Democratic US congressman Anthony Weiner, has made no secret in the past of his right-wing views on Israel, for example endorsing the Zionist Organization of America’s opposition to the two-state solution.

But Thursday night Weiner, who represents parts of Brooklyn and Queens, revealed himself to be a true pro-settler extremist. He was speaking at a debate on the Goldstone report at the New School in New York, with former congressman Brian Baird (D-WA), moderated by New York Times columnist Roger Cohen.

Baird, one of the few members of congress who has spoken out in support of the Palestinians, came across as measured and reasonable, while Weiner was combative and a little rude. Still, based on rhetorical fire, I would say weiner won the first half of the debate. But then he began a series of statements that placed him far, far outside the mainstream debate on Israel-Palestine, and also disconnected from reality, declaring, for example, that the eastern border of Israel is the Jordan River.

In Weiner’s mind, there is no such thing as an illegal settlement; the Goldstone report was authored by Libya; and the West Bank is not occupied because, he says, it’s “in Israel.”

The key turning point was when Weiner declared, referring to the West Bank: “There’s no occupation there either.”

At that moment, Roger Cohen asked Weiner to clarify, asking him: “You’re saying there is no IDF presence in the West Bank?”

Weiner’s reposnse: “Yes.”

Later on, Weiner again: “There are people who believe that settlement activity is going on in Palestinian territory. … I don’t believe that.” He specifies that all the settlements are “in Israel.”

Cohen pressed him: “The western border [of Israel] is the Mediterranean. Where’s the eastern border?”

Heckler from the audience: “The Jordan River!”

Weiner: “The Jordan River.”

Mondoweiss has more.