US Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders slams Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, condemning the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
In a foreign policy speech in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Monday, the Vermont senator said Israel’s settlement constructions in the West Bank undermine the peace process.
Sanders was the only presidential candidate to skip the annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the most powerful pro-Israel lobbying group in Washington.
The Vermont senator called for an end to Israel’s siege on the Gaza Strip, which has created a dire economic situation in the enclave.
“We are obligated to speak the truth as we see it. This is what real friendship demands, especially in difficult times,” Sanders said, according to a prepared text of his remarks provided by his campaign.
“To be successful, we have to be a friend not only to Israel, but to the…