Anonymous asked: "bernie sanders supports israel, do you think everything else he does outweighs that?"

girl-sweat:

biculturalist-deactivated201612:

Yeah I know. Bernie supports Israel and he’s even justified Israel’s attack on Gaza last summer by blaming Palestinians. Even though I don’t like that at all I still agree with him on many, many other issues that I need to consider deeply as well. Also compared to all the other bigoted candidates (Hillary), Bernie still offers the best results. 

But let’s analyze his policy on Palestine since it’s more complicated than what people usually believe. If there’s any misinformation here then anyone is free to correct me.

He has been rated “+2″ by the Arab American Institute, indicating a pro-Arab pro-Palestine voting record. Here’s what it is in detail (I bolded the legislation that deal directly with Palestine):

“The Arab American Institute has compiled a Scorecard to catalogue the voting record of the 112th Congress on issues of importance to the Arab American community. Though not comprehensive, we have attempted to provide a snapshot of legislation concerning many of the primary issues concerning Arab Americans. For the Senate, we have included 10 items: two bills on the Arab Spring, three on Palestine, one on Lebanon, one regarding civil liberties, and two for immigration reform.

+ = Bernie Supported

- = Bernie Voted Against

1. S. Res. 44: (+) calls on former President Hosni Mubarak to immediately begin a peaceful transition to a democratic political system
2. S. Res. 109: (+) honoring and supporting women in North Africa and the Middle East
3. S. Res. 138: (-) calling on the United Nations to rescind the Goldstone report, formally known as the UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, which accused the Israeli government of targeting Palestinian civilians.
4. S. Res. 185: (-) reaffirming the commitment of the US to a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and calling for a US veto of any UN resolution on Palestinian statehood without a settlement.
5. S. Con. Res. 23: (-) supporting Israel in maintaining defensible borders, and against Israel returning to the armistice lines that existed on June 4, 1967
6. S. 558: (+) the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act, to limit the use of cluster munitions in areas normally inhabited by civilians.
7. S. 1125: (+) greater judicial review of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), and greater protections to individuals being monitored or gag-ordered by the FBI.
8. S.1038, the PATRIOT Sunsets Extension Act, in opposition of PATRIOT Act extension.
9. S. 723: (-) The Birthright Citizenship Act, limiting citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants born in the US.
10. S. 952: (+) the DREAM Act, allowing undocumented minors to become US citizens, provided they meet certain conditions, including good moral character”

(source)

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So basically this is what it is:

-Bernie maintains that Israel shouldn’t solidify its illegal occupation of large swaths of Palestinian land through its argument of “defensible” borders (good)

-He wants to pull back the UN’s investigation on Israel’s human rights abuses (shitty)

-Bernie voted against a resolution which said Israel shouldn’t return to its 1967 borders (which would then give the West Bank to Palestine) because that would be a national security threat. So this means he may support the consideration of Israel to retreat much of its current illegitimate borders (good).

-He wants to allow Palestine to explore the possibility of achieving statehood outside of forced recognition of Israel or a two-state solution, and he doesn’t support a strictly two-state solution either (good-ish, depending on why he doesn’t want a two-state solution)

-He wants to stop US aid towards Israeli cluster bombs if they’re used to target civilian areas in Palestine (good)

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Bernie also wants to tighten funding on the US defense budget which could have positive implications for the foreign aid it sends to oppressive governments in the name of “national security.” But his plan here isn’t entirely defined yet (to my knowledge).

So overall, Bernie supports Israel but if you look at the details he’s also not an unequivocal staunch supporter of the state. Compounding that with a lot of what he aims for in the economic and social policy spheres, he’s still America’s best bet and he’s got my vote.

Don’t think I’m excusing Bernie and his support of shitty Israel. I’m just trying to deliver some facts.

Also, let’s try to remember that Bernie Sanders is Jewish and would be the first Jewish president. For many modern Jews, the issues of Israel is a tough one, it’s too close to our hearts to think completely logically sometimes. Yes, he is a politician, but he is also a Jew. His parents came to America to escape the holocaust. We need to try to understand the complexities of the modern Jewish identity when it comes to Israeli politics.