To: Sen. Bernard Sanders (VT-2)
.@BernieSanders: Tell @AIPAC that Settlements are not Israel
Just Foreign Policy
Bernie, please use your bully pulpit to tell AIPAC that Israeli settlements are not Israel & that Israel should stop developing settlements on Palestinian land & should end the blockade of Gaza.
Why is this important?
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee [AIPAC] policy conference is in Washington March 20-22. All presidential candidates are invited. Hillary Clinton is going. [1]
Bernie Sanders can use this opportunity to be a truth-teller to AIPAC. When President Obama's National Security Advisor Susan Rice spoke at AIPAC last year, she told them things that they didn't want to hear: that their demands that Iran cease all enrichment of uranium were unrealistic, and that their demands that the U.S. walk away from negotiations with Iran and increase sanctions on Iran instead were unrealistic. AIPAC didn't like it, but Susan Rice didn't let that stop her from telling the truth. [2]
J Street [3] and Americans for Peace Now [4] have opposed AIPAC's campaign to legitimize Israeli settlements in the West Bank. If J Street can do it, Bernie Sanders can do it too. Bernie has called for a "level playing field" in U.S. policy towards Israel and the Palestinians [5] and has called for Israel to "end the blockade of Gaza, and cease developing settlements on Palestinian land." [6].
Urge Bernie Sanders to tell AIPAC that settlements are not Israel by signing our petition.
References:
1. http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-dem-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/03/hillary-clinton-aipac-220528
2. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/03/02/remarks-prepared-delivery-aipac-annual-meeting-national-security-advisor
3. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/28/aipac-israel-settlements_n_7461038.html
4. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/28/aipac-israel-settlements_n_7461038.html
5. http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Bernie-Sanders-Level-playing-field-needed-in-Israeli-Arab-peace-brokering-447384
6. https://berniesanders.com/issues/war-and-peace/
Bernie Sanders can use this opportunity to be a truth-teller to AIPAC. When President Obama's National Security Advisor Susan Rice spoke at AIPAC last year, she told them things that they didn't want to hear: that their demands that Iran cease all enrichment of uranium were unrealistic, and that their demands that the U.S. walk away from negotiations with Iran and increase sanctions on Iran instead were unrealistic. AIPAC didn't like it, but Susan Rice didn't let that stop her from telling the truth. [2]
J Street [3] and Americans for Peace Now [4] have opposed AIPAC's campaign to legitimize Israeli settlements in the West Bank. If J Street can do it, Bernie Sanders can do it too. Bernie has called for a "level playing field" in U.S. policy towards Israel and the Palestinians [5] and has called for Israel to "end the blockade of Gaza, and cease developing settlements on Palestinian land." [6].
Urge Bernie Sanders to tell AIPAC that settlements are not Israel by signing our petition.
References:
1. http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-dem-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/03/hillary-clinton-aipac-220528
2. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/03/02/remarks-prepared-delivery-aipac-annual-meeting-national-security-advisor
3. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/28/aipac-israel-settlements_n_7461038.html
4. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/28/aipac-israel-settlements_n_7461038.html
5. http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Bernie-Sanders-Level-playing-field-needed-in-Israeli-Arab-peace-brokering-447384
6. https://berniesanders.com/issues/war-and-peace/