Edited by: TJVNews.com
Democratic presidential hopeful Senator Bernie Sanders said on Tuesday that, if elected president, he would consider moving the US embassy in Israel back to Tel Aviv from Jerusalem.
“The answer is it’s something we would take into consideration,” said Sanders at a Democratic primary presidential debate in South Carolina, when asked to comment on concern among American Jews that he’s not supportive enough of Israel. He then proceeded to once again criticize Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
“But here’s the point, I am very proud of being Jewish. I actually lived in Israel for some months. But what I happen to believe is that right now sadly, tragically in Israel through Bibi Netanyahu, you have a reactionary racist who is now running that country,” he added.
Sanders’s comments came the same week that he said he wouldn’t be attending the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference, accusing the pro-Israel lobbying group of providing a platform to “leaders who express bigotry.”
“The Israeli people have the right to live in peace and security,” Sanders tweeted Sunday. “So do the Palestinian people. I remain concerned about the platform AIPAC provides for leaders who express bigotry and oppose basic Palestinian rights.”
AIPAC shot back that Sanders “has never attended our conference and that is evident from his outrageous comment.”
“By engaging in such an odious attack on this mainstream, bipartisan American political event, Senator Sanders is insulting his very own colleagues and the millions of Americans who stand with Israel,” AIPAC said in its statement.
AIPAC, founded in 1963 with a mission of promoting the U.S.-Israeli relationship, has long been seen as a power player in Washington politics. The organization garners bipartisan support, but tensions with progressive Democrats have increased in recent years.
Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg also weighed in on the issue and said, “You can’t move the embassy back.” Instead, he said, “The answer is to obviously split it up.”
Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren said moving the embassy is not a decision for the US to make and added, “We should let the parties determine the capitals themselves.”
President Trump relocated the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018, months after recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital – a decision which angered the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Democratic presidential contenders also criticized Trump’s move, but most have said they would not reverse his decision.
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar said in July that as president, she would keep the American embassy in Israel in Jerusalem rather than move it back to Tel Aviv.
She acknowledged that “I think it would have been better if that was done as part of a negotiation for a two-state solution. I think it’s unfortunate it was done the way it was done but I wouldn’t reverse it.”
Former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg has also indicated he would not move the embassy back to Tel Aviv if elected.
JTA reported that In the wake of Bernie Sanders’s decision to not attend the AIPAC Israel lobby’s annual conference for what he called the organization’s support of “bigotry,” a group of 347 rabbis signed an open letter to Sanders supporting AIPAC’s role in advancing the U.S.-Israel relationship.
Sanders, now the frontrunner in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, said AIPAC provides a “platform” for “leaders who express bigotry and oppose basic Palestinian rights.”
“As strong supporters of the U.S.-Israel relationship and AIPAC’s role in advancing it, we reject Senator Bernie Sanders’ outrageous comment accusing AIPAC of fostering bigotry. AIPAC’s mission is one that we and our congregants care deeply about,” the rabbis, who are from Reform, Conservative and Orthodox denominations, wrote in the letter.
“AIPAC is one of the last remaining vehicles in American politics that proactively seeks to bring Americans from across the political spectrum together to achieve a common goal. The AIPAC Policy Conference may be the largest political gathering of Democrats and Republicans in the entire country,” the rabbis added.
During Tuesday night’s candidates’ debate in South Carolina, Sanders responded to a question about U.S. support for Israel, saying “our foreign policy in the Mideast should be about is absolutely protecting the independence and security of Israel.”
But, he added, “you cannot ignore the suffering of the Palestinian people.” (INN & JTA)
