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Florida Democratic leader: Criticism of Israel’s ‘apartheid policies’ not anti-Semitic

“What I will NEVER do is pretend that honest criticism of Israeli apartheid policies is anti-semitism. So you won’t see me calling out criticisms of Israeli ethnostatist polices as anti-semitism, because that’s not anti-semitism,” tweeted William Byatt.

Miami-Dade Democratic Party Treasurer William Byatt. Source: Facebook.
Miami-Dade Democratic Party Treasurer William Byatt. Source: Facebook.

The treasurer of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party in Florida on Tuesday said criticism of Israel’s “apartheid policies” is not anti-Semitic.

“What I will NEVER do is pretend that honest criticism of Israeli apartheid policies is anti-semitism. So you won’t see me calling out criticisms of Israeli ethnostatist polices as anti-semitism, because that’s not anti-semitism,” tweeted William Byatt.

Previously a founding board member of the People’s Progressive Caucus of Miami-Dade, Byatt is a senior software engineer at accounting and advisory firm Kaufman Rossin, according to the Miami-Dade Democratic Party website.

“As indicated on his [T]witter page, Mr. Byatt’s opinions are his own and do not reflect the views of the Party,” the Miami-Dade Democratic Party told JNS. “The Miami-Dade Democratic Party will continue to support a two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict negotiated directly by the parties that guarantees Israel’s future as a secure and democratic Jewish state with recognized borders and provides the Palestinians with independence, sovereignty, and dignity.”

Hamas said it is willing to move forward with second stage of the U.S.-brokered framework, calling on Washington to exert pressure on Jerusalem.
“We can and know how to stand our ground—even against our best friends when necessary,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I’m happy that the University of Washington, for literally the first time ever, has made the correct decision to not have an America-hating communist spread his hatred and terrible ideology to young people at our taxpayer funded universities,” Republican state representative Travis Couture told JNS.
The student plaintiffs are “very, very happy” with the settlement, and the college’s statement is an “amazing change,” Lori Lowenthal Marcus of the Deborah Project told JNS.