Bernie Sanders, Occupation must end
Sen. Bernie Sanders delivers a speech during J Street’s 2017 National Conference at the Washington Convention Center, on February 27, 2017 in Washington, DC. Photo by Mark Wilson/AFP
Bernie Sanders: We Need to End the 50-year-long Israeli Occupation
Democratic senator tells J Street conference the occupation runs against both U.S. and Israeli values, calls Trump’s failure to condemn antisemitism ‘troubling.’
By Amir Tibon, Haaretz
February 27, 2017
Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders said on Monday that the Israeli occupation runs against both American and Israeli values and called for its end. The Vermont senator told the 2017 J Street National Conference:
“We need to end this 50-year-long occupation.
“There is no question that we should be and will be Israel’s very strong friend and partner in years to come. But we also need to recognize that the Israeli occupation runs contrary to American values and I believe, Israeli values as well.”
The continued occupation and settlement construction, Sanders said, undermine peace efforts. Sanders applauded the administration of former President Barack Obama for its decision in December to abstain from vetoing United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, which censured Israeli settlement construction. “Those of us who support Israel, have got to tell the truth about policies that hurt the chances of a peaceful resolution,” he said.
Sanders said the vision of peace in the Middle East was one that progressives “cannot give up on.” He added: “our job is to oppose all the political forces, in our country and around the world, who are trying to tear us apart. This is a global phenomenon.”
Mentioning Trump’s joint press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month, Sanders ridiculed the president’s indifference to the two-state solution: “He said, ‘I’m looking at two-states and one state, and I like the one that both sides like.’ I think he was thinking that he was asked whether he likes Coca Cola or Pepsi cola. That’s not the answer the American president should have given,” Sanders said to applause.
“We can oppose the policies of President Trump without being anti-American. We can oppose the policies of Netanyahu without being anti-Israel. We can oppose the policies of Islamic extremists without being anti Muslim. Peace means security not only for every Israeli but also for every Palestinian.”
Sanders called on U.S. President Donald Trump to condemn “all forms of bigotry” in the United States and across the world and took issue with Trump for failing to denounce antisemitism.
“Trump and his adviser [Steve] Bannon understand that the world is watching. They need to condemn all forms of bigotry in this country and around the world.” Sanders said he “found it very troubling” that Trump failed to condemn antisemitism “that has arisen in light of his election.” Sanders noted that when Trump had a chance to denounce antisemitism when asked for his stance by an Israeli reporter at his presser with Netanyahu last month, but “he chose instead to brag incorrectly about the size of his electoral victory.”
Sanders made his remarks as a fifth wave of bomb threats targeted Jewish schools and Jewish community centres since the election of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Sanders expressed support for the nuclear deal with Iran and said “it proved that real American leadership is not demonstrated by blowing things up, but by bringing parties together and forging international consensus.”
“The Obama administration managed, with the support of groups like J Street, managed to remove the danger of an Iranian nuclear weapon from the list of global threats,” he said.
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Sanders and Odeh discuss situation of Israeli Arab population and diplomatic issues. Odeh also discussed Trump’s wavering support of two-state solution with Congressional Progressive Caucus.
By Amir Tibon, Haaretz
February 28, 2017
Bernie Sanders and Ayman Odeh. Courtesy photo.
WASHINGTON – One day after calling for an end to Israeli occupation, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders on Tuesday met with Ayman Odeh, the leader of the Joint Arab List faction in the Knesset, to discuss the situation of the Arab population of Israel as well as diplomatic issues.
Odeh presented Sanders with data on Odeh’s claims of institutional discrimination against Arabs in Israel and the situation of residents of unrecognized Bedouin villages in the Negev, according to a press release.
Sanders and Odeh also discussed the political potential of Israeli Arab voters as a major voting bloc representing 20 percent of the country’s population.
The Israeli Arab leader later met with the Congressional Progressive Caucus, comprised of a portion of the Democratic Congressmen to discuss the situation of Israeli Arabs and the ties between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu. Odeh took issue with Trump’s wavering commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, calling it a critical issue.
On Monday, Sanders told the 2017 J Street National Conference that Israeli occupation runs against both American and Israeli values and called for its end.
“There is no question that we should be and will be Israel’s very strong friend and partner in years to come,” the Vermont senator told the 2017 J Street National Conference. “But we also need to recognize that the Israeli occupation runs contrary to American values and I believe, Israeli values as well.”
The continued occupation and settlement construction, Sanders said, undermine peace efforts. Sanders applauded the administration of former President Barack Obama for its decision in December to abstain from vetoing United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, which censured Israeli settlement construction. “Those of us who support Israel, have got to tell the truth about policies that hurt the chances of a peaceful resolution,” he said.
Sanders said the vision of peace in the Middle East was one that progressives “cannot give up on.” He added: “our job is to oppose all the political forces, in our country and around the world, who are trying to tear us apart. This is a global phenomenon.”
LINK
Highlights of J Street’s 2017 National ConferenceDefending Our Values, Fighting For Our Future
February 25-28, 2017