Joel Rubin, who led Jewish outreach for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, has publicly distanced himself from the Vermont independent, accusing him of backing candidates whose views and rhetoric have contributed to rising antisemitism.

In an interview with Jewish Insider at the Aspen Security Forum, Rubin said Sanders has thrown his support behind “the most categorically anti-Israel, antisemitic candidates that we’ve seen in a generation, if ever.” He argued that those endorsements have helped normalize political figures whose positions have driven many Jewish voters away.

Rubin, who also served as a State Department official, said he once believed Sanders could bridge progressive ideals with strong support for the Jewish community. Instead, he contended, the senator has chosen to align himself with candidates whose rhetoric has gone beyond criticism of Israeli government policy and crossed into antisemitic stereotypes and hostility toward Jews. Rubin said those endorsements are especially troubling at a time when antisemitism is increasing in the United States and worldwide.

His comments represent one of the most pointed public criticisms Sanders has faced from a former senior member of his own presidential campaign, particularly someone responsible for Jewish outreach. Rubin said elected officials have an obligation to draw a clear distinction between legitimate debate over Israeli policy and rhetoric or movements that vilify Jews or encourage antisemitism.

Sanders, who is Jewish, has consistently maintained that his criticism of Israeli government actions is separate from antisemitism and has repeatedly rejected claims that opposing Israel’s policies is inherently antisemitic. Even so, Rubin’s remarks highlight the deepening disagreements within the Democratic Party over Israel, antisemitism, and the future direction of progressive politics as the 2026 midterm elections approach.

{Matzav.com}