Sanders reminded the crowd of reporters and activists that he spent time living in Israel and working on a kibbutz, and argued that because of that he was “probably the only candidate” with “personal ties” to the country. He specifically called it “absurd” that a portion of Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu’s government suggested increased settlements in the West Bank and added that it was “unacceptable” that they had withheld tax revenue from Palestinians. He talked about water and economic rights for Palestinians and said ending the economic blockade of Gaza would also be necessary for sustainable peace.