CNN political commentator Van Jones, a former Obama political aide, said Thursday night that Sanders' focus on Palestinian rights during the debate was "extraordinary."
"It's not just that it was interesting politics in New York. It's that I've never seen a Democratic candidate trying to be president -- I haven't seen a Republican, I haven't seen anyone at this level of the game -- say, 'Look, let's have a more balanced approach," Jones said. "That takes a level of courage and a level of integrity. You can disagree with it, you can feel badly about it, you can be proud of it -- but something happened tonight."
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Steven Cohen, a Hebrew Union College professor who has studied the evolution of Jewish American views on Israel, said Sanders' views will resonate with the majority of American Jews, who are broadly Democratic and secular, and with young ones in particular.
"They are pro-Israel but they are anti-settlements. They lack confidence in the sincerity of the Israeli government in pursuing peace," Cohen said. "The Democratic Party is changing. Younger Democrats are still pro-Israel, but they're opposed to many Israeli policies."
