Spurred on by Senator Bernie Sanders, the Democratic National Committee, has made changes in the party’s platform that focuses on “Palestinian aspirations”.

In a report emailed to Associated Press Saturday by the Sander’s campaign, the platform calls for a two state solution. It states that Palestinian statehood would give “the Palestinians independence, sovereignty and dignity”, but no mention is made of benefits to Israel.

James Zogby, a Sanders appointee to the committee and the president of the Arab American Institute, proposed that the platform proposal should call for “an end to occupation and illegal settlements”. This was rejected by the committee although Zogby said Sanders helped write the rejected words.

Speaking against Zogby’s language were Wendy Sherman, a former deputy secretary of state and an appointee named by Hillary Clinton, and Howard Berman, former California congressman. Cornel West, a philosopher and Sanders appointee who backs the boycott Israel movement, advocated for the Zogby terminology.

J Street, a left wing NGO, enthused saying; “The new language breaks with the party’s practice of framing its aim of establishing a Palestinian state solely in terms of Israel’s interests. By including parallel acknowledgement of Israeli and Palestinian rights, the party underscores its belief that the only viable resolution to the conflict (is) – a two state solution…”

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