US Senator Bernie Sanders, who is currently leading in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, said he would consider moving the US embassy in Israel back to Tel Aviv if elected president.
Sanders’s comments about revisiting US President Donald Trump’s controversial decision in 2018 to relocate the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem came during Tuesday’s Democratic presidential debate.
In 1995, the Jerusalem Embassy Act passed w/ bipartisan support.
From 1995-2016, every U.S. president delayed moving the U.S. embassy — until @realDonaldTrump.
If elected, Bernie Sanders would consider reversing the historic move of the embassy to Israel’s eternal capital city. pic.twitter.com/PIUni9oeX6
— Chandler Thornton (@chandlerUSA) February 26, 2020
When asked whether he would move the U.S. Embassy from Jerusalem, Sanders replied that “it’s something we need to take into consideration,” before calling Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an ally of Trump, a “racist”.
Sanders went on to say that while he was proud of his Jewish heritage, he stood against Netanyahu’s policies.
On Dignity, Respect and Being ‘Pro-Israel’: What #Sanders Actually Said about #Palestine https://t.co/KFzRDMBRJW via @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/hAawyszJ6m
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) February 23, 2020
“I am very proud of being Jewish. I actually lived in Israel for some months,” said Sanders.
“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.”
#Sanders: ‘We Cannot Ignore the Needs of the #Palestinian People’ (VIDEO) https://t.co/7AIcMwWw82 via @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/YHYqXkCb1s
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) February 24, 2020
Sanders added although he supports Israeli sovereignty, there should be a greater focus on Palestinians and their rights.
Trump announced his intention to move the US embassy to Jerusalem in December 2017, a move that sparked international outrage.
#Sanders to Skip #AIPAC Conference on Political Reasons https://t.co/LrdA3kTI8R via @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/mwL5UxoMQt
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) February 24, 2020
The embassy opened on May 14, 2018, triggering mass demonstrations in which around 60 Palestinian protesters were killed and nearly 3,000 were injured by Israeli forces.
Previous US presidents, as well as nearly every other country, refrained from opening embassies in Jerusalem, arguing that the city’s final status should first be resolved through Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
(Palestine Chronicle, AJE, Social Media)
