DNC Chair reassures Jewish Democrats that party will support 2-state solution
An Israeli and a Palestinian flag. Image by iStock
By Ron Kampeas April 6, 2020
WASHINGTON (JTA) — Tom Perez, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee. reassured Jewish Democrats that they would be happy with the next party platform.
“We want to make sure that our platform, which is our values statement of our party, is a platform that you can be proud of, a platform that, again, reaffirms our commitment to a two-state solution — negotiated directly by the parties,” Perez told Jewish Democratic leaders in a call last week, according to Jewish Insider.
Why it matters: Platforms are drafted ahead of national conventions in presidential election years, and ahead of the last two elections, the DNC platform has been beset by controversy.
In 2012, the draft committee neglected to include recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and it was inserted at the last minute at a raucous public meeting over loud protests.
In 2016, the DNC opened its foreign policy drafting to the public, and there were tense exchanges over whether to mention Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and its blockade of the Gaza Strip. There was no criticism of the occupation in the final version.
The Republican Party platform also changed from 2012 to 2016. The most recent version omits overt support for a two-state solution and mentions Israel only in describing Jerusalem as a then-future capital. (President Donald Trump in 2017 recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Congress did the same in 1995.)
The Trump factor: Trump has equivocated on endorsing a two-state outcome, and Democrats have sharply criticized his peace plan, released earlier this year, for imposing outcomes on the two sides.
The post DNC chair Tom Perez reassures Jewish Democrats that party platform will support 2-state solution appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
