CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - OCTOBER 22: U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) waves as he walks on stage at NHTI Concord Community College on October 22, 2024 in Concord, New Hampshire. The visit was to highlight the Biden-Harris administration's goal of lowering the cost of prescription drugs. (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images) ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 28: Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at McCamish Pavilion on October 28, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. Trump is expected to continue visiting battleground states through the week leading up to the Nov. 5th election. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - OCTOBER 22: U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) waves as he walks on stage at NHTI Concord Community College on October 22, 2024 in Concord, New Hampshire. The visit was to highlight the Biden-Harris administration's goal of lowering the cost of prescription drugs. (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images) CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE - OCTOBER 22: U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) waves as he walks on stage at NHTI Concord Community College on October 22, 2024 in Concord, New Hampshire. The visit was to highlight the Biden-Harris administration's goal of lowering the cost of prescription drugs. (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images)
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‘Donald Trump and his right wing friends are worse:’ Senator Bernie Sanders endorses Kamala Harris despite differences about Gaza

Senator Bernie Sanders, who has fiercely advocated for the welfare of Palestinians, endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential election.

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In a video posted on his official YouTube channel, Sanders reiterated his position regarding Israel. He states that Israel “did not have the right to wage an all-out war against the Palestinian people.” Israel had the right to defend itself after October 7th, not to start a war. He further states that Israel did not have the right to bomb civilian infrastructure, including housing, healthcare, and universities. He also accused Israel of causing starvation among Palestinians by blocking humanitarian aid.

Sanders then argued that Trump is the worst-case candidate for Palestinian welfare. He says, “Even on this issue, Trump and his right-wing friends are worse.” He recalled how Republicans worked tirelessly to block humanitarian aid for children in Gaza. He also brought back Trump’s praise of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Additionally, Sanders states that Trump suggested that the Gaza Strip would make “excellent beachfront property” for development. Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, suggested that the Gaza Strip would be valuable waterfront property. Kushner was also a senior foreign policy advisor to Trump.

For this election, Sanders is willing to put aside differences and negotiate once Kamala Harris wins office. He sees a higher likelihood of changing US policy with Harris compared to Trump. He promises that after she wins, they will “do everything we can to change US policy toward Netanyahu.” This is a consistent stance from Sanders, who has condemned the US’ invitation of Netanyahu to the US Congress.

Gaza is important, but so is American welfare

This isn’t a black-and-white issue, and Sanders brought up what else is at stake. Should Trump win, Sanders reminded voters that women will lose their bodily autonomy. He points out that the fight against climate change will be lost because Trump doesn’t believe in it. For those who are concerned with wealth inequality, Sanders reminds them that Trump is likely to give more tax cuts to the rich. All this while the working class lives with what Senator Sanders calls “starvation wages.”

JD Vance and Donald Trump have consistently campaigned against abortion. Trump believes that climate change is a hoax, while his staunchest supporters think that Democrats can “control” the weather. Trump touted the elimination of income tax in place of high tariffs against foreign goods. That idea will place a significant burden on low- and middle-class households, as prices of groceries and other consumer goods may increase. A Trump win isn’t just detrimental for Palestinians, but for Americans as a whole.


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Vanessa Esguerra
Vanessa Esguerra (She/They) has been a Contributing Writer for The Mary Sue since 2023. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy, she (happily) rejected law school in 2021 and has been a full-time content writer since. Vanessa is currently taking her Master's degree in Japanese Studies in hopes of deepening her understanding of the country's media culture in relation to pop culture, women, and queer people like herself. She speaks three languages but still manages to get lost in the subways of Tokyo with her clunky Japanese. Fueled by iced coffee brewed from local cafés in Metro Manila, she also regularly covers anime and video games while queuing for her next match in League of Legends.