Jewish Democrat calls out Bernie Sanders over opposition to Israel aid: 'Now do antisemitism'
A Jewish Democrat in the House called out Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., after he claimed it was a "dark day" following the passage of a foreign aid package that included billions of dollars for U.S. ally Israel, which is embroiled in a war with terrorist group Hamas in Gaza.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., took to X this week to scrutinize Sanders for his statement on his amendments to restore United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) funding and to end "unfettered" aid to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which were both blocked from consideration prior to a vote on the package.
"It is a dark day for democracy when the Senate will not even allow a vote on whether U.S. taxpayer dollars should fund Netanyahu’s war against the Palestinian people," Sanders wrote on X.
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Moskowitz responded in his own post, writing, "Bernie, now do AntiSemitism. Why so quiet?"
Both Moskowitz and Sanders are Jewish and each are members of the Democratic caucuses in the House and Senate, despite Sanders' status as an Independent.
Sanders did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication.
After Moskowitz's criticism, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., came to the senator's defense: "Sen. Sanders’ family was killed in the Holocaust. He dedicates his every moment to realizing tikkun olam. His commitment to protecting innocents in Gaza stems FROM his Jewish values," she wrote to her fellow Democratic representative. "He and many other Jewish leaders deserve better than to be treated this way. This is shameful."
The Florida Democrat hit back at Ocasio-Cortez, writing, "My family was also killed in the Holocaust. In Germany and in Poland. My grandmother was in the kinder-transport."
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"They also instilled values in me. It’s why I voted for aid to Israel and for aid to Gaza," he said.
He also slammed the New York congresswoman for responding to him over the internet, adding, "We see each other at work, we are both better than doing this here."
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Moskowitz's question to Sanders on antisemitism comes as anti-Israel demonstrations spread across U.S. college campuses, several involving alleged incidents of threats and intimidation of Jewish students.
Sanders, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), refused to say whether he would consider holding hearings over antisemitism on college campuses when prompted several times by Fox News Digital.
He was urged to do so by his counterpart, HELP committee ranking member Bill Cassidy, R-La., in the wake of the encampments persisting on campuses nationwide.
Moskowitz's office did not provide additional comment on Sanders' refusal to say whether he would consider hearings in his capacity as HELP chairman.