Sanders ally urges Democrats to address Israeli 'occupation'
By Lisa Hagen
The Hill
Bernie Sanders surrogates questioned Democrats on Thursday on whether it can include in the party’s platform language that Israel is occupying the West Bank, a position that could alienate some Jewish voters.
Cornel West, chosen by Sanders to be on the platform committee, suggested inserting language into the platform that addresses Israel’s occupation of the West Bank.
“The real question is going to be a commitment to security for precious Jewish brothers and sisters in Israel can never be predicated on an occupation of precious Palestinians. If we’re concerned about security it seems to me, we’re going to have to talk seriously about occupation.… Occupation is real, it’s concrete.”
But West’s suggestion was met with criticism from Robert Wexler, president of the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace and Hillary Clinton supporter, who testified at the Thursday afternoon session.
“No, I would not support, I would in fact oppose the use of the word ‘occupation’ for the very reason that it undermines our common objective,” Wexler said. “A two-state outcome will result in an agreement on borders. Once you have borders, the issue that propels your concern as what you refer to as occupation, will be resolved.”
The former Florida congressman emphasized the “long-standing record of friendship” America has with Israel and noted that discussions regarding the conflict shouldn’t take place within the party’s platform.
Arab American Institute head James Zogby, another Sanders platform committee appointee who is a proponent of Palestinian causes, voiced a similar sentiment to West, saying the word “occupation” could be used “as a way of clarifying that to get to two states that an occupation has to end.”
In a phone interview following the meeting, Wexler said that “the Democratic platform is not the proper venue in which to litigate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But what makes it less appropriate if you cherry pick an issue…highlight the aspect of (Israeli) settlements. There are many aspects to the conflict, and by highlighting one, you in effect poison the entire process and it really doesn’t make any sense.”
Matthew Duss, president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace who also testified at the committee, said that while the United State and Israel are “close partners,” that Americans cannot “sacrifice our values.”
“Israel’s continued occupation of Palestinian territories…run contrary to fundamental American values,” Duss said. “We must reject the idea that we have to sacrifice our values in order to stand with our allies.”
West told The Hill in a brief interview after the meeting that “we’ll see” what happens with occupation being included in the platform and he was happy to engage in the discussion with Wexler.
“I just think if we’re going to tell the truth — if it’s an occupation, it’s an occupation. We got to tell the truth in that sense, but we’ll see,” West said.
“This is a collective process. We don’t follow just what I want, but I was glad to have the exchange with [Wexler] because that kind of dialogue needs to take place.”
The discussion notably came one day after four people were killed in a shooting in Tel Aviv, Israel on Wednesday. Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld called the attackers “terrorists.”
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has drawn distinctions between the two Democratic presidential candidates and created some divisions within the party.
Clinton has fiercely defended Israel and denounced the movement to boycott Israel over its policies toward the West Bank, citing an increase in anti-Semitism.
Sanders, the most successful Jewish presidential candidate in American history, has been somewhat of an outlier on this issue and has been accused of being too empathetic to Palestinians.
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While he supports Israel, he has also said that Israel took “disproportionate” actions against the Palestinians in the 2014 conflict and has called on Israel to pull back on settlement building and trade restrictions.
The Democratic Party’s 2012 platform called for maintaining “an unshakable commitment to Israel’s security” and promotes a two-state solution: “A just and lasting Israeli-Palestinian accord, producing two states for two peoples, would contribute to regional stability and help sustain Israel’s identity as a Jewish and democratic state. At the same time, the President has made clear that there will be no lasting peace unless Israel’s security concerns are met.” There is no mention of “occupation.”
Thursday’s discussion would likely rattle many Democrats and could cost them party unity at a time when Clinton is working to rally Democrats — particularly Sanders supporters — behind her candidacy to defeat presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump in the fall.
Source: thehill.com