This great photo of the Republican frontrunner was taken by Mark Peterson, my longtime friend and colleague, at the Republican Jewish Coalition meeting on Thursday. You can see it on Instagram, where Peterson cites the critique of Trump’s speech as anti-semitic. Here’s a pro-Israel yarmulke at the RJC, from Peterson.
On Hardball, Chris Matthews pointed out that Trump smeared President Obama as a secret Muslim sympathetic to the terrorists in that speech; but Matthews also said that Trump is responding to “antiwar” sentiment among rightwing voters: the desire that we “stop fighting stupid wars.”
Some other voices echo my comments that Trump exposed Israel lobby pandering. Roland Nikles writes that Trump is refusing to play ball and he’s right to do so.
At the Republican Jewish Coalition forum for presidential candidates on Thursday (12/3/15) Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, and Ted Cruz dutifully promised that they would shred the Iran deal on their first day in office, and move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem–as Netanyahu wants.
Zaid Jilani at the Intercept also cites Trump’s independence from the Israel lobby at the event:
Trump was asked about earlier comments he had made to an Associated Press reporter that he believes peace hinges on “whether or not Israel wants to make the deal — whether or not Israel’s willing to sacrifice certain things.”
Trump was quickly assailed after that comment by rival candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who argued that land rights and a peace deal were not the issue and that Trump shouldn’t “question Israel’s commitment to peace.”
Trump continued to take a considerably more even-handed approach to the issue than his rivals at the event on Thursday. “I said that you have to have a commitment to make [peace]. I don’t know that Israel has the commitment to make it. I don’t know that the other side has the commitment to make it,” he said.
“I’d like to go in with a clean slate, and just say, ‘Let’s go, everybody’s even, we love everybody and let’s see if we can do something.’”
Three decades ago I received a death threat after speaking out publicly against the Israeli occupation of Palestine. More recently on the same subject The Guardian newspaper has placed my comments on pre-moderation. Ah yes, intimidation and censorship. Proof, that is. that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
I love Trump and love his political instincts. I’m really not sure what that photo is supposed to tell us, although I’m sure Gawker will use it as proof positive that he’s Herman Goering.
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/video-israeli-soldier-forces-knife-palestinian-girl
RE: “Here’s a pro-Israel yarmulke at the RJC, from Peterson.” ~ Weiss
MY COMMENT: I would be so embarrassed to wear that pro-Israel yarmulke. How about a little old world, handcrafted quality? That thing looks cheap, machine made and butt ugly!
What a poor excuse for a billionaire.
Seriously though, I suppose we should be thankful for Adelson and the RJC helping to publicize the cash & carry nature of our corrupt political system. The DeVos family* and their ilk are a bit too discreet to attract the kind of attention needed to bring about demands for reform.
* Meet the New Kochs: The DeVos Clan’s Plan to Defund the Left – http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/01/devos-michigan-labor-politics-gop
the idea of MW lovers somehow supporting the Donald because he doesn’t kow-tow to any ‘ol lobby is pretty humourous . If he were to be elected president of the US it would be at the very least an amusing first 4 years. Can’t wait until he meets the big-Oil, big-Pharma, NRA , AAJ, and Insurance lobbies. Hoo-wee.
*at least its certain he is in very tight with the gulf states interests-seeing as how much they need golf courses and hotels.
** and uh-oh. was it not reported somewhere that his evidently [and ironically-to both Donald and Ivana’s credit] well-adjusted and well connected daughter has converted by orthodox law and is therefore a Jewess ? omg! Very suspicious.