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Press – Press Release – Dem Platform – 20160610

Anti-Israel Voices in Democratic Party Platform Process

Today the Republican Jewish Coalition released the following statement regarding troubling divisions that have emerged over Israel in the Democratic platform process.

Executive director Matt Brooks said:

“Israel must always be a bi-partisan issue and sadly we’ve recently seen that historic bond between Israel and the Democratic party erode and weaken. Progressive anti-Israel Democrats are doing everything they can to destroy the pro-Israel consensus that has existed for the past sixty years. Sadly, today’s Democratic Party is not the Democratic Party of our Parents and Grandparents when it comes to being there for Israel.

These Democrats are attempting to hijack their own platform process and insert language that is unabashedly anti-Israel, effectively undermining official Democratic support for Israel, our closest Middle East ally. All of this comes on the heels of the process in 2012 where committee members shouted down platform officials for inserting pro-Israel language in the Democratic platform.

This most recent push – championed by ardent anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian figures like James Zogby, Cornel West and Congressman Keith Ellison – is just the latest manifestation of a dangerous trend away from support of Israel within Democratic politics. A recent Pew poll found for the first time in 15 years liberal Democrats side with the Palestinians over Israelis. Even Senator Sanders, a leading candidate for the Democratic nomination, has been evasive on the issue of Israel. These pro-Palestinian Democrats are also pro-Sanders voters.

As the presumptive Democratic nominee, it is up to Secretary Clinton to maintain the bi-partisan consensus on Israel and to do so she must hold people like Senator Sanders accountable on the issue and denounce anti-Israel voices in her party like James Zogby, Cornel West and Congressman Ellison.”

Radical Democrat Cornel West

Radical Democrat James Zogby

Radical Democrat Keith Ellison