Dem Sen. Murphy on ‘Apartheid’ Rhetoric: Dems Are ‘More Willing’ to Criticize Israel Because Israel’s ‘Position Has Changed’

On Tuesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Lead,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) responded to a question on whether he agrees with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) that Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is “apartheid” by stating that “Democrats now are maybe more willing to engage in criticism of the Israeli government, but that’s because the Israeli government’s position has changed” in a way that is counter to the two-state solution Democrats have always supported.

Host Jake Tapper asked, “As you know, the Democratic Party is really quite split when it comes to support for Israel. There are those who are stalwart supporters of Israel and there are those who refer to Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians as apartheid. I think Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez used that term. Do you agree with Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez?”

Murphy responded, “Well, I think the narrative here that sort of Democrats have shifted on the issue of Israel misses the point. I mean, Democrats have always been for two states. What has shifted is the position of the Netanyahu government and the Republican Party, who now seem to be positioned in a way that makes a Palestinian state almost impossible in the long run. So, yes, it does mean that Democrats now are maybe more willing to engage in criticism of the Israeli government, but that’s because the Israeli government’s position has changed. The Democratic Party’s position, which is supporting a Jewish state in the Middle East and a Palestinian state has not changed. It’s just the reality on the ground in the Middle East has.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett