Democratic US presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders speaks at the Politics and Eggs event at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, Feb. 7, 2020. Photo: Reuters /Mike Segar / File.

JNS.org – The anti-Israel group IfNotNow has endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for president, announced the presidential candidate’s campaign on Wednesday.

“IfNotNow is building an inspiring movement of young Jews working to promote peace in the Middle East,” said Sanders in a statement.

“They know, as I do, that the United States must play a major role in bringing people together to end Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories and build a future of security, dignity and equality for all Israelis and Palestinians,” he said. “As a strong supporter of Israel who also believes its people have the right to exist in peace and security through a two-state solution, I am proud to have their endorsement.”

The Sanders campaign released an ad on Wednesday featuring the endorsement by IfNotNow.

Of Sander’s prospects to become the Democratic candidate this fall, IfNotNow Co-Founder and Campaign Director Dani Moscovitch said “this fight is not over. As a movement of young Jews fighting for freedom and dignity for all, we are proud to be the first Jewish organization to endorse Senator Bernie Sanders for president.”

“Like us, Bernie rejects the false choice between being a proud Jew and supporting Palestinian freedom,” she continued. “He has embraced the common sense position that the Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian people should end—and that our tax dollars should stop funding it. As the right weaponizes antisemitism to keep Americans divided and keep power in the hands of the few, we trust Bernie to lead us towards a future where everyone has what they need to thrive—by fighting racism and antisemitism, and fighting for Medicare for All and a Green New Deal.”

As of Tuesday, Biden leads Sanders in the delegate count, 838-691. A candidate must receive 1,991 delegates to win the Democratic nomination.