Netanyahu flays Sanders’ ‘racist’ taunt

Israeli PM is fighting for political life in coming election

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday Bernie Sanders was wrong to call him a racist during a debate among contenders for the US Democratic presidential nomination, but shied away from attacking the senator in return.

“I am not intervening in the US election,” Netanyahu replied when asked on Israeli Army Radio about what an interviewer termed Sanders’ personal attack on him at Tuesday’s event in Charleston, South Carolina.

Sanders, who has been critical of the right-wing leader’s policy towards Palestinians, described Netanyahu as “a reactionary racist who is now running Israel”.

Pressed further for his thoughts about Sanders, who if elected would be the first Jewish president in US history, Netanyahu said: “What I think about this matter is that he is definitely wrong. No question about it.” Asked about possible confrontation with Sanders should the self-described democratic socialist win the White House, Netanyahu said that as prime minister he had stood up to US presidential opposition to his policies before and would be able to do so again.

Netanyahu had a contentious relationship with Barack Obama, Republican Donald Trump’s predecessor as president, with the Iranian nuclear deal and Israel’s colonist policy in the occupied West Bank main areas of friction.

Israel’s longest-serving leader, Netanyahu is fighting for his political survival in a national election on Monday, the country’s third in less than a year after inconclusive ballots in April and September.

During the campaign, Netanyahu has steered clear of commenting directly on the US election.

But he has praised Trump as the best friend Israel has ever had in the White House.