The problem with Bernie Sanders’s ‘it is genocide’ admission
www.aljazeera.com
The US senator recognises the genocide of the Palestinian people but ends up blaming them for it.

History will judge us for whether we could see genocide for what it is, without asterisks, without exceptions, without the comfortable lies that let the powerful sleep while children starve to death or get torn to pieces. If we fail to grasp this fundamental truth, we do not just fail Palestinians. We fail every occupied, colonised, and oppressed people who might one day be told their resistance justifies their extermination.

  • dreadbeef@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    32·
    3 days ago

    Exactly what the left wants is him saying “It is a genocide, and while unspeakable violence occured on Oct 7, it does not justify the response on Oct 8”. What does bernie think about oct 8? We know his opinion on Oct 7.

    Norman Finkelstein has the correct opinion on Gaza and Palestine. Anything less than his is ultimately appealing to Israel. Sanders’ word choice falls short of Normans consistently whenever Bernie speaks on the subject, unfortunately. He is very centrist and both-sides compared to Norman.

    I wish he didn’t care so much about upsetting right wingers and the other pro Israel people in his state when he speaks about Gaza and Israel.

    • ozymandias@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      31·
      3 days ago

      nowhere in the Article does it say what Sanders said. It is 100% a response to what he might have said.
      The controlled opposition tactic right now is extreme criticism and attacking the only people on your side for not being on your side enough.
      “Israel has a right to defend itself” is an Israeli slogan and a truism.
      if anyone criticizes Israel’s genocide, the propaganda response is always, always “Israel has a right to defend itself” and “you’re pro-hamas, therefore pro-terrorism”… so the only way to avoid that is to address it.
      Everything has a right to defend itself, but Israel is not defending itself by waging genocide on palestine for decades…
      this whole editorial is about the “israel has a right to defend itself” slogan and nothing about what Sanders actually said.
      also, in you like Norm Finklestein, he makes a cameo in this Rap News about Israel v Palestine (note the date)

      • dreadbeef@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        21·
        3 days ago

        https://youtu.be/SjtUmEazykc

        In the same breath he wants to stop giving israel arms he said they had a right to commit the genocide that has been happening for decades.

        This is the left critique: He is both sidesing genocide, when he should have always been on the side of the palestinians, even on october 8. This is what leftists want out of Sanders and why he is criticized. Its a very moderate opinion, and nowhere near as biting as the lives of Palestinians demands, and way too late.

        Its vermont. Vermont voters are rich old white israeli symathizing democrats. He represents them in the senate. Its not hard at all to understand why he says the things he does. He literally is just doing his job at representing his constituancy. It just sucks he cares more about them than palestinians but at least hes honest about his work. Its why he has his immigration stances since forever. American lives > non americans because his job is to represent tax-paying americans.