Here is a statement from two leading Jewish orgs warning the Jewish community that if there’s one thing that “candidates for high office” of all American parties stand for, it’s support for Israel, what the orgs refer to repeatedly as “the Jewish State.”
The statement was issued jointly by the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League, which are worried that Israel support could become a political football in the upcoming political campaigns. They don’t want the issue politicized, they want monolithic Jewish support for Israel so that the politicians don’t dream of questioning U.S. support for Israel. Abe Foxman admits that they’re worried:
“We want the discourse on U.S. support for Israel to avoid the sometimes polarizing debates and political attacks that have emerged in recent weeks, as candidates have challenged their opponents’ pro-Israel bone fides or questioned the current administration’s foreign policy approach vis-à-vis Israel…The last thing America and Israel need right now is the distractions of having Israel bandied about as a tool for waging political attacks.”
And here is from the joint statement calling on the “Jewish community” to stop any fractures from appearing:
The Jewish community has had a strong interest in ensuring that American support for Israel is one of the critical strategic issues that unites rather than divides parties and officials. U.S. – Israel friendship should never be used as a political wedge issue. At a time when Israel is confronting new dangers and challenges in a fast changing Middle East, the United States must continue to project to the world the solid support of the American people and their elected representatives for Israel’s rights and quest for peace and security. U.S. leadership in the efforts to achieve an agreement resolving the conflict that results in two states—the Jewish state of Israel and a Palestinian state, living side by side in peaceful coexistence—is more critical than ever.
This is a problem. Can you imagine if this were true for some other state, say South Africa during the 1980s? I do not think there is anything Israel could do that would endanger their unconditional support by the US govt. They have sunk a US ship, killed US citizens, engaged in ethnic cleansing, colonialism, and apartheid after these crimes became outlawed in the wake of the Nuremberg trials. Yet there has never been any real opposition by US politicians to providing unconditional support to Israel.
“as candidates have challenged their opponents’ pro-Israel bone fides or questioned the current administration’s foreign policy approach vis-à-vis Israel.”
Oh, that kind of bone. “Bone fides.” Have I got a bone to pick with you.
BTW, why are these organizations inviting speculation (among non-Jewish pols) by appearing to ASSERT division among Jews? I thought pro-Palestinianism was limited to Phil and Adam and their Friday-night poker game friends. Maybe its bigger than that.
“I do not think there is anything Israel could do that would endanger their unconditional support by the US govt…They have sunk a US ship, killed US citizens, engaged in ethnic cleansing, colonialism, and apartheid ” (They didn’t sink the Liberty, merely shot it to pieces and killed 34 crew, while LBJ and McNamara countermanded the rescue orders of admirals at sea)
Israel’s US supporters have orchestrated wars and incited the 9/11 attacks. Stephen Walt dated the decline of the US empire from the first Gulf War, in which Israel was instrumental, as it was in the “dual containment” of Iraq and Iran, and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. This turns on its head the facile “strategic asset” argument worshiped by the left.
The pronouncements of the organized Jewish grandees are noteworthy, though there is no sign yet they have anything to be worried about in Washington.
I think Phil has misread this letter. When the ADL and AJC write, “We want the discourse on U.S. support for Israel to avoid the sometimes polarizing debates and political attacks that have emerged in recent weeks …”, they’re not worrying about divisions within the Jewish community on the notion of unconditional support for Israel, because no candidate has dared to voice such a position (except Ron Paul of course). Reading between the lines it’s clear what they’re worried about are attacks like Kristol’s Emmergency Committee for Israel that so-and-so’s support isn’t unconditional enough. In other words, what they’re really worried about is that the lobby will start drawing attention to itself.
This is the first election cycle where people like Kristol are playing the Israel card so openly. But as Steve Rosen pointed out, “A lobby is like a night flower: It thrives in the dark and dies in the sun.”
They are afraid of the US public hearing too much about US support for Israel.
Too late now….too many have already heard all our politicians pledge allegiance to Israel and promise to spend every drop of American’s blood and treasure for the Jewish state.
The more our politicans higher loyalty to Israel gets showcased in our elections the better for America….and the world.