2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumBernie Sanders Delivered A Killer AIPAC Speech ... In Utah
Presidential candidates who come to AIPAC tend to emphasize their unwavering commitment to Israels security, with some warm anecdotes thrown in about past visits to the country and how much they loved it. The candidates this year, including Clinton, spent a large portion of their speeches talking about the Iranian nuclear deal, which AIPAC had tried unsuccessfully to torpedo.
Most White House hopefuls dont say what Sanders did in Utah, which is that Israels government should get serious about a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
We are obligated to speak the truth as we see it, and that is what real friendship demands, especially in difficult times, Sanders said. It is important among friends to be honest and truthful about differences we may have.
While Sanders declared his support for Israels continued existence as a Jewish state, he also talked about Palestinian unemployment and poverty.
When we talk about Israel and Palestinian areas, it is important to understand that today there is a whole lot of suffering among Palestinians and that cannot be ignored, he said.
More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bernie-sanders-aipac-israel_us_56f072eae4b09bf44a9e34a1
polly7
(20,582 posts)He's so smart and aware.
Wish he was up here.
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)Utah has a lot of Jewish people and Palestinians who care.
Also, Palestinians and Israelis are always tuned in to what happens in Utah.
Hydra
(14,459 posts)But keep trying. I've met people from both sides of the conflict, and I'm in Utah. For some of us, it's important that the Mid East become something other than a place of eternal division.