Sanders Responds to Netanyahu's Claim that Criticism of Israeli Gov't Policies is Antisemitic

[Donkees]

[rgbecker]

1. Bernie's ability to focus on the issue is unmatched in US politics today.

Simplify, explain, repeat.....eventually people start waking up.

[Trueblue1968]

2. Bernie is 5000000% correct.

[thenelm1]

16. This. With one minor quibble.

"In violation of American law", to which I would add " and a violation of international law."

[MadameButterfly]

3. Bernie says it like it is

He is my hero

[MustLoveBeagles]

4. Good for Bernie

[TBF]

5. Amen. For those who don't know, Bernie has definite standing to comment -

not only did he live in Israel in the 1960s but most of his father's family was wiped out in the Holocaust (his father left Poland in 1921 because it was already pretty hostile to Jews at that time).

K&R for the OP

[malaise]

57. THIS

Rec

[TBF]

67. I really wanted Bernie to win when he ran for president,

as I agree with his position on pretty much everything. But over the past few years I've decided he really is in a better place (for him) as a gatekeeper in the Senate. It is what he excels at and will be remembered for down the road - being our collective conscience.

[Big Blue Marble]

6. Thank you Senator Sanders for so clearly speaking out loud

what so many of us have been saying quietly.

[spanone]

7. K&R

[HandmaidsTaleUntold]

8. Bibi Is A Disgusting Dictator

So we can’t criticize the US government or Trump without being Anti-American? Shut these weasels up. A Genocide just happened. Israel was attacked. There needed to be an extreme response. But it’s gone waaaaaay too far. Ignore apologists even here. Evil is evil. This world has no chance if we just blow each other up. And interestingly it’s reported that Bibi made sure Hamas was funded and even had warnings of an imminent attack and did nothing. Sound familiar??? 9-11 playbook.

[Sky Jewels]

19. Nailed it.

[Mosby]

25. Hes not a dictator

Do you think the so called "deep state" was involved in 9/11 and 10/7? I think it's a stupid conspiracy theory that basically is victim blaming.

[HandmaidsTaleUntold]

33. He Is Their Trump

And yes an authoritarian greedy bastard who weaves in his own narcissistic needs. Do I believe we had advance warning of 9-11? Of course I do. That’s in the official records that we ignored that. Do you recall on CNN when they put anti-aircraft missile launchers around the island of Genoa in preparation for the G8 hearing? That was in 2000. I remember specifically them saying it was in case someone had tried to use a plane as a bomb. Like that guy who flew into Clinton’s White House. Then Condi Rice exclaimed they could never have envisioned planes flying to to buildings. A bold faced lie. They and Bibi may not have known exact dates but they did know it was gonna happen. These people are about profits. They had no interest in stopping things. The Bibi story is from mainstream Israeli press. I’m not a conspiracy theorist. But I’m nuanced and also not a coincidence theorist.

[Crowman2009]

52. Not to mention that Nutty-yahoo is buddies with the x-tian nationalist in america.

Who are also goading Israel into escalating this war.

[electric_blue68]

55. Yeah, I remember all that stuff.

[brush]

53. He is a warmonger though. His Syria attack was IMO designed to widen the war and pull the US in.

It didn't work though as Iran measured its response by limiting damage in Israel and signalling it's retaliation was done and over with, thus giving the warmonger no wiggle room to respond with his typical bombs away, kill/damage as much as possible preference.

He tried, but his attempt at widening the war seems to have failed, now its back to obliterating what's left in Gaza to keep the war going as long as possible so as to avoid the corruption charges facing him when the war ends.

Israel needs to get him asap as he's done so incalculable damage to Israel's international reputation...and that's after the nation was attacked and was entirely justified in retaliation...but an entire flattening of Gaza and thirty thousand dead and counting. NO.

[slightlv]

73. Ya know, I'm not one to go much for conspiracy stories...

(altho I do have a guilty passion for the wild haired guy on Ancient Aliens)... and while I wouldn't call it "deep state" on 9/11, given Bush and Cheney and co's reactions... it's not beyond me to wonder about the LIH aspect of possibilities... either that, or you have to admit that Bush & Co were even more stupid and evil than Trump, given how much notice they had of intelligence and turned a blind eye to it. Even poo-poohing Clinton when he tried to bring them up to date on the intelligence before he left office. Forget the stupid typewriter keys that was a hoax of a story. The media stated once that I know of about Bush's turning away. And then, when he did do something months later, it was to start the NeoCon format they want to institute here. Skiffs of money bundles, stupidity by Doug Feith among others. But then, as they say, Conservatism can't fail; we can only fail Conservatism. (yeah, right) /s

So yeah... conspiracy stories? Heck, who needs them. Make it a dot while you're connecting other dots and it does tend to make greedy sense. It was also the first modern time they could actually try to put their plan into play. Of course it failed. Republicanism only works for rich repubs. Everyone else will revolt. Iraqi's have lots of experience in revolution. Will we rise to the occasion when Trump and the repubs institute their plan here?

Of course, as always... YMMV... and I respect that. I just will always lean to the most cynical, evil of motives when it comes to repugs.

[hlthe2b]

79. Hamas is fully responsible for the attack 10/07/23. Netanyahu is reponsible for ignoring the report that

warned of the attack nearly a year ahead of time produced by female members of his OWN IDF. Likewise for enabling Hamas by giving Qatar the "go-ahead" to keep paying/sponsoring them. And worst, for failing to respond promptly to the horror--those under attack, being raped and murdered for up to 13 hours.

Defend Netanyahu all you want, but he is the closest thing to an incompetent self-serving monster-in-power, that Israel has ever had to deal with. My sympathies are with the Israeli people who saw what he was doing and spent the last months in the streets trying to fight back against his autocratic attempts to dismantle the Israeli judiciary-- thereby saving himself from the repercussions of his corruption- And if you do not see the comparisons to Trump in that, then I can't help you--but you do Israel and Israelis no favors by refusing to see it.

[HandmaidsTaleUntold]

85. Defending Bibi Means You're As Hopeless As A MAGA

[hlthe2b]

86. I agree. I likewise see a litany of side-by-side comparisons...

[HandmaidsTaleUntold]

87. No One Liked Him Before

He tried to eliminate the judiciary and seize land for selfish reasons. We all are horrified about Oct 7. Just like 9/11. But we also know what comes after. Lies. Opportunists. Death. And now I guess Genocide. Which means this planet is doomed unless we change our ways.

[David__77]

60. He is a product of a system in which millions of subjects have no right to vote.

[malthaussen]

9. Typical authoritarian hubris from Mr Netanyahu...

... given a little twist because Israel is a Jewish State. Authoritarians typically take personally any criticism of their Government's policies, which they probably should, since they're usually the ones making those policies. But just because Bibi happens to be Jewish and Israel a Jewish State, doesn't mean that criticism of their actions has doo-dad to do with their religion. Of course, the intent here is to deflect. It's kind of sad that it works in many cases.

-- Mal

[Think. Again.]

10. Thank You Senator Sanders.

[Magoo48]

11. As always, well stated Bernie.

[DBoon]

12. Constantly expanding the definition of anti-semitism accusations diminishes the real violent anti-semitism

[liberalhistorian]

36. Exactly, and that's what's so

frustrating and infuriating! There is way more than enough real and dangerous antisemitism to fight, so false equivalents aren't necessary and actually do more harm.

[Warpy]

13. Well, Netanyahu is consistently full of shit.

Nice to see he's developing a thin skin like TFG's thin skin. He's been clinging to power too long.

He really does need to go. I hope the Israelis can manage it.

[patphil]

14. Just for the record, Bernie will be 83 in September; over 1 year older than President Biden.

And yet he's still the feisty old warrior he's been for all of his nearly 18 years in the Senate.
Not to mention his 16 years as a Representative prior to his time in the Senate.

[Hope22]

43. I was thinking about Bernie this week.

Everyone thought he was so old when he was running against Hillary. He is still going strong. So focused and relevant. Thanks Bernie!

[PatSeg]

15. Good for you Bernie, summed up perfectly

It is so offensive that Netanyahu keeps playing the antisemitism card to justify what he has done in Gaza. To imply that people who are appalled by the death and destruction in Gaza means they are insensitive to the suffering of the Jewish people during the Holocaust. That is an affront to all the people in Europe who died at the hands of fascists.

Meanwhile, he is insulting a lot of good and decent people who are capable of supporting both Jewish and Palestinian civilians. History will not be kind to this man.

[Uncle Joe]

17. Kicked and recommended

Thanks for the thread Donkees.

[Sky Jewels]

18. Thank you, Bernie!!!

A lot of DUers like to pretend any criticism of Israel's Gaza destruction and genocide is exactly the same as saying: "I hate all Jews!" Obviously, it is not.

[KS Toronado]

20. F U Netanyahu from a fellow Jew (Sanders) who knows right from wrong

It's getting to be time our Country cracks down on Netanyahu before it costs Biden votes.

[mysteryowl]

21. Nice try Net.

NO!!

[Baitball Blogger]

22. Dear Neti. You are annihiliating an entire culture.

Just like what the Germans tried to do to you. It isn't antisemitism. It is a basic human moral responsibility to stand up and criticize your objective.

[Mosby]

26. So Jews are the new Nazis?

Is that what your saying?

[Baitball Blogger]

29. I don't believe that all Jews are in support of Neti's extreme solution. So, no. That's not what I'm saying.

[NH Ethylene]

45. Bernie is but one example of that - Jewish people who are appalled by the genocide.

Jon Stewart is another.

[Sky Jewels]

31. So Netanyahu is exactly the same as "all Jews"?

Is that what you're saying?

Criticism (that has nothing to do with the religion or ethnic background) of ONE Jewish person is anti-semitism against all Jews?

What a pantload!

[Mosby]

34. Is Netanyahu doing this by himself?

No, there is a war cabinet, his coalition ministers, and the entire IDF who are engaged in defending Israel from Hamas.

So when BB says:

Dear Neti. You are annihiliating an entire culture.

Just like what the Germans tried to do to you.

They are talking about everyone I mentioned, not just Bibi. That's why I think its fair to ask if all these Israelis are the new nazis, which BB seems to be insinuating.

[Sky Jewels]

39. "Top Israeli government and military leaders and officials" are not the same as "millions of Jews around the world."

That is a specific group. They can and should be held accountable for the slaughter of tens of thousands of people the destruction of Gaza. Just because they are ethnically and/or religiously Jewish doesn't mean they're not capable of committing genocidal war crimes. Nor are they off limits for criticism because their relatives were the victims of horrific genocide eight decades prior. They are inflicting the same type of terror and ethnic cleansing that was inflicted on their ancestors in WWII. Obviously "tens of thousands" is a much lower number than six million, but, come on. It's a huge, huge mass murder and maiming of innocents, including thousands of babies and children.

[hlthe2b]

81. Netanyahu is leader of Israel. The responsibility for his failures rest solely with him.

Stop conflating. I have had it with any and all criticism of Netanyahu being met with accusations of antisemitism. (and it has been HERE by several relentless posters for months) That is as ludicrous for most of us here as it is to launch such accusations against Bernie Sanders.

[Bucky]

83. The same people who can't disintinguish Jews from Bibi's extremism can't distinguish Palestinians from Hamas

One is an ethnic group, one is a political ideology that violates international laws. But it's politically convenient for hyper-nationalists to ignore the difference between people within one ethnic group they choose to target.

Not that Netanyahu's violations of international law are as horrific as Hamas's terrorism. But he doesn't have to be as bad as Hamas to be a peace-hating racist who ignores the human toll of his hateful actions and words.

[Autumn]

28. Thank you.

[Nanjeanne]

23. Thank you Senator Sanders. Well said.

[malaise]

24. Excellent

Rec

[Autumn]

27. Fuck Netanyahu. Thank you Bernie for setting it straight.

[BlueMTexpat]

30. I have never been

a supporter of Sanders for President.

But I agree with every word that he says here. As another poster stated above, I would also add "in violation of international law."

And, for the record, I know MANY American Jews, and MANY Israelis, who feel exactly the same as Senator Sanders and I do!

IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE!!!!!

[democrank]

32. Thank you once again, Bernie.

We need more like you, fewer like Netanyahu.

[TeamProg]

35. There never should have been any confusion. KNR!

[et tu]

37. yes! nt

[MuseRider]

38. Thank you Bernie.

Well said as usual.

[red dog 1]

40. K&R

Bernie is right!


On Twitter (X)
#NetanyahuWarCriminal

[Faux pas]

41. Kickin'

Tell like it is Bernie!!!!!!

[Ford_Prefect]

42. Amen!

[Earth-shine]

44. Buh, buh, buh, Bernie doesn't pass any legislation.

So it's been said by the Bernie haters here.

The man is a leader, morally and politically.

[Mountainguy]

68. Leaders are all judged

On their ability to wrote strongly worded letters.

That's how FDR won WW2

[Earth-shine]

69. Apparently there are more things that make a person a leader that are dreampt of in your philosophy.

[Mountainguy]

70. What has he led again?

Other than failed national campaigns against Democrats?

[Earth-shine]

71. Bernie is a thought leader. And he is leading on this issue of Israel and Gaza ...

with his strongly worded letter.

I think you are on the wrong thread. Maybe the wrong discussion board.

From the tersness of your responses, I'd say you might be someone who needs a leader.

[ColinC]

77. This board's TOS specifically names Bernie as a Democratically aligned independent

…one who it is recommended we support.

[tornado34jh]

46. According to this bastard Netanyahu, being critical of Israel is anti-semitic? That is not a fucking excuse anymore.

By that logic, if I criticize Saudi Arabia, does that make me anti-Arab? If I am critical of India, does that make me anti-Indian/Hindu? His government is fucking lucky we are giving him aid. He honestly should shut the hell up. Your actions tell the whole story.

[ecstatic]

47. I agree. K&R nt

[Orrex]

48. In recent days I've been called pro-Hamas and antisemitic for doing exactly that.

No doubt the people who made those bullshit accusations will now attack Bernie for making the same statements that I made.

[RandiFan1290]

58. They are the same people that called us "pro Saddam" and "antisemitic" for being against the Iraq invasion. nt

[Orrex]

49. "bUt HaMaS iS tO bLaMe FoR aLl Of It," squawk the propagandists.

[TBF]

75. Hamas are terrorists, and I will admit to being pretty pro-Israel (in terms of wanting Israel to be a State),

but many of us can see those 2 things and still want a cease-fire.

Diplomacy has always been in short supply given this conflict (even though Bill Clinton sure gave it a good try) - but that is what is sorely needed. Hamas and Bibi may both be against a 2-state solution but that doesn't make it wrong. I can't believe most average Israelis and Palestinians believe that everyone on the other side must be killed. There are groups like "Women Wage Peace" who are actively working together towards peaceful actions and solutions. Unfortunately, they are just normal folks and not world leaders.

[Orrex]

80. Hamas should be wiped out to its last member

But that vile terrorist regime is too often used to give Netanyahu a blank check to kill as many Palestinian civilians as he wants.

***edited to add: you’re not making that claim, but I’ve seen it many places including here on DU, alas.

[leftstreet]

50. DURec

[Emile]

51. K & R

[sinkingfeeling]

54. Exactly. My beliefs, exactly.

[Aussie105]

56. If you cut through the rhetoric and labelling . . .

There are really only two groups involved in any argument.

Those who value human life and think the continued civilian deaths in Gaza are unacceptable.
and
Those who make excuses for the same deaths.
(And we have been flooded with those excuses on DU.)

You can throw around words like pro-Palestine, pro-Hamas, anti-Semitic, anti-Jew, but they have no meaning or relevance because they are overused and intended to silence rational discussion and dissent with Bibi's actions.
And that doesn't work on me.

[Goddessartist]

62. I'm with you!

Perfectly said!

[raging moderate]

59. "When you fight a monster, take care that you do not BECOME the monster."

Mr. Netanyahu and his cohorts should listen to Friedrich Nietzsche's warning.

[jalan48]

61. Bernie's a beacon of light in our corrupt political system.

[Goddessartist]

63. Beautifully said.

Thank you, Senator Sanders!

[Oneironaut]

64. Weaponizing anti-Semitism is one of the biggest scumbag moves.

This is the biggest bullshit ever. No, criticizing a government is not anti-Semitic unless if you have a few screws loose or just want to shut people up when you’re doing evil things.

[Nixie]

65. As usual, Bernie's statements have to be checked to

determine where the conflation begins. It looks like Netanyahu was referring to the obvious anti-Semitic protest groups on college campuses, but Bernie left that important part out.

[NoSheep]

66. Thank you again, Bernie.

[JCMach1]

72. It's shocking that blame for the security lapse didn't fall

On Netanyahu...

I really thought the win/win of the Gaza situation was an end to both Bibi and Hamas.

Fool me once, I guess...

[hlthe2b]

82. Yes... I expound on that upstream

Somehow his culpability for the failures of anticipation (despite the plan being exposed months ago) and delayed/failed response to Hamas' horrific attack escaped many in the US (or they deny it). I'd bet it hasn't escaped many in Israel if they are ever allowed to toss him from office.

[Stuart G]

76. Bernie's 8 paragraph reply to Netanyahu will get more coverage than anything Netanyahu did in a positive way.

Please read the first paragraph of Benie's reply.

Killing people is killing people
............ It ain't complicated.

[hlthe2b]

78. Thank you, Senator Sanders... and may ALL who NEED to read this, do so!

(and there are a LOT who NEED to read this)...

[myohmy2]

84. amen...

...you've gotta love him...

...he speaks the truth...

...