Breitbart, here. Giving quotes, Sanders tweeted:
The Israeli people have the right to live in peace and security. So do the Palestinian people. I remain concerned about the platform AIPAC provides for leaders who express bigotry and oppose basic Palestinian rights. For that reason I will not attend their conference.
As president, I will support the right of both Israelis and Palestinians and do everything possible to bring peace and security to the region.
People living together is not a bad goal, and balance is needed to assure such an outcome.
AIPAC response, per Breitbart:
Senator Sanders has never attended our conference and that is evident from his outrageous comment. In fact, many of his own Senate and House Democratic colleagues and leaders speak from our platform to the over 18,000 Americans from widely diverse backgrounds — Democrats, Republicans, Jews, Christians, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, progressives, Veterans, students, members of the LGBTQ+ community — who participate in the conference to proclaim their support for the U.S.-Israel relationship.
By engaging in such an odious attack on this mainstream, bipartisan American political event, Senator Sanders is insulting his very own colleagues and the millions of Americans who stand with Israel. Truly shameful.
Let's parse that - outrageous, odious, shameful of Bernie to be in any way critical of what Bernie calls a "platform AIPAC provides for leaders who express bigotry and oppose basic Palestinian rights," and which AIPAC in desceribing itself calls a,"mainstream, bipartisan American political event." So, where is truth about AIPAC's scrupulous participation in bipartisanship?
Scruples? Bipartisan? Image source: https://event.aipac.org/policyconference |
While opinions can differ, it sure looks and smells to me going into the AIPAC confab next month like a "platform AIPAC provides for leaders who express bigotry and oppose basic Palestinian rights." You have to say, Mike Pence is Mike Pence, and having him as featured speaker is not shunning bias. What's it look and smell like to you? In an election year?