Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, speaks during a press conference to introduce college affordability legislation outside the U.S Capitol in Washington, D.C on June 24, 2019. (Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
Denouncing Trump Plan as 'Unacceptable,' Sanders Declares It Is Time to 'End the Israeli Occupation'
"Trump's so-called 'peace deal,'" warned the White House hopeful, "will only perpetuate the conflict, and undermine the security interests of Americans, Israelis, and Palestinians."
After U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled his long-awaited "peace deal" for the Israel-Palestine conflict, Sen. Bernie Sanders condemned the proposal as "unacceptable" and called for an end to Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories.
Sanders (I-Vt.), a top candidate in the Democratic Party's 2020 presidential primary race, responded to Trump's plan in pair of tweets, envisioning a U.S. policy that promotes "a just and durable agreement."
The tweets aligned closely with a statement from the senator's office, in which Sanders said any acceptable deal "must end the Israeli occupation that began in 1967 and enable Palestinian self-determination in an independent, democratic, economically viable state of their own alongside a secure and democratic state of Israel."
Sanders, who would be the first Jewish president, added that "Trump's so-called 'peace deal' doesn't come close, and will only perpetuate the conflict, and undermine the security interests of Americans, Israelis, and Palestinians."
The White House hopeful's comments Tuesday were not the first time Sanders has spoken out in recent months for the Palestinian people. In October 2019, the senator suggested using the billions of dollars in military aid that the United States supplies to Israel each year to pressure Netanyahu's government to end its horrific treatment of Palestinians.
The following month, Sanders was praised by progressives for saying during the Democratic presidential debate that "we must treat the Palestinian people with the respect and dignity they deserve."
Sanders was far from the only lawmaker to decry Trump's new plan, which was drafted under the direction of Jared Kushner--the president's son-in-law and senior adviser--and unveiled at the White House with Israeli Prime Benjamin Netanyahu.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), one of Sanders' rivals in the primary race, tweeted Tuesday that "Trump's 'peace plan' is a rubber stamp for annexation and offers no chance for a real Palestinian state."
"Releasing a plan without negotiating with Palestinians isn't diplomacy, it's a sham," Warren added. "I will oppose unilateral annexation in any form--and reverse any policy that supports it."
As Warren noted, Palestinian leaders have not been involved with crafting Trump's deal. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said in a televised address Tuesday: "I say to Trump and Netanyahu: Jerusalem is not for sale, all our rights are not for sale and are not for bargain. And your deal, the conspiracy, will not pass."
Urgent. It's never been this bad.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just three days to go in our Spring Campaign, we're falling short of our make-or-break goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
After U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled his long-awaited "peace deal" for the Israel-Palestine conflict, Sen. Bernie Sanders condemned the proposal as "unacceptable" and called for an end to Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories.
Sanders (I-Vt.), a top candidate in the Democratic Party's 2020 presidential primary race, responded to Trump's plan in pair of tweets, envisioning a U.S. policy that promotes "a just and durable agreement."
The tweets aligned closely with a statement from the senator's office, in which Sanders said any acceptable deal "must end the Israeli occupation that began in 1967 and enable Palestinian self-determination in an independent, democratic, economically viable state of their own alongside a secure and democratic state of Israel."
Sanders, who would be the first Jewish president, added that "Trump's so-called 'peace deal' doesn't come close, and will only perpetuate the conflict, and undermine the security interests of Americans, Israelis, and Palestinians."
The White House hopeful's comments Tuesday were not the first time Sanders has spoken out in recent months for the Palestinian people. In October 2019, the senator suggested using the billions of dollars in military aid that the United States supplies to Israel each year to pressure Netanyahu's government to end its horrific treatment of Palestinians.
The following month, Sanders was praised by progressives for saying during the Democratic presidential debate that "we must treat the Palestinian people with the respect and dignity they deserve."
Sanders was far from the only lawmaker to decry Trump's new plan, which was drafted under the direction of Jared Kushner--the president's son-in-law and senior adviser--and unveiled at the White House with Israeli Prime Benjamin Netanyahu.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), one of Sanders' rivals in the primary race, tweeted Tuesday that "Trump's 'peace plan' is a rubber stamp for annexation and offers no chance for a real Palestinian state."
"Releasing a plan without negotiating with Palestinians isn't diplomacy, it's a sham," Warren added. "I will oppose unilateral annexation in any form--and reverse any policy that supports it."
As Warren noted, Palestinian leaders have not been involved with crafting Trump's deal. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said in a televised address Tuesday: "I say to Trump and Netanyahu: Jerusalem is not for sale, all our rights are not for sale and are not for bargain. And your deal, the conspiracy, will not pass."
After U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled his long-awaited "peace deal" for the Israel-Palestine conflict, Sen. Bernie Sanders condemned the proposal as "unacceptable" and called for an end to Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories.
Sanders (I-Vt.), a top candidate in the Democratic Party's 2020 presidential primary race, responded to Trump's plan in pair of tweets, envisioning a U.S. policy that promotes "a just and durable agreement."
The tweets aligned closely with a statement from the senator's office, in which Sanders said any acceptable deal "must end the Israeli occupation that began in 1967 and enable Palestinian self-determination in an independent, democratic, economically viable state of their own alongside a secure and democratic state of Israel."
Sanders, who would be the first Jewish president, added that "Trump's so-called 'peace deal' doesn't come close, and will only perpetuate the conflict, and undermine the security interests of Americans, Israelis, and Palestinians."
The White House hopeful's comments Tuesday were not the first time Sanders has spoken out in recent months for the Palestinian people. In October 2019, the senator suggested using the billions of dollars in military aid that the United States supplies to Israel each year to pressure Netanyahu's government to end its horrific treatment of Palestinians.
The following month, Sanders was praised by progressives for saying during the Democratic presidential debate that "we must treat the Palestinian people with the respect and dignity they deserve."
Sanders was far from the only lawmaker to decry Trump's new plan, which was drafted under the direction of Jared Kushner--the president's son-in-law and senior adviser--and unveiled at the White House with Israeli Prime Benjamin Netanyahu.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), one of Sanders' rivals in the primary race, tweeted Tuesday that "Trump's 'peace plan' is a rubber stamp for annexation and offers no chance for a real Palestinian state."
"Releasing a plan without negotiating with Palestinians isn't diplomacy, it's a sham," Warren added. "I will oppose unilateral annexation in any form--and reverse any policy that supports it."
As Warren noted, Palestinian leaders have not been involved with crafting Trump's deal. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said in a televised address Tuesday: "I say to Trump and Netanyahu: Jerusalem is not for sale, all our rights are not for sale and are not for bargain. And your deal, the conspiracy, will not pass."