Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke calls Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu 'racist'

Beto O'Rourke, a Democratic candidate for president, condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling the Israeli leader "racist."

What are the details?

O'Rourke, a former Texas Democratic U.S. representative, made the remarks Sunday during a campaign stop at the University of Iowa. He made the remarks in response to a voter who asked about the ongoing conflict in the Israeli region.

The former lawmaker explained that Netanyahu is but an obstacle to U.S.-Israeli relations in addition to being racist.

"That relationship — if it is to be successful — must transcend partisanship in the United States, and it must be able to transcend a prime minister who is racist, as he warns about Arabs coming to the polls, who wants to defy and prospect for peace as he threatens to annex the West Bank, and who has sided with a far-right, racist party in order to maintain his hold on power," O'Rourke said.

He also went on to point out that he did not believe Netanyahu even "represents the true will of the Israeli people" or their interests in the U.S-Israel relationship.

His solution? A two-state component to broker peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

"We must be able to transcend [Netanyahu's] current leadership to make sure that that alliance is strong, that we continue to push for and settle for nothing less than a two-state solution, because that is the best opportunity for peace for the people of Israel and the people of Palestine," he insisted. "It is the best opportunity for the full human rights of everyone who is living in that region."

What else?

Netanyahu is hoping to win a fifth term as prime minister in Tuesday's general election.

You can read more about the Israeli election here.