Two years ago, Rep Ilhan Omar of Minnesota was upbraided by fellow Democrats for comparing Israel to Afghanistan. (“We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban,” she said.)
Well Omar is not the only one who makes that comparison. Rep. Adam Schiff, the golden boy of the Democratic establishment, now running for the Senate from California, said last week in a discussion with a liberal Zionist rabbi in Los Angeles that the picture in Israel was less “encouraging” than the picture in Afghanistan some years ago.
Schiff on March 20:
I remember several years ago being on a trip to Israel– this was before Kabul fell to the Taliban– traveling with the speaker [Nancy Pelosi]. I remember being so distraught on returning home that the picture in Afghanistan looked more encouraging than the picture in Israel and of course we saw what took place thereafter in Afghanistan [it fell to Taliban in August 2021], but what was so distressing was it was very hard to visualize a path forward in Israel. And it looked like Israel was heading into a terrible cul de sac and by virtue of predominantly of Israel’s internal politics it was incapable of getting off the path that it was on.
I’m deeply concerned about the members of the current government, the character of the current government, by the anti-democratic legislation regarding the supreme court. What I have tried to do is publicly speak out about my concerns, to be constructinve in my criticism, to always underscore the need for a strong U.S.- Israel relationship and my love for Israel but also my love for democracy. And the profound concerns I have over the degree to which Israel is moving away from a two state solution, which is the only solution in my view that makes any sense.
Schiff is likely referring to a 2019 trip to the Middle East and Afghanistan that he made with Pelosi. Schiff is a fervent Israel supporter, and he’s Jewish and white, so he surely will not suffer the criticisms Ilhan Omar got for similar commentary.
He spoke before the ascension of the racist/fascistic Religious Zionism party, but Israel is surely still on the same path that distressed Schiff then. The right wing messianic bloc just grows, the violence against Palestinians increases.
These voices and their condemnations are of marked value.
Imagine a White Jewish American of immense power with more to come telling it as it is.
Keep up the good work Mr Schiff but watch out for the incoming flak.
Reply to jon s:
Your government wants a Judaistic State. Clearly the solution is one state for its Islamic, Judaistic and secular people with equality, and justice for all.
This has been the default scare mongering tactic used by Israel and among Israel’s fervent supporters, as they claim that Israel is holding back the hordes of barbarians, saving the western world from demise in the alleged last stronghold of civility in the Middle East.
Anyone with two brain cells knows that Christian Palestinian nationalism has been at the forefront of the Palestinian issue. Meaning, that Palestinians are undoubtedly seeking a state that will be representative of all Palestinians, not just the ones that “Jon s.” wets the bed dreaming about.
Edward Said – Palestinian Christian
Hanan Ashrawi – Palestinian Christian
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2003/11/30/sharing-a-vision-palestinian-christians
When the newly formed PLO advocated for a secular, democratic state, with equal human rights for all, Israel attacked accusing the PLO of seeking “the destruction of Israel”.
Its questionable if today Israel is still positioned to step so hard on principes Americans say they value.
Discussions and debate by either side on how to design a just and fair arrangement would breathe air into a peaceful outcome.