WASHINGTON (JTA) — Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders earned cheers at J Street’s annual conference when he said some of the money Israel receives from the United States for defense assistance should go to humanitarian relief in the Gaza Strip.
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The liberal Jewish Middle East policy group as one of its conference themes this year wants to press the Democratic candidates on whether they would demand from Israel an end to settlement expansion as a condition of receiving U.S. aid.
Among the five candidates to speak in person at the conference, Sanders, the Jewish senator from Vermont, was the most robustly in favor of pressuring Israel. The others who spoke live at a convention center here were Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Michael Bennet of Colorado; Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana; and former U.S. housing secretary Julian Castro.
Another five candidates — former Vice President Joe Biden; Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts; former Rep. Beto O’Rourke of Texas; author Marianne Williamson; and entrepreneur Andrew Yang — delivered video messages.
“I would use the leverage, $3.8 billion is a lot of money and we cannot give it carte blanche to the Israeli government, or any government,” Sanders said.
Asked specifically how he would address the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, which is under the control of the Hamas terrorist group, Sanders said, “My solution is, [to say] to Israel, if you want military aid, you’re going to have to fundamentally change your relationship to the people of Gaza. I would say that some of that $3.8 billion should go right now to humanitarian aid in Gaza.”
Bernie Sanders calls for cutting aid to Israel and redirecting it to provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza. pic.twitter.com/cINU4lCMfl
— Zach Carter (@zachjcarter) October 28, 2019
Buttigieg and Warren also supported using the assistance as a means to pressure Israel, although in more restrained terms. Biden, Castro, Klobuchar and Bennet said leveraging the aid would be counterproductive.
Biden was perhaps the most emphatic in defending assistance to Israel.
“Israelis wake up every morning facing an existential threat,” he said in his video message. “That’s why we always have to be adamant that Israel must be able to defend itself.”
A misse neveila
He is a product of hashomeir Hatzair
with Jews like this who needs enemies
א אלטער אוסגעוועפטע משוגענער
He is a Yid. Kol yisroel arevim ze bzeh. All Jews are connected. like a chain. Whatever one does in Congress reflects the ones who seat and learn in Blyn or Lakewood or in England. Maybe its time to check on yourselves (ourselves) Chesbon? Maybe open a Musar sefer
Sounds like a quid pro quo to me ….
Impeach impeach impeach!!!
sounds like he is pressuring a foreign government with foreign aid, oh wait its only illegal for Trump not for this Soros funded capo or a Muslim Kenyan foreigner.
Bernie SLANDERS, has also conveniently forgotten, that Israel is also required to spend 74% of its military aid in the USA.
When Israel spends its aid in the USA, it supports American companies like Boeing, and Raytheon, and boosts the USA economy.
I guess that Bernie wants to prevent American companies from getting some extra business. Sad, how he would undermine American companies.
To all the Trump haters out there
So…
Now we’ve got senile Bernie , Pocahontas Warren, Lying Castro, “Beto” Et al. , all piling on, trying to outdo each other with the Israel Bashing.
Donald Trump was never anybody’s first choice to be president but , he’s light years ahead of any of the other candidates
Heaven help us if any of these evil scoundrels makes it to the White House, and that includes sleepy stammering Joe B
Israel supports American companies? It reminds me of a button. Don’t worry America. Israel is behind you. Nebach. How would you like if POTUS Bernie (or Warren) would give 30-40 Billion in humanitarian Aid to Ghaza and require it to spend it in the USA? I am quit sure you would be happy since you dont want to “”Undermine American Companies” Very stable Genius.
After the Russian Revolution, the Bolsheviks organized a special police unit made up of Bolsheviks of Jewish origin whose job was to oppress the Jewish community, persecuting and killing many.
Bernie admired the USSR when he went there on his honeymoon. He would give money to Hamas, whose charter calls for the destruction on Israel. Hamas supports terrorism, and terrorist killings of Jewish civilians. Beware who you vote for.
Pete Buttigieg had a good line. He said young people now in college would live to see either harmony or catastrophe in the region. “Mayor Pete” speaks very well.