Danon slams Sanders: “We will fight against these radical voices"
Sanders suggested military support should be given to Gaza as well as Israel, prompting Danon to question whether he was aware of Israel's 2005 disengagement from the region.
By OMRI NAHMIASDemocratic U.S. presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders announces introduction of public housing legislation as part of the Green New Deal in Washington, U.S. November 14, 2019(photo credit: ERIN SCOTT/REUTERS)
WASHINGTON – Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon slammed presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders on Sunday and rhetorically questioned whether the Vermont senator was unaware of the Israeli disengagement from Gaza in 2005.Danon went after Sanders while speaking at the annual Zionist Organization of America gala in New York, saying that Sanders undermined “the security of both Israel and the US by questioning their relationship at the J Street conference.” Sanders recently suggested that if elected, he would condition military aid to Israel to force the government to change its policies.“After implying that it is Israel that refuses to negotiate with the Palestinians, he went on to blame Israel for the situation in Gaza,” said the ambassador in an unusual criticism from Israeli diplomat. “Perhaps Mr. Sanders didn’t hear about Israel leaving Gaza in 2005? Maybe he hasn’t had the chance to visit the Kerem Shalom crossing where hundreds of trucks pass daily to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza? Maybe he doesn’t know about the terror tunnels?”He said that the Vermont senator would have benefited from joining the trips he takes UN ambassadors to Israel, to see the reality of Israel today and truly understand the situation.“Mr. Sanders, a few months on a kibbutz in 1963 can only teach you so much,” Danon added in a barb to the Democratic hopeful, who volunteered at Sha’ar Ha’amakim in northern Israel.“[Sanders] went on to claim that military support to Israel should be conditioned and that some of the support should be given to Gaza. You heard correctly; he thinks that military support should be diverted from Israel to Gaza – or, in other words – to Hamas,” Danon continued. “He is suggesting to give less military assistance to the US’s most important ally in the Middle East in order to give it to Hamas, a terrorist organization that celebrated the tragedy of 9/11.“Let me assure you, my friends, we will never let that happen,” Danon concluded. “We will fight against these radical voices. We will continue to strengthen the Iron Wall. We will continue to make Israel thrive as it does today.”
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