Democratic front-runner Sen. Bernie Sanders made a distinction between being “for the Israeli people” and supporting the “right-wing racist governments that currently exist in Israel,” at a CNN Town Hall in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

When an audience member asked the question “How do U.S.-Israel relations look under your administration?” Sanders responded: “To be for the Israeli people and to be for peace in the Middle East does not mean that we have to support right-wing, racist governments that currently exist in Israel.” His reply drew enthusiastic applause from the audience.