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Sanders' Written Remarks to AIPAC

Sanders' Written Remarks to AIPAC

by Stephen Lendman

AIPAC is a rogue lobbying group with enormous influence in Washington, one-sidedly supporting Israel at the expense of regional peace and Palestinian rights.

Sanders addressed its annual conference in spirit, not in person, delivering his remarks in written form - expressing longstanding support for a ruthless apartheid state run by hate-mongering Zionist zealots.

"Israel is one of America's closest allies," he said, "and we - as a nation - are committed not just to guaranteeing (its survival), but also to its people's right to live in peace and security."

Fact: Both countries partner in each other's high crimes, Sanders failed to explain.

Fact: Israel's survival isn't threatened. Its only threats are ones it creates. Sanders paid no heed to its longstanding reign of terror on defenseless Palestinians. 

Fact: Calling their freedom fighters "terrorists" mocks their dignity, humanity, and "right to live in peace and security" Israel systematically denies them.

Claiming as president he'll "work tirelessly to advance the cause of peace as a partner and as a friend to Israel" belies reality.

No peace process exists, not now or earlier going back decades. Israel rejects it out-of-hand, pretending otherwise, wanting historic Palestine for Jews only, its people denied their fundamental rights.

Sanders knows what he won't explain, one-sidedly supporting Israel while pretending otherwise. His voting record belies his claim about being "a friend not only to Israel, but to the Palestinian people." When did he ever introduce legislation supporting their rights? Never!

He backs naked Israeli aggression on the phony pretext of responding to Hamas rocket attacks, used only in self-defense.

Saying he "believe(s) that Israel, the Palestinians, and the international community can, must, and will rise to do what needs to be done to achieve a lasting peace" ignores what never happened before and won't now.

Again, Sanders knows what he won't say, maintaining the fiction of efforts for regional peace when none exist. Washington and Israel systematically undermine them.

His formula for peace isn't reality based. After decades of Israeli state terror, slow-motion genocide affecting an entire population, punctuated by intermittent premeditated wars, apartheid worse than South Africa's, and governance of, by and for hate-mongering Zionist zealots, how can anyone believe  it wants peace and stability.

Sanders is like all the rest, demanding "Hamas and Hezbollah renounce their efforts to undermine the security of Israel…Peace has to mean security for every Israeli from violence."

Saying "attacks of all kinds against Israel" must end is code language for wanting Palestinians denied their international law guaranteed right of self-defense.

Adding "peace also means security (and well-being) for every Palestinian," their right to "self-determination, (and) ending 'what amounts' (sic) to the occupation of Palestinian territory, establishing mutually agreed upon borders, and pulling back settlements in the West Bank (like earlier) in Gaza" ignores no possibility of achieving any of the above.

Sanders failed to explain Ariel Sharon's so-called disengagement from Gaza transferred its settlers to stolen Palestinian West Bank land, displacing Palestinians from what's rightfully theirs.

It put Jews out of harm's way ahead of three Israeli wars of aggression on Gaza - in 2008-09, 2012 and 2014, along with frequent aerial and ground assaults, an entire population terrorized and besieged for nearly a decade with no prospect for relief.

Sanders saying "economic blockade of Gaza" must end ignores its political imposition, unrelated to security concerns.

Expressing rhetorical support for "a sustainable and equitable distribution of precious water resources so (both sides) can thrive as neighbors" ignores his one-sided support for Israel for 30 years.

He willfully lied, claiming Israel's 2014 Gaza war followed "weeks of indiscriminate rocket fire into its territory and the kidnapping of (its) citizens."

Operation Protective Edge was planned months in advance, naked Israeli aggression unrelated to Hamas rockets (launched only in self-defense after repeated Israeli provocations) and nonsensical kidnapping claims.

Sanders can't get his facts straight, including false claims about Hamas "construct(ing) a network of tunnels for military purposes."

They're built as a vital lifeline, supplying goods essential to survive, restricted or prohibited by Israel's suffocating blockade, one of many examples of its genocidal policy - what Sanders never explains.

His address featured numerous examples of misinformation and one-sided support for Israel. Rhetorically expressing concern for Palestinian rights rang hollow.

Throughout his political career, he never cared. Why should anyone believe he turned a new leaf. 

Judge him and other politicians only by their voting record. Rhetoric is meaningless.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

1 Comments in Response to

Comment by Anonymous
Entered on:

Why is it that none of the sites condemning Sanders letter to AIPAC. Actually have posted the entire letter ? You spin Sanders words, Brietbart ( as awful as they are ) spun his words. But at least they posted a link to the actual letter Sanders sent to AIPAC.. https://berniesanders.com/sanders-outlines-middle-east-policy/


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