Vermont Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders has expressed support for upcoming pro-Palestinian protests on U.S. campuses and blasted President Joe Biden’s support for Israel.
In an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Friday, Sanders compared Biden’s situation to that of former President Lyndon Johnson, who was killed in 1968 because of student protests against Vietnam. war and decided not to seek re-election.
“This could be Biden’s Vietnam,” the Vermont Independent warned. “Lyndon Johnson was a very, very good domestic president in many ways and he introduced some important legislation. He chose not to run in ’68 because of opposition to his views in Vietnam.”
He further expressed concern that Biden risks losing the support of young people and a large number of Democrats before the November election, in which the US president is most likely to face former President Donald Trump again.
“I’m very concerned that President Biden has put himself in a position where he’s alienated not only young people but a lot of the Democratic base in terms of his views on Israel and this war.”
Bernie Sanders praises anti-Israel protesters
Meanwhile, he said on X (formerly Twitter), “Without the protests, we would still be living in an apartheid country.”
“Without protests, women would still be second-class citizens. Without protests, LGBTQ+ people would still hide their identities,” he added.
Recalling the 1962 protests at the University of Chicago, Sanders wrote in another post, “In 1962, we organized sit-ins to end racist policies at the University of Chicago. In ’63, I was arrested for protesting school segregation. Arrested. But we were right.”
Also read: Video shows how Georgia police brutally knocked down and handcuffed a professor during a pro-Palestinian protest
He continued: “I am proud to see students protesting the war in Gaza.”
“Remain calm and focused. You are on the right side of history,” he concluded.
The senator’s comments come as pressure mounts on Biden from the party’s left to end military support for Israel and support a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Israel declared war on Hamas after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 Israelis.
While protests over the conflict between Israel and Hamas caused chaos on U.S. college campuses, Biden defended the right to peaceful protest but insisted “order must prevail.”
Addressing protesters at the White House, Biden said, “People have the right to protest, but they don’t have the right to cause chaos.”
The president claims he has not changed his war strategy as a result of the protests.