Within twenty-four hours of the Lebanese attack on a team of Israeli Army tree trimmers, Congressman Peter Roskam (R-Ill) issued the following statement in support of Israel’s actions during the incident:
Lebanon’s unprovoked attack on Israeli Defense Forces earlier this week during UN planned tree trimming is just one more example of the tenuous security situation Israelis live with every day. Assistance from the United Nations to quell tensions this week was a welcome change, but serves as a constant reminder that true peace is only possible when both parties work together and are willing to negotiate directly with one another.
After receiving the press release early that afternoon, I held it in order to include possible statements coming from the Democratic side. I was sure that Chuck Schumer would say something just as powerful, or Congressman Gary Ackerman, both of whom have been supportive of Israel their entire careers. If not those Democrats, maybe Jerrold Nadler made a statement, or one of the other pro-Israel members of the Democratic Party. Strangely there was no voice coming out of the Democrats in Congress.
Since Barack Obama was inaugurated and began to implement his anti-Israel policies, the Democratic Party has been strangely silent about Israel and while the GOP has been cheerleading for the Jewish State. Sure most Democrats signed non-binding letters in support of Israel (Republicans also), and Chuck Schumer complained on a small Jewish-targeted radio station (he backed off his comment when it reached the general media), but with few exceptions, members of the President’s party have refused to stick their head above the cloak of anonymity provided by a letter with the signatures of 300+ colleagues to publicly support Israel or to disagree with the President’s misdirected one-side policy on Israel.
In July President Obama was pressuring Israel to submit itself to a UN Kangaroo court regarding the flotilla incident where a terrorist-led convoy from Turkey attacked Israeli Sailors who were trying to stop the boats from breaking through the Israeli embargo of Hamas-run Gaza.
Rep. Pete King (R-NY) said that President Obama’s weak Mideast policy is forcing House Democrats to make the difficult choice of either supporting Obama or supporting Israel. “I hope they put our relationship with Israel above their relationship with Obama,” King said. The Democrats said nothing, but they did sign another letter.
Sometimes to protect their President formerly pro-Israel Democrats participate in anti-Israel activities. Such was the case with the first J-Street Convention.
J-Street claims to be pro-Israel, but the next time it takes a stance that matches that of the majority of Israelis it will be the first time. The group openly campaign against Israel on the grounds that it possesses a superior understanding of what is best for Israelis. Seeded with dollars by progressive kingpin George Soros, the group was generally ignored by mainstream Israel advocates until Barack Obama gave it legitimacy, because he agrees with their anti-Israel position. J-Street works to lobby the US Government to pressure Israelis, contrary to their will, to take steps that could have life and death implications.
During the conflict with Hamas at the end of 2008 which was a response to thousands of missiles sent into Israeli civilian areas. J Street called Israel’s “escalation in Gaza counterproductive” and was “disproportionate.” It also made a moral equivalency argument between the policies of Israel and Hamas, stating they found difficulty in distinguishing “between who is right and who is wrong” and “picking a side.”
Last year, at the urging of the President, Congressman Steve Israel chose to put aside his support of the Jewish State, trading it for support of J-Street, allowing them to use his name to give the group some “street cred” in the pro-Israel community.
Through his UN Ambassador, the President continued his pressure on Israel about a UN Kangaroo court-type inquiry regarding the flotilla. Yesterday the Jewish State caved and finally agreed to cooperate with the UN investigation which is sure to be as one-sided as any previous UN Investigations. Yet there was no statement coming from the Democratic Party.
Today Mike Pence R-Ind, and Chairman of the House Republican Conference, was interviewed by the Christian Broadcasting Network. Pence had the guts to say what no Democrat would, that the Obama Administration is “the most anti-Israel administration in the modern history of the state of Israel.”
Please watch this video.
Walter Winchell once said that “A friend is one who walks in when others walk out.” Since President Obama began implementing his anti-Israel policies the Republican Party has walked in to support Israel, the Democratic Party has exited—Stage Left. Hopefully supporters of Israel will take both the entry and exit into account when they vote in the mid-term elections.
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