Warren Endorses Ending the “Occupation”

Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren gave voters a sampling of her foreign policy views this week, as she came out in favor of ending the Israeli “occupation” in Yehudah and Shomron.

While campaigning in New Hampshire this week, the Massachusetts senator who, like her Democratic rivals, has been focusing on domestic issues, was asked about the Middle East by a member of the IfNotNow Jewish “anti-occupation movement.”

“Hi, we are American Jews and we really love the way that you are fighting corruption and we would really love it if you also push the Israeli government to end the occupation,” activist Becca Lubow told Warren in an exchange to be posted on social media.

“Yes, yes,” Warren said.

“Excellent,” Lubow said.

“So, I’m there,” Warren said.

Warren has been generally supportive of Israel and the Jewish communities in Boston, but was critical of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s recent pledge to extend sovereignty to the Jewish population blocs in Yehudah and Shomron in April.

In response, the Republican Jewish Coalition “condemned” Warren’s comments, in a statement accusing her of having “aligned herself with the rapidly growing left-wing anti-Israel base of her party” and predicted that “her comments will not win her points with voters who support a strong and secure Israel and a stable Middle East.”

IfNotNow dismissed the RJC statements, tweeting that “RJC is a fringe organization, openly backing the pro-settler, pro-annexation Trump administration while providing cover for those inciting some of the worst anti-Semitic violence in U.S. history. There is no reason for any Democratic candidate to ever listen to them.”