Sanders' groundbreaking approach to Israel-Palestine conflict | Arab News - 0 views
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For years, pro-Palestinian activists have demanded that the US make its massive foreign aid to Israel conditional on Tel Aviv’s efforts to make peace with the Palestinians.
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urickni on 01 Nov 19Interesting perspective on the partisanship that has surrounded this issue for years. However, I question whether this is too simplified as an assertion. Is it really just pro-Palestinian activists, or humanitarians as a whole?
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ernie Sanders, the American senator from the state of Vermont, put that issue front and center during an appearance at a conference organized by J Street, the moderate pro-Israel political advocacy group that supports a two-state solution and engages in active dialogue with much of Palestine’s leadership.
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I also believe is the Palestinian people have a right to live in peace and security as well… And it is not anti-Semitism to say that the (Benjamin) Netanyahu government has been racist. That is a fact.”
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Sanders said Israel must sit down with the Palestinians and negotiate peace. And, in a direct assault on Israel’s current extremist government, he said the $3.8 billion of aid the US gives to Israel annually should be made conditional on it respecting human rights and democracy.
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We believe in democracy. We will not accept authoritarianism or racism and we demand that the Israel government sit down with the Palestinian people and negotiate an agreement that works for all parties
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3.8 billion is a lot of money, and we cannot give it carte blanche to the Israeli government, or for that matter to any government at all. We have a right to demand respect for human rights and democracy.
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He said that Israel needs “a radical intercession in Gaza to allow for economic development, a better environment and to give people hope there.”
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All of the candidates spoke in favor of peace, but Sanders was the most explicit and clear in supporting Palestinian rights and holding Israel’s government accountable for its policies that have undermined the peace process.
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Both South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Elizabeth Warren also suggested leveraging US aid to push Israel toward peace with the Palestinians, but not in explicit terms.
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, Sanders is helping to redefine more accurately the tenor of the debate over Israel’s policies. Many politicians and activists who have challenged Israeli policies or criticized the actions of the Israeli government have been denounced as being “anti-Semitic.” Sanders, however, is Jewish. “I think being Jewish may be helpful in that regard. It is going to be very hard for anybody to call me, whose father’s family was wiped out by Hitler and who spent time in Israel, an anti-Semite,” Sanders said.
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What J Street, Sanders and the Palestinians who attended this week’s convention are doing is significantly altering the substance of the debate that is taking place in America over Israel’s policies.
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It is very possible that a new, more moderate political party led by Benny Gantz will soon take over in Israel. While many note that Gantz is not moderate enough, the fact is that, despite his rhetoric, he is moving away from Netanyahu’s extremism to a more moderate agenda.
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If Sanders were to be elected president in 2020, we would be assured of a substantive change in US foreign policy toward Israel.
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His approach would be more action than empty rhetoric, which was the case during the Obama administration.
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Win or lose in 2020, Sanders will have contributed significantly to redefining the debate over Israel and Palestine to one that is more accurate, realistic and fair.