2020 Dems on the Israel resolution at the UN

[Mr. Morden]

According to these stories, Booker and Gillibrand wanted the US to veto the UN resolution that condemned Israel’s settlement building:

http://thehill.com/policy/international/311678-un-passes-resolution-calling-for-end-to-israeli-settlements

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http://www.stljewishlight.com/news/world/article_5dd199bf-8868-51a5-bd45-4075ace2e3d9.html

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Haven’t seen anything from Klobuchar or Warren.  The only comment about them I’ve seen is from this Breitbart article, which lists them as not having commented yet:

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/12/26/senate-democrats-condemn-obama-anti-israel-un-vote/

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[Mr. Morden]

Here's a further comment from Gillibrand after the vote:

http://www.haaretz.com/us-news/1.761705

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[Mr. Morden]

Btw, while I don't think either Sanders or Warren have yet commented on either the UN resolution or Kerry's speech, both of them were among the 8 Senators to boycott Netanyahu's speech before Congress last year:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/26/politics/democrats-missing-netanyahu-whip-list/

[Mr. Morden]

Gillibrand on Kerry:

http://nypost.com/2016/12/29/new-york-democrats-slam-obama-over-israel/

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[Mr. Morden]

The House voted 342-80 to condemn the UN resolution:

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2017/roll011.xml

Republicans overwhelmingly backed it, while Dems were more split, with 109 Dems voting for vs. 76 against.  Gabbard voted against.  So did DNC Chair candidate Ellison, ftr.

There's a similar measure in the Senate, but no vote on it has been scheduled over there.

[Mr. Morden]

Looks like the Senate counterpart of this is being cosponsored by Gillibrand:

https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/5590c8cf-1618-4749-98c4-c182f8a2a7bd/F06947C6440E55CC44C7F88FFC844089.rubioisraelunletter.pdf

[Mr. Morden]

I hope Sherrod Brown was smarter than these Senators.

Brown wanted Obama to veto the UN resolution:

http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Senators-pile-on-pressure-to-stop-Obama-abstention-on-UN-Israel-resolution-476357

[Mr. Morden]

The House voted 342-80 to condemn the UN resolution:

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2017/roll011.xml

Republicans overwhelmingly backed it, while Dems were more split, with 109 Dems voting for vs. 76 against.  Gabbard voted against.  So did DNC Chair candidate Ellison, ftr.

I guess it's also worth noting that Justin Amash, who I still think might end up running for prez in 2020, was one of only four House Republicans to vote no.

[Mr. Morden]

AFAIK, Klobuchar, Sanders, and Warren have still not said a word about the UN resolution.  (Though maybe they did, but I missed it.  If they did, then please post.)

Here are another couple of data points though….There was this letter from Jan. 2015, in which 75 Senators wrote to John Kerry saying that they wouldn’t support foreign aid to the Palestinian Authority until the Obama admin. completes a review of the PA’s joining of the International Criminal Court:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/1/30/1361281/-75-Senators-Sign-Letter-to-Kerry-Defending-Israeli-War-Crimes-Demanding-More-Palestinian-Suffering

Booker, Gillibrand, and Klobuchar all signed, while Sanders and Warren did not.

There’s also this video of Warren “running away” from a question about the Gaza War:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4pTCdYNLo8

And then there’s the infamous 2014 Sanders Town Hall confrontation over Israel:

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=197459.0

[Mr. Morden]

*bump*

Btw, the Senate version of a resolution criticizing the UN over its Israel is still in limbo, with no vote on the Senate floor yet.  Should be noted though that while Booker has been critical of the UN’s action and will presumably support a Senate resolution criticizing them, he did join with the majority of Dems on the Foreign Relations Committee two weeks ago in supporting an amendment to the resolution that would criticize Israeli settlements.  But the GOP majority and 3 Dems on the committee blocked that amendment:

http://jewishinsider.com/10369/sen-udalls-amendment-criticizing-settlements-rejected/

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While the amendment failed, Booker’s still presumably going to support the Senate resolution whenever it comes up for a vote on the Senate floor, since he’s a cosponsor of it.  In fact, 67 Senators are, including 30 Dems:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-resolution/6/cosponsors

Boooker, Brown, Gillibrand, Harris, Klobuchar are all among the co-sponsors, while Sanders and Warren are not.

[Mr. Morden]

*bump* ing this old thread because Sanders spoke at a J Street conference yesterday, in which he praised Obama’s decision to abstain on UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which as far as I know is the first time he’s ever addressed the issue (though if you can find an earlier mention by him, let me know).  He also used the o-word (“occupation”).  Out of curiosity, do any of the other prospective 2020 Dems even say “occupation”, or are they careful to avoid that language?

http://www.haaretz.com/us-news/1.774289

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And then today, Sanders met with Ayman Odeh, the leader of the Joint Arab List in the Knesset:

http://www.haaretz.com/us-news/1.774503