‘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.
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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