Why the @BernieSanders piece in @JewishCurrents is so important (a thread): For >20 years, the US has unconditionally supported the Israeli gov as it has made the occupation permanent. Despite some reprimands here and there, Obama’s policies were in line with this approach.

The rationale, echoed by politicians on both sides of the aisle, has sounded something like this: in order to keep Jews and Israel safe, there must be no daylight between Israel and the US. Anyone who critiques the Israeli gov is thus antisemitic and deserves to be discredited.

This strategy has had a number of consequences: redlining in the American Jewish community, mass disidentification among young Jews who only see Jewish leaders on the wrong side of history, and above all, the contd bankrolling of policies which rob Palestinians of their freedom.

For the first time in >20 years, progressive leaders are challenging this approach. @BettyMcCollum04 , @RashidaTlaib , @Ilhan , and @AOC have opened up the conversation by stating the plain and simple fact that US taxpayer $$ should not be funding child detention + home demolitions.

But in order to change US support for the occupation, we can’t only challenge the policies; we must totally undermine the rationale. We need a movement of Jews rejecting the notion that our safety is dependent on the oppression of others.

Along with so many others, @BernieSanders is leading the way. We have a historic opportunity ahead: to make maintaining the occupation as costly as it is for Palestinians who live under it. They will paint us as antisemites and self-hating Jews. But I believe that we will win.

If you haven’t read it yet, here’s the link: