Netanyahu Fires Back at Sanders After Racism Accusation: ‘He is Wrong’

JERUSALEM, Israel – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted Democratic presidential frontrunner Bernie Sanders (I-VT) after he called Netanyahu a “reactionary racist” during Tuesday’s primary debate.

“What I think about this issue is that he is of course wrong, no question,” Netanyahu told Army Radio on Wednesday before adding that he is “not intervening in US elections.”

When asked how Netanyahu would respond if Sanders wins the presidency this year, the premier said he would stand up to Sanders as he has done with past US leaders.

Sanders drew international attention Tuesday when he said he would consider moving the United States embassy in Jerusalem back to Tel Aviv if elected president.

The candidate also swore off going to this year’s American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference after accusing the organization of promoting “bigotry” and opposition to “basic Palestinian rights.”

“I remain concerned about the platform AIPAC provides for leaders who express bigotry and oppose basic Palestinian rights. For that reason I will not attend their conference. As president, I will support the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians and do everything possible to bring peace and security to the region,” Sanders wrote on Twitter.

AIPAC responded calling Sanders’ comments “truly shameful.”

“Senator Sanders has never attended our conference and that is evident from his outrageous comment. In fact, many of his own Senate and House Democratic colleagues and leaders speak from our platform to the over 18,000 Americans from widely diverse background – Democrats, Republicans, Jews, Christians, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, progressives, Veterans, students, members of the LGBTQ+ community – who participate in the conference to proclaim their support for the U.S.-Israel relationship,” the statement said.

Sanders, who is Jewish and lived in Israel for several months in his twenties, also drew ire last October when he said he will consider cutting American aid to Israel to force the nation to cut back on building settlement communities and negotiate peace with Palestinian leaders.

“I would use the leverage of $3.8 billion,” he said. “It is a lot of money, and we cannot give it carte blanche to the Israeli government, or for that matter to any government at all. We have a right to demand respect for human rights and democracy.”