Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speaks after the senate voted on a resolution ending U.S. military support for the war in Yemen on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., December 13, 2018.. (photo credit: REUTERS/JOSHUA ROBERTS)
X ![]()
Dear Reader,
As you can imagine, more people are reading The Jerusalem Post than ever before. Nevertheless, traditional business models are no longer sustainable and high-quality publications, like ours, are being forced to look for new ways to keep going. Unlike many other news organizations, we have not put up a paywall. We want to keep our journalism open and accessible and be able to keep providing you with news and analysis from the frontlines of Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World.
As one of our loyal readers, we ask you to be our partner.
For $5 a month you will receive access to the following:
- A user experience almost completely free of ads
- Access to our Premium Section
- Content from the award-winning Jerusalem Report and our monthly magazine to learn Hebrew – Ivrit
- A brand new ePaper featuring the daily newspaper as it appears in print in Israel
Help us grow and continue telling Israel’s story to the world.
Thank you,
Ronit Hasin-Hochman, CEO, Jerusalem Post Group
Yaakov Katz, Editor-in-Chief
UPGRADE YOUR JPOST EXPERIENCE FOR 5$ PER MONTH Show me later
WASHINGTON – Presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont raised sharp criticism Tuesday of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In a video clip that was broadcast during the American Jewish Committee Global Forum in Washington, Sanders also said that opposing Netanyahu doesn’t make him anti-Israel.
“We must say loudly and clearly that we oppose reactionary policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, [which] does not make anyone anti-Israel,” Sanders said. “Let me say it again. I am vigorously opposed to the reactionary racist and authoritarian policies of [US President] Donald Trump. That does not make me anti-American, and I am not anti-Israel because I oppose Netanyahu’s policies.”
Speaking on the peace process in the Middle East, Sanders said Israel is making significant technological advances that could bring innovation and prosperity for the entire region, yet it is unable to achieve this goal because of its unresolved conflict with the Palestinians.
“And I see [the] Palestinian people crushed underneath a military occupation [that is] now over a half-century old, creating a daily reality of pain, humiliation, and resentment,” he continued. “Let me be clear: I do not know how peace can be achieved in that region, but in the Gaza Strip, poverty is rampant. Fifty-three percent of people are unemployed. The number of unemployed is even higher, but young people at 99% of the residents cannot leave that area. That is not a sustainable situation.”
Sanders added that “ending the occupation and enabling the Palestinians’ independence and self-determination in a sovereign, independent, economically viable state of their own, is in the best interest of the United States, Israel, Palestinians, and the entire region. It is a necessary step in ensuring that Israel is accepted and integrated into the region.”
The senator said that he does not doubt the political challenges of reaching a solution, yet he still believes that agreements are possible “if there is a serious willingness to sit down and talk and compromise.”
“The truth is that the parameters of a solution are well known,” he said. “They are based in international law. They are based in multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions. And they are supported by an overwhelmingly international consensus. Two states based on the 1967 lines with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.”
“Unfortunately, [the] prime minister and his allies seem to be preparing for a future in which Israel controls the entire territory between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River in perpetuity,” Sanders continued. “And the Palestinians receive limited autonomy within a disconnected series of communities.”
“That is not an acceptable outcome for anyone who supports the security, freedom and self-determination of both people,” he concluded.
Now is the time to join the news event of the year – The Jerusalem Post Annual Conference!
For more information and to sign up, click here>>
Comments are closed.