 billion for Israel. 

"This is a genocide," Sarandon added. "And so I'm here. I'm very grateful to be here, just to try to lend my voice, to elevate the voices of all the people who have had so much loss and are fighting so desperately to not keep funding the genocide there."

The 77-year-old actress was dropped as a client of UTA, a major Hollywood agency, following her controversial comments that critics claimed were antisemitic. 

At a pro-Palestinian rally in New York City on Nov. 17, Sarandon called for protesters to listen and have conversations with Jewish Americans, as many have said they don't feel safe because of the rise in antisemitism since the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack.

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Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon talks to journalists with demonstrators from Code Pink for Peace while rallying in support of Palestinians and to demand a cease-fire in Gaza outside the Capitol Hill offices of Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) on February 15, 2024 in Washington, DC.  ((Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)’)

"There are a lot of people that are afraid, that are afraid of being Jewish at this time, and are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence," Sarandon said.

The House on Wednesday passed a bipartisan resolution condemning Hamas terrorists' use of rape and sexual violence as weapons of war during — and since — the attacks in Israel on Oct. 7. 

Tlaib voted "present" on the nearly unanimous vote.

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Hardline leftist Tlaib, who is also the only Palestinian American in Congress, has been among the loudest critics of the Israeli government during her tenure on Capitol Hill.

That criticism reached new highs in the wake of the Oct. 7 surprise attack by Hamas terrorists in southern Israel. More than 1,200 people – mostly civilians, including young children and the elderly – were killed, and Hamas still holds dozens captive in Gaza.

Fox News' Elizabeth Elkind and Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.