Clinton supporters defeat ‘occupation’ language at platform committee meeting

Supporters of Hillary Clinton on the Democratic Party’s platform committee on Saturday rejected several proposals that would have undermined the party’s longstanding support for Israel.

Last week, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) released a ” target=”_blank”> approved by the drafting committee in St. Louis a week earlier. “We will continue to work toward a two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict negotiated directly by the parties that guarantees Israel’s future as a secure and democratic Jewish state with recognized borders and provides the Palestinians with independence, sovereignty, and dignity,” the draft reads. “Israelis deserve security, recognition, and a normal life free from terror and incitement. Palestinians should be free to govern themselves in their own viable state, in peace and dignity.”

On the second day of the platform drafting committee’s two-day meeting in Orlando, Florida, supporters of Bernie Sanders proposed an amendment that would add “an end to occupation and illegal settlements so they may live in” to the original language. The proposal was voted down 95-73.

The rejection led to loud boos and one man was escorted out by an officer in the room after he shouted out that Democrats had “sold out to AIPAC,” according to CNN.

Before the vote, Dr. Cornel West urged the passage of the amendment, to roaring applause and a standing ovation from Sanders supporters.

“This is a moral issue. This is an issue of our time. It has spiritual and moral implications,” West said. “This is not just about politics, not just about the next election. Democratic Party, you’ve been in denial for too long. Palestinians ought to be free.”

The committee also rejected an amendment to “rebuild Gaza which the UN warns could be uninhabitable by 2020, and where poverty and hopelessness undermine peace and security for both Palestinians and Israelis” (95 vs. 72). Another amendment to remove the military option from the Iran non-compliance language failed 67-98.