Bernie Sanders has been repeatedly uttering the phrase “Israel has a right to defend itself” on his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour with Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, which in the year 2025 can only be interpreted as genocide apologia.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders at a “Fight Oligarchy” rally at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona, in March. (Gage Skidmore/ Flickr/ CC BY-SA 2.0)
By Caitlin Johnstone
CaitlinJohnstone.com.au
Listen to Tim Foley reading this article.
Bernie Sanders has been repeatedly uttering the phrase “Israel has a right to defend itself” on his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour with Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, which in the year 2025 can only be interpreted as blatant genocide apologia.
Israel does not have “a right to defend itself” against an occupied population in a giant concentration camp. Under international law it has a right to end the occupation, and that’s it. “Israel has a right to defend itself” is just a slogan people say when they want to justify supplying an ongoing genocide.
At one point in the tour Sanders stood passively watching as police dragged off rally attendees who draped a Free Palestine flag over the US flag during his speech. He just awkwardly continued monologuing as their flag was confiscated and they were forcibly removed, even as the crowd booed and eventually began chanting “Free Palestine”.
at his rally today in LA Bernie Sanders once again repeated the same old genocidal Zionist hasbara “Israel has the right to defend itself” line. He is doing this 18 months into a genocide that he refuses to recognize. He is an irredeemable moral monster. An utterly depraved freak pic.twitter.com/Wg6xqqx5Ar
— ??? (@zei_squirrel) April 13, 2025
Sanders has been mixing his support for Israel in with periodic criticisms of Netanyahu and the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza, always taking care to make his criticisms about the behavior of Israel’s current leadership and not the nature of the racist apartheid state itself.
Sanders is doing this for two reasons. Firstly, he is working to galvanize a big tent inclusive coalition of Democrats in opposition to Trump, and he wants that big tent to include people who think genocide is bad and people who think genocide is fine. He doesn’t want to offend the pro-genocide liberals.
Secondly, Sanders is doing this because he himself is a Zionist. Like other liberal Zionists, Bernie Sanders upholds a vision of an Israel that has never, ever existed: one which remains an ethnostate dominated by Jews, but which conducts itself in a kind and just manner, without constantly murdering and abusing Palestinians.
This iteration of the state of Israel is a fiction. An imaginary fantasyland, like Narnia. Everything about Israel is stacked against the possibility of such a status quo ever emerging, and Israel has always done everything it can to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state.
By pretending it is possible to have the Zionist entity and also have peace and justice, liberal Zionists help manufacture public consent for continuing to feed weapons to the genocidal apartheid state of Israel.
When liberal Zionists want to support Israel’s actions, they talk about Israel as a nation, e.g. “Israel has a right to defend itself.” When liberal Zionists want to criticize Israel’s actions, they make it all about Netanyahu, e.g. “Netanyahu’s war machine.”
some anti-genocide people unfurled a Free Palestine flag behind Bernie Sanders at his rally just now and police thugs arrested them as Bernie Sanders looked on and let it happen without saying a word. A minute earlier Sanders said “Israel has the right to defend itself” and… pic.twitter.com/YSecTWCYUX
— ??? (@zei_squirrel) April 15, 2025
The framing is that when Israel deserves our sympathy it’s a collective, but when Israel is naughty the responsibility lies solely at the feet of one bad apple. This ensures that the weapons can keep flowing to Israel (because Israel as a whole is virtuous and worthy of support) while the liberal Zionist still gets to wear their progressive humanitarian clothing (because they wagged their fingers at Netanyahu).
And it’s just a complete and utter lie. Netanyahu didn’t create Israel’s genocidal tendencies, Israel’s genocidal tendencies created Netanyahu. His entire political career has been made possible by Israel’s collective racism and psychopathy upon which he rode into office.
This is nothing other than the classic Obama-style tactic of using attractive progressivish language to advance the most destructive agendas of the US empire.
In other words, it’s Democrats being Democrats.
History will condemn this genocide and all who took part in it, directly, though support, or through complacency. An enormous and indelible crime has been and continues to be committed. The incomprehensible evil of this moment will be written out in black and white forever. pic.twitter.com/BZKf0df7gy
— Clare Daly (@ClareDalyIRL) April 15, 2025
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This article is from CaitlinJohnstone.com.au and re-published with permission.
The views expressed are solely those of the author and may or may not reflect those of Consortium News.
“When liberal Zionists want to support Israel as a nation,. . . . .”
You are so right!
Your effort here is a splendid reveal of reality.
Short and to the point, a brutal telling of the truth about Israel and Zionists, extremely deceptive and obviously blood thirsty.
“WEAK-Ends w/Bernie;” &, his “daughter,” Sandy “AOC” Cortez. “It’s a joke!” Bernie says. Clarifying his, imo, patronizing “joke,” showered w/PDA, i.e., “$he’s a political a$$et.” (My words. NOT, $anders). “Sandy” ‘AOC’ Cortez laughs. The crowd “R O A R S!!!”
…… “Utah! Arizona! Denver! L.A.! Idaho, “Make Some Noise!!!” And, “UTAH” Calls It: “Free, Palestine! Free! Free!! Free, Palestine!!! Draping “a Free Palestine flag over the US flag;” AND, exposed that “Independent’s, hot-air factory, from Vermont, who caucuses w/the Democrats, impotence! Bernie goes Biden, “FREEZES!” Meanwhile, *“Everybody’s SHOUTING, “Whose side are you on?”
…… And, that “Independent, hot-air factory, from Vermont, who caucuses w/the Democrats, “blows” full MAGA, *[The Butcher], “Israel has a right to defend itself.” Says, Bernie; And, the citizen “being dragged off,” has none! Neither the Independent or the Democrat Sociali$t will defend and/or protect Him/Her/U.S.
Awh, the rancid, smell of “joy” rising outta Bernie’s & AOC’s “Fighting Oligarchy” Tour is f/toxic! No doubt, Everybody “Feels The BERN!!!” OUCH!!! Concluding, Bernie’s & Sandy “AOC’s” Cortez’ Democratic $ocialism mixed w/enthusiasm is LETHAL!!! “Hence, I have no mercy or compassion in me for a society that will crush people, and then penalize them for not being able to stand up under the weight.” Malcolm X
…… “Anyone who’s been paying the slightest attention to American politics since the 60s, knows that when the Democrats say “fight” it’s only metaphorical. Unless they’re sending you to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Lebanon, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, Grenada, Afghanistan, Somalia, Serbia, Iraq, Libya, [Yemen, Pakistan, Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, the West Bank of Jordan], “in which case you’d better kill son and when you’ve killed your quota it won’t be called “fighting” but a “police action.” Jeffrey St. Clair @ “Scene of The Crimes.”
“Many people,” are saying, Bernie’s “revolution” is dyspeptic. Basically, Bernie’s “Fighting Oligarchy Tour,”aka Sequel to Bernie’s Faux Revolution is a $ocial movement quickly turning into a bowel movement. “Not, Good! Buhlieve, Me. Not, Good!!! In the words of Tim Foley & Caitlin Johnstone, “it’s Democrats being Democrats.” No doubt, The Butcher, The Bankers, The “Haymakers,” a DUO, Bernie/AOC, rock’n The Duopoly’s Democracy packed w/Hypocrisy. Memo To: Bernie Sanders & Sandy “AOC” Cortez, “Put a sock in it!” TY.
“Shout-Out! To CLARE DALY for rock’n the truth; EVERY DAY of the Week!”
TY, Caitlin Johnstone, Tim Foley, CN, & Clare Daly!!! “Pray for Gaza. They cannot scare us!!! OR, Stop the Music.” Beautiful Strangers by Kevin Morby @ hxxps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mgsc_VyQ2PI
* Desolation Row by Bob Dylan
* The Butcher – IMO.
Keep It Lit! TY.
How many of those touting Israel’s right to ‘defend’ itself supported the right of Grenada, Panama, Vietnam, Afghanistan or Iraq, to mention but a few, to defend themselves against US invasions?
Bulls Eye!
The typical Zionist – NEOCON position. Standing pat on their murderous policies, the remainder of the world be damned.
Defending ones self now means having the right to murder innocents at will. No questions asked.
I do not and never will understand what these people think or what those who allow this B.S. think. Sub-human mongrels, IMHO, absent any redeeming attributes.
Bernie, you have no idea what you’re talking about.
Someone who who irrefutably does know what she is talking about
is international law expert
Francesca Albanese
(obviously speaking from her home in Italy):
‘Israel does exist.
Israel is a recognised member of the United Nations.
Besides this, there is not such a thing in international law like a right of a state to exist.
Does Italy have a right to exist?
Italy exists.
Now, if tomorrow, Italy and France want to merge and become Ita-France, fine, this is not up to us.
What is enshrined in international law is the right of a people to exist.
So, the state is there.
The state of Israel is there.
It’s protected as a member of the United Nations.
Does this justify the erasure of another people?
Hell, no.
Not 75 years ago.
Not 57 years ago.
Surely not today.
Where is the protection of the Palestinian people from erasure, from annexation, from illegal occupation and apartheid?
This is what we need to discuss.’
[Nov 2024 at hxxps://x.com/Palestine001_/status/1910245506644582789] [Link unavailable — CN]
In an interview Mark Curtis [Declassified UK, February 8, 2025] asked Francesca Albanese about the current state of international law:
“Has the international system been set up to fail?”
Albanese replied, without a nanosecond’s hesitation:
“Yes, and it’s already failing.
“Israel has definitely created or has introduced us brutally, violently to a world without civilians where everything is killed everything is targetable everyone is killable, everything is destroyable and without evidence without justification without respect for the principle of Distinction proportionalities precautions which are the basic tenets of modern post-World War II international law.”
hxxps://znetwork.org/zvideo/francesca-albanese-keir-starmer-must-be-investigated-over-gaza-genocide/
The propaganda surrounding the quest by the state of Israel to slaughter Palestinians – via “the right to defends itself” etc – has largely been successful; for this lie has permeated most of the media and the mindset of politicians from most countries when they try to avoid questions regarding the ongoing genocide.
Sanders, like most politicians in my native Australia need to educate themselves regarding the international laws pertaining to the wholesale slaughter of Palestinians.
There is no better equipped source for this than Albanese; about time those with the authority to do something took heed of her words.
Sanders knows full well what he’s talking about: “Defend Palestine and I’ll set the cops on you.”
Regarding South Africa’s apartheid, Johnny Clegg sang, “We are the prisoners of the prisoners we have taken.”
With each Palestinian murder the Zionist kill a little more of themselves.
Thanks again, Caitlin, for pointing out the hypocrisy of these lying SOS apologists. It’s maddening to see how many people gather at their empty-of-meaningful-action rallies. They could have stood up when the criminal Dems “stole” two primaries from the most popular candidate, but they rolled over and supported the criminals.
Bernie also fights for the F-35A bombers to remain in his state, controversial as they are.
Notice what the mega-donors that make every decision in the Democratic Party are desperately doing. Trying hard to make sure that the entire base of the Democratic Party, at least the part that still has a functioning soul, does not cut loose and depart completely from this corrupt, oligarch-controlled, anti-democracy party.
The most obvious thing in the world is that it is finally time for the Progressives to completely cut all ties with the far-right wing genocidal “centrists” and their party of the oligarchs, by the oligarchs, and for the oligarchs.
The mega-donors, and these two painted puppets, are scared to death that you will leave the Democratic Party forever …. so what are you waiting for?
Now is the time to run like heck from the Democratic Party. It can not get any worse. And, you will find, that when you begin to fight and resist on your own, that this gives you both hope and strength. Time to Go!
And Palestinians too HAVE A RIGHT to defend themselves against this jewish genocide.
Anyone who claims to be a socialist believes that the oppressed always have a right to resistance.
Bernie Sanders is a Millionaire that claims to be a socialist. But, on this issue, like others, he is pure Millionaire. It is the Millionaires who say that resistance is criminal. And its a Millionaire who will try to re-direct your resistance into futile dead-end alleys.
Don’t follow leaders. Don’t get mad … organize!
Organize locally, in person, off the internet and phones. But, definitely organize.
Caitlin nails it again: the hypocrisy of the Genocide Light crowd. The D/R uniparty are both complicit in the Genocide, and AOC and Sanders tell us to vote D. when they should renounce the D party and vow never to support the D/R status quo ever again. The hypocrisy is eyeball deep, as usual. Recall that they both supported Genocide Joe. Now the DT2 regime is doing the exact same thing.
These two should be telling us that the US has no democracy and “voting” for Ds and Rs is a vote for war, genocide, corruption and kleptocracy. The Orange Idiot is threatening to deport US citizens who criticize Israel and US policy. He is bombing Yemen, still supporting Ukraine, signed off on continuing sanctions on Russia and others (economic warfare), more tariffs on China (economic warfare). Now Iran is threatened with being bombed into the Stone Age by the DT2regime. And the gullible dupes who actually believe that he is for “peace” and “free speech” still make pathetic excuses for the senile, drug-addled idiot emperor.
Sanders, and now AOC, are the “sheepdogs” of the DNC. They do the same dog-and-pony show every time: they pander to the disgruntled D candidate, then tell them to “hold their nose” and vote for Genocide.
Recall when Sanders ran against HRC back in 2015/16, when he said that he would NOT run against the D nominee as an independent. Bruce Dixon and the good folks at the Black Agenda Report called BS on Bernie: He’s Sheepdogging for the DNC.
So go ahead and “vote” for D/R genocide. Giving 10s of billions to arm, enable and fund The Genocide of Palestine (while millions of US folks go without basic necessities) is considered very “patriotic” in the USA.
Right you are but… amurika has never been democracy.
Oh thank you, BM. That is so, so helpful.
In a kinder, gentler and more rational time, Bernie Sanders would be a great candidate. In the current situation, as Ms. Johnstone correctly says, he is just an apologist for horror. Based on this foundation, the DP coalition he wants to build, one that offers only more of “Look at the other guy..,” is not worth joining.