Will Elizabeth Warren Keep Her Promise to “End the Occupation”?
Once a hawkish supporter of Israel, Elizabeth Warren has recently adopted a more balanced stance. That's undoubtedly a good thing — but she’ll have to go much further to truly support Palestinian rights.
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks during the AARP and The Des Moines Register Iowa Presidential Candidate Forum on July 19, 2019 in Sioux City, Iowa. Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
During a recent campaign stop in New Hampshire, Senator Elizabeth Warren was approached by two members of IfNotNow, an American Jewish progressive group. Asked whether she would pressure Israel to end its occupation if elected president, Warren answered in the affirmative, before posing for a photo with the young activists.
Warren’s response sparked a wave of angry reactions from pro-Israel hawks, who blasted the Democratic candidate for being “caught on camera” endorsing a purportedly antisemitic “attack on Israel.” The Republican Jewish Coalition rushed to excoriate the Massachusetts senator, tweeting out a statement that complained: “Sen. Warren has aligned herself with the rapidly-growing leftwing, anti-Israel base of her party. . . . Her comments will not win her points with voters who support a strong and secure Israel and a stable Middle East.”
More than mere condemnation, the statement almost sounded like a bitter breakup with an old friend. And it’s not hard to see why — until recently, Warren held stridently pro-Israel views.
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