In a Friday sermon in Detroit, Michigan, Iraqi-born Shiite Imam Hassan Qazwini said that the U.S. administration was "bowing to the pro-Israeli lobby," which was using the United States as a "cash cow" or a "farm." In the sermon, which was delivered at the Az-Zahraa Islamic Center and posted on YouTube on September 16, Qazwini praised former Democratic contender Bernie Sanders - "an honorable man, even though he is a Jew" - and said that he "was made to pay the price" by losing the campaign because he refused "to sell America for the interest of Israel."

Following are excerpts

Hassan Qazwini: At a time that our country is going through financial and economic difficulties, when many people struggle to find jobs, when our federal government is being pressured by the public debt, that reached over one trillion or two trillion dollars... Now, the United States, due to the pressure by the pro-Israeli lobby... The President of the United States, due to the pressure by the pro-Israeli lobby, is offering this generous offer to Israel.

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Yet Israel is not happy. Israel will never be happy. Netanyahu is never happy, and unfortunately, that is the painful truth: The pro-Israel lobby has been using the United States as a cash cow. That is the reality. When many people now, in our own community, struggle to find jobs, our country, our administration, is bowing to the pro-Israeli lobby by giving them 38 billion dollars. 38 billion dollars.

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This [F-35] warplane is being given as a gift to Mr. Netanyahu, and yet Mr. Netanyahu is not happy with the United States. He will never be happy. The Quran says: "The Jews and Christians will never be pleased with you, until you follow their religion." Netanyahu will never be happy with the United States, unless the US becomes an unconditional cash cow - a farm - for Mr. Netanyahu.

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That's what Netanyahu wants. He thinks that the United States is nothing but a farm for him. He owns that farm, along with the pro-Israeli lobby, and no one in the US has the right to say "no" to him. The minute someone says "no" to him, they are doomed, unfortunately. We saw that with our own eyes during this election. An honorable man - I truly consider him an honorable man, even though he is a Jew... But you know, we have no problem with Jewish people. We have a problem with the Zionists, not with the Jewish people, like Bernie Sanders.

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When other candidates were competing among themselves to show more loyalty toward Israel, and to show more willingness, I would say, to sell America for the interest of Israel, this man refused to do so, even though he is a Jew himself. But then he was made to pay the price. He lost.

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