7-26-2020 Opinion President Joe Biden Will Have the Palestinians'Back – and Israel's, Too- Joel Rubin Haaretz

https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-president-joe-biden-will-have-the-palestinians-back-and-israel-s-too-1.9022761

Bernie Sanders' Jewish outreach director: From opposing settlements to protecting the right to criticize Israeli policies without fear, the Democratic party platform..For example, the platform makes opposition to Israeli settlements central to its language – the first time ever for any party platform. It condemns unilateral actions by both sides, including annexation -- meaning that for the first time, a party platform explicitly tells Israel to not take such unilateral steps…t also clearly calls for the creation of a "viable" Palestinian state, where Palestinians "should be free to govern themselves." That has not been referenced in a Democratic platform since 2008, and the 2008 platform merely called for a Palestinian state, and only as a result of final-status negotiations. No such caveat exists now. ..And perhaps most significantly, it makes a clear statement about the human worth and value of both Palestinians and Israelis. It's frankly troubling that such a statement had not been included in previous platforms: its inclusion this year is important. Human life on both sides of the conflict is valued as equal. Period....Here, the platform explicitly pledges to "restore U.S.-Palestinian diplomatic ties and critical assistance to the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza, consistent with U.S. law."  One more item should hearten progressives: the language related to Boycotts, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS). This platform allows for "protecting the Constitutional right of our citizens to free speech." Such a nod to progressives is significant, as it makes clear that the Democratic party does not seek to demonize and make speech that is critical of Israel illegal nor even completely off limits.  Every American should be free to criticize Israeli policies without fear of going to jail or being automatically called an anti-Semite...

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