Vocal crowd at town hall asks Wyden to step down

Presenter: Sen. Ron Wyden says Netanyahu must go. A vocal crowd in Eugene reminds him: The Israeli Prime Minister has not been committing genocide by himself. KEPW’s Todd Boyle attended the senator’s town hall  Sept. 24:

Sen. Ron Wyden: Thank you all so much for coming and I’ve had many of these town meetings. And this is, folks, one of the most important I’ve ever had, and that’s because I want to listen to many of you who have strong views about the Middle East because you have told me of your views. You’ve told me where you want to go. I can tell you I find what’s going on in Gaza horrifying. (Angry shouting)

[00:00:51] Kaarin Knudson (Event moderator): Everyone, please.

[00:00:53] Sen. Ron Wyden: No other Israeli prime minister has produced this much violence and cruelty towards civilians on their watch as Benjamin Netanyahu. (Shouting from crowd)

[00:01:13] I’ve drafted legislation to create penalties, penalties and sanctions for officials in the Netanyahu government and the Israeli military who get in the way of humanitarian aid.

[00:01:29] Now, this is far from everything that needs to be done and I’d be the first to say it. We’ve got to find ways to start moving quickly, and then we’ve got to find ways to get more done. And I’m for a two-state solution. I am for a Palestinian state.

[00:01:58] Question: I support and love all the people of Israel. I support the state of Israel. I also support the Palestinian state. I am not in support of genocide. I want it to stop. I want us to stop supporting Netanyahu’s self-serving war, and I want to increase the aid and protection to Gaza.

[00:02:36] Sen. Ron Wyden: Ma’am, I think you’ve made points that I agree with, our audience agrees with it, and I’ll tell you, so I’m clear on this. It is long past time for Israelis to select another prime minister. Since Netanyahu is a threat to society, is a threat to the Jewish people, he’s a threat to the American people, it is time for a new prime minister.

[00:03:06] Again, I want to say to people in the audience who are telling me it doesn’t go far enough: I share your view. I share your view that there’s a lot more to do and that’s why we’re going to try to get to one particular spot. You have these penalties for getting in the way of food assistance and what’s going on in Gaza.

[00:03:30] Then have a new prime minister. And I want, and I think because I’ve been on the Intelligence Committee, I can help us find some new opportunities. And I’ll give you one example: After the bombing in Iran, Benjamin Netanyahu should have said, ‘That’s it. That’s it. Because military superiority has been clear, let’s get everybody to the table and do something to end this conflict.’ (Angry shouting)

[00:04:09] Sen. Ron Wyden: I only say that because, had that been done and had Netanyahu moved then, we could have been well on our way to a lasting peace. And I’m going to be looking every single day for those kinds of opportunities. Not to continue the war, but to end the war.

[00:04:30] Alex Awad: My name is Alex Awad and I speak with an accent because I was born in Jerusalem. I’m a Palestinian. Thank you for coming today. Thank you, Mayor, also, for coming and it’s my privilege to address you. I don’t know if you remember, but we met seven years ago when you came to Eugene to meet with faith leaders.

[00:05:03] I asked you, ‘What are you going to do about the situation in Gaza?’ You responded with, ‘This is not why we are here today,’ and you added that you believe in a two-state solution to resolve the conflict.

[00:05:22] I said I had a letter that is addressed to you about Gaza: ‘Will you take it and read it?’ You said ‘Yes,’ so in the letter I said that the situation in Gaza after 11 years of total blockade is explosive. And if you and other U.S. officials will not or do nothing about it, it’ll become worse. That was seven years ago.

[00:05:56] I wish that you had opened the letter, read it, and took my advice seriously. Had you and your colleagues in the Senate done the right thing, Oct. 7 would not have taken place.

[00:06:11] Israelis would not have been killed and taken hostage by Hamas. If you and other policy makers had listened to the voice of reason by major human rights organizations, 65,000 Palestinians that the Israelis have assassinated would be alive today…

Yes, each one of them is an individual like me, like you, like my children, your children and grandchildren. They are humans just like us. You know, 65,000 and more.

[00:06:58] Your record, Mr. Wyden shows that you received in the past decade over $1 million from the Israeli lobby,

[00:07:11] And supported every resolution that went in favor of the government of Israel. You also blocked the resolution by Senators Merkley and Sanders to halt weapons shipments to Israel and bombs have killed over 20,000 children and continue to kill them as we are speaking right now. The bombs that you agreed to ship to Israel have destroyed 95% of all homes and buildings and infrastructure in Gaza.

[00:07:48] You claim that you are against the starvation of the people of Gaza. That’s good. However, you cannot, with one hand serve the starving population with bread, while with the other hand, provide the lethal weapons that kill these children.

[00:08:17] Mr. Wyden. I’m not here today to tell you, ‘I told you so.’ I’m not here today to rebuke you for your complicity in the genocide. I’m here to urge you, yes, to beg you, to do all you can to stop the genocide and the starvation of the people of Gaza. Thank you so much.

[00:08:54] Sen. Ron Wyden: A number of points that I agree with, and I appreciate his presentation. Very factual. I am concerned about some of the items that were not brought up, and I don’t believe he did it intentionally, but for example, the hostage situation remains to be hugely critical and Hamas is still a threat to date. (Angry shouting)

[00:09:23] Kaarin Knudson (Moderator): Please, can everyone be—

[00:09:25] Sen. Ron Wyden: One other point that I, which I suspect my friend agrees with, is the situation now in the West Bank is getting to be as serious as Gaza and we’re all going to need to work together, which I’m, one of the reasons why I want a new prime minister is because I don’t think Netanyahu will do anything about the West Bank.

[00:09:52] Members of audience: That answer is not good enough. He’s not killing them by himself.

[00:09:55] Sen. Ron Wyden: So there are a number of areas that we agree on, and I appreciate your point, just so we’re clear on it, if we’re going to stop the campaign spending, we have to end Citizens United at the Supreme Court. (Angry shouting)

[00:10:20] Kaarin Knudson (Moderator): If we would like, if we would like to get to the next question—

[00:10:22] Sen. Ron Wyden: We’re going to get to the next question. I want to thank the gentleman for his thoughtful points, and I agree with most of them. I appreciate it.

[00:10:33] Question: Since you’re obviously such a big friend of Israel, why are you letting them destroy themselves? They’re destroying their economy. They’re destroying their society. They’re destroying a young generation of Israelis who are brought up to believe every Palestinian is a terrorist.

[00:10:54] So you know as well as I do, it’s been pointed out several times here, you’ve got to get rid of the weapons that are enabling them to carry out this genocide.

[00:11:09] Sen. Ron Wyden: So, first of all, I agree with your first point, with respect to Israel being hurt by these policies. You’re correct. And that’s why I want Netanyahu to go, because I don’t believe those policies will change no matter what happens on a vote on weapons or anything. They will not change until Netanyahu is gone. (Shouting).

[00:11:38] I would like you to be respectful to the speaker, it has nothing to do with me. He’s right. And I’m going to make another point on this. If we don’t have a replacement for Netanyahu, I don’t believe the weapons are going to resolve anything. To change Israel, which you eloquently talk about, that’s what you got to do. One other point, I’m a Jew. I’m a first-generation Jew. I was never raised to hate Palestinians.

[00:12:19] Question: What response are you seeing to the bombing of the Hamas representatives in Doha? It seems to me that this violation of the sovereignty of the country is outrageous, something that should be reviewed and sanctioned.

[00:12:45] Sen. Ron Wyden: I’m on the Intelligence Committee, so there’s a couple things I can’t talk about, but I’ve seen opposition from the Israeli generals to that, and that ought to make it clear that Netanyahu cannot stay.

[00:12:59] Question: I have noticed that you’re not answering the questions, Sen. Ron Wyden. You’re avoiding, you’re evading and not answering questions.

[00:13:09] Why did you vote no to block Senate Resolution 34, which would’ve blocked 1,000-pound bombs and joint direct attack munition guidance kits? You voted against Senate Resolution 41, which would block the delivery of 20,000 fully automatic assault rifles. Like, you have lots of words that you say to us and lots of platitudes, but your voting record is to bomb children, Palestinian children. That’s your voting record..

[00:13:39] But my question to you is, is, since it’s a genocide, since it’s an ethnic cleansing for the past 75 years, but especially since Oct. 7, since it’s an apartheid state, how can you justify sending any more money, any more weapons to Israel?

[00:13:57] Seventy percent to 80% of the weapons that Israel is using to bomb Palestinian children and burn them alive in tents comes from us; 70% to 80% of the money that they’re using to prosecute that genocide comes from us, from the United States. And you sir, with blood on your hands, are voting for it.

[00:14:31] Sen. Ron Wyden: First of all, there is no bill on offer now about additional weapons. I checked. There is no bill on offer now. (Shouting)

[00:14:42] Kaarin Knudson (Moderator): Let the senator answer the question. It was stated very clearly.

[00:14:47] Sen. Ron Wyden: Would I want Netanyahu replaced? ‘Cause if Netanyahu is replaced a big chunk of the issues people have been talking about here today are going to get a hell of a lot better.

[00:15:07] Question: I’m here to express that people my age and younger don’t trust you. You’ve already participated in a holocaust. And for Jews like me, ‘Never again’ means never again. So I apologize, but I don’t have any more kind words for you. I think you betrayed us. I think you need to step down. So I’d like to ask when you’re going to step aside and let a new generation of leadership emerge.

[00:15:45] Kaarin Knudson (Moderator): Number 534?

[00:15:49] Question: We have a government that seems to be promising to falsify our elections, to take any chance not to have a fair and legitimate election. And I know you’re only one senator. There seems to be quite a distinction between people who take a reasonable approach and recognize elections and people who don’t seem to think they’re that important.

[00:16:13] But I think it’s important, and I hope everyone remembers that most of us here are Americans. We’re United States citizens. We’re people who recognize democracy. And I think it’s important that we do whatever we can to protect our election.

[00:16:28] That’s all I have to say.

[00:16:34] Question: What are the Democrats in Washington doing as a united front to stop the Republicans for making this a fascist country? Can Oregon work with California and Washington or some other regional powers to come together to provide the services that are being dismantled? What are real practical steps that are taken by people who have more power than we do to stop the fascism that’s rising in the country? I don’t know that we’re going to have a vote again… Those are my questions.

[00:17:15] Sen. Ron Wyden: I hope that everyone could hear the speaker, because it was a really important point and it’s one that I share. For example, when you asked me what am I doing, I’ve spent a good chunk of my time today on the new idea for a regional approach on vaccines, Oregon, Washington, and California.

[00:17:41] And why I was working on the vaccines today is that if we don’t make it possible for people to get vaccines on the local kind of level because of Robert Kennedy, not only are they going to get hurt, but we’re going to lose a lot of our small pharmacies.

[00:17:57] So I spend a big chunk of my day looking for ways to empower people, day in and day out. I try to take the ideas I get at these town hall meetings, and thank you for asking a really important question.

[00:18:13] Presenter: Sen. Ron Wyden is asked to step down, as a vocal crowd in Eugene condemns his initial inaction during the Gaza blockade and then his continued support for Israel, despite breaches of international law. Field recordings by Todd Boyle. You can listen to the entire town hall on Todd’s YouTube channel.