From The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt:
It is hard to imagine that a research institute funded by Saban and directed by [Martin] Indyk is going to be anything but pro-Israel. To be sure, the Saban Center occasionally hosts Arab scholars and exhibits some diversity of opinion. Saban Center fellows–like Indyk himself–often endorse the idea of a two-state settlement between Israel and the Palestinians. But Saban Center publications never question U.S. support for Israel and rarely, if ever, offer significant criticisms of key Israeli policies. Moreover, individuals who stray from the Center's line do not remain long, as former NSC official Flynt Leverett's brief tenure there illustrates.
In Portfolio last year, Saban described himself as a "rightwing" crazy on foreign policy, and said he was tempted, post-Hillary, for whom he had raised over $1 million, to go to McCain till his wife and kids put their feet down. Note that per Brad Greenberg, his wife, Cheryl, is Christian, and has a Christmas tree. Volumes can be written about the effect that non-Jewish wives have had on American Jewish men. (Yes and non-Jewish husbands, too.) Oh and who can write that volume?
Saban is extremely streetsmart. Remember that he was accused a year back of trying to bribe young Democrats for their delegate votes for Clinton (he denied it). I wonder if he is not a Two-State-Solution in a Hurry guy now. From Amy Wallace's fine piece in Portfolio (marred only by the Jews-are-outsiders stipulation at the end of the piece):
Moreover, because of Saban’s vocal support of Israel, he is seen as
something of a bellwether for other influential Jewish Americans. An
endorsement from Saban, a self-described “right-wing crazy” when it
comes to national security, would send a loud message to others who
question Obama’s determination to aggressively protect the Jewish
state.
Saban admitted he’d been worried about Obama’s
commitment to Israel. But when the presumptive Democratic nominee ended
his June speech to the lobbying group American Israel Public Affairs
Committee by noting that Jewish Americans and African Americans had
long stood “shoulder to shoulder” in periods of great social upheaval,
Saban was moved.
“Him being aware of that, acknowledging
that, shows that he may have a visceral commitment, as opposed to a
logical or strategic one,” Saban said. “That visceral affinity was a
question mark for a lot of people. Well, it’s no longer a question mark
for me.”
