Bernie Sanders’ slur this week against the American Israel Public Affairs Committee should remove any doubt: He’s the most anti-Israel major candidate of 2020.
Sanders says he won’t attend AIPAC’s annual conference Sunday because it’s a “platform” for “leaders who express bigotry and oppose basic Palestinian rights.” In fact, he’s never gone to AIPAC: This was just his most public attack on it.
Truth is, AIPAC has never displayed any signs of bigotry. Nor does it “oppose basic Palestinian rights"; rather, it backs a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians.
But it does push for strong cooperation between Washington and Jerusalem and for Israel’s right to defend itself. And that’s what bothers Bernie.
Yes, he’s a Jew who lost relatives in the Holocaust, and he calls himself pro-Israel. But he’s clearly made common cause with some of the most vile haters of Israel — and Jews. One of his surrogates, Amer Zahr, has slammed the “Jewish jihad” against Palestinians. Another, Linda Sarsour, is a fan of noted anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan.
Others in his circle include Rep. Ilhan Omar, who suggested US Jews have bought lawmakers’ support for Israel. (“It’s all about the Benjamins baby,” she tweeted.)
And though he says he opposes the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, his team has attracted big BDS supporters like Rep. Rashida Tlaib.
Sanders himself has called Israel racist, criticizes it whenever possible and demands US funds for Israeli security be shifted to “humanitarian” needs in Gaza — never mind that Hamas would use them to attack Israel.
Sanders is free to cater to Israel-haters and anti-Semites. But what chutzpah to cry “bigot” about defenders of the Jewish state.
