Key Democrats are pushing back against progressives who are criticizing the treatment of Palestinians by the Israeli government in the face of what some lawmakers worry could become President Biden’s first foreign policy crisis.
At the furthest end of the spectrum of critics is Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who on Monday called Israeli air strikes that killed civilians in Gaza “an act of terrorism.”
Other progressives, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), have condemned Israel’s plans to evict Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem, which are under review by Israel’s Supreme Court.
Israel’s strongest allies in the Senate Democratic caucus are pushing back against the criticism, arguing that Israel has its own process for determining the legality of the proposed evictions and is absolutely justified in responding with force against rocket attacks from Hamas.
“Israel is a country of law. I have confidence in their judicial system so let’s let their judicial system play this out,” said Sen. Ben Cardin (Md.), the second-ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee.
Cardin has called for both Israel and the Palestinian Authority and Hamas not to “take unilateral action” but argued “Israel has to defend itself.”
Read more at The Hill.
{Matzav.com}
Bernie Sanders is a rasha mirusha!