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AIPAC replied to Sanders’ remarks in a statement on Twitter, saying, \"Senator Sanders never attended our conference and that is evident from his outrageous comment.\"

\"PHOTO:
Bob Daemmrich/Polaris via Newscom
PHOTO: Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks to a crowd in Austin, Feb. 23, 2020.
>

\"In fact, many of his own Senate and House Democratic colleagues and leaders speak from our platform to the over 18,000 Americans from widely diverse backgrounds — Democrats, Republicans, Jews, Christians, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, progressives, Veterans, students, members of the LGBTQ+ community — who participate in the conference to proclaim their support for the U.S.-Israel relationship,\" the organization said in their statement.

\"By engaging in such an odious attack on this mainstream, bipartisan American political event, Senator Sanders is insulting his very own colleagues and the millions of Americans who stand with Israel. Truly shameful,\" the pro-Israel group added.

Senator Sanders has never attended our conference and that is evident from his outrageous comment.

Full statement: https://t.co/XDcNKhYXSq pic.twitter.com/aJGJiv2wv8

— AIPAC (@AIPAC) February 24, 2020

Sanders -- who is the son of polish immigrants and the only Jewish presidential candidate -- also skipped the group’s annual event in 2019.

Sanders' move to boycott the event follows his fellow democratic presidential candidate -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren -- after she announced she’s skipping the conference in early Feb.

Warren, D-Mass., also did not attend the AIPAC conference in 2019.

In response to Sanders and Warren’s announcements, Halie Soifer, executive director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, said \"Candidates should be judged on their positions, not on whether they attend any particular conference. JDCA will support the Democratic nominee - whomever that may be - in November, and strongly opposes the use of Israel as a political wedge issue.\"

\"Jewish voters overwhelmingly oppose Donald Trump and will vote against him in November, regardless of who is the Democratic nominee for president,\" Soifer said in a statement.

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