Sanders links Netanyahu to right-wing "demagogues" around the world. "We are seeing the rise of authoritarian intolerant political leaders who are attacking the foundations of democratic societies." They are fanning hatreds. Instead of using their leadership positions to bring people together around their common humanity, "these demagogues try to divide us up by our religion, by the color of our skin, by the country we came from, by our gender, or our sexual orientation."
He closes by explaining that Jewish history gives Jews a special role to play in fighting intolerance and injustice.
"As history reminds us time and time again, the antidote to hatred, division and resentment is to bring people together around a shared vision of equality and prosperity, of creating societies that work for all and not just a few. I am absolutely convinced that the future will belong not to those who practice bigotry and hatred but to those of us who believe in peace and justice and are willing to fight for those values.
"Based on our history, no one should be more active in that struggle than the Jewish people."
These strike me as the most explicit references Sanders has made to his Jewishness, to Jewish exceptionalism, to the price his family paid to anti-Semitism, and how that history informs the struggle against the persecution of the Palestinians by Israel and against Netanyahu.
Remember that in 2016, Sanders shocked the Democratic establishment by daring to say Netanyahu is not always right, debating Hillary Clinton before the New York primary (yes, weak beer, but...). Once again, Sanders is leading the discussion inside the Democratic mainstream/progressive world. Yes, the grassroots are giving him the freedom to make these daring statements. But he is leading the way in mainstream forums.
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