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Obama's Critics Wage Irrational Attacks Over Israel
Yesterday, I wrote an op-ed for the Jerusalem Post to respond to the irrational attacks of Senator Barack Obama's critics. In the continuing smear and fear campaign being waged by Senator John McCain and his allies. My op-ed, titled, "The irrationality of Obama's critics," is in a direct response to Morris Amitay's, "McCain for America -- and Israel," and Jennifer Rubin's, "Why More Jews Won't be Voting Democrat this Year." I noted, "What is most striking in these two op-eds, as well as many other opinion pieces of this genre, is their willingness to bemoan the 'ignorance' of the vast majority of American Jews who continue to vote Democratic - even in 2008. This line of argument, which bewails voter ignorance, is very common in American history. Elites who find themselves in a minority often are dumbfounded at the stupidity of the electorate and revert to what is called "the masses are asses" explanation of their minority status."
I continued, "Both Rubin and Amitay come up with unorthodox and somewhat bizarre "proofs" of Obama's scariness. For more than 40 years the pro-Israel community has relied on objective measures of a presidential candidate's pro-Israel credentials -- first the candidate's voting record and second (particularly if the voting record does not exist) his public statements. In their pieces, both Rubin and Amitay abandon this time-tested method of assessment and resort to various forms of reading animal entrails to establish a candidate's pro-Israel bona fides."
This line of reasoning must stop. We, at the National Jewish Democratic Council, are working to fight these kinds of lies, innuendos, and half-truths on a daily basis. Not only does it seem as though they have no shame, but they are turning their backs on some of the cardinal truths when it comes to judging if a candidate is pro-Israel. It was about thirty years ago when, the author of one of these anti-Obama op-eds, told me what he believed was the best method for judging if a candidate is pro-Israel. I remember, "as a young lobbyist for AIPAC, my boss, the executive director, taught me that the way to assess a candidate for higher political office is to "go to the pro-Israel voting record." My boss was Morris Amitay."
Although Obama is certainly pro-Israel, he also has the progressive ideology that is supported by overwhelming numbers in the Jewish community. In fact, "Polls indicate that a sizeable majority of American Jews care deeply about Israel, and show that once a candidate meets the pro-Israel threshold, Jewish voters will examine other issues. Is it wrong for Jewish Americans to vote for a pro-Israel candidate who also cares about a women's reproductive freedom? Is it wrong for them to vote for a pro-Israel candidate who does not say that America is a "Christian nation" and should not teach intelligent design in public schools?"
These weak, unfounded, misleading attacks must stop. It is a fact that both candidates are pro-Israel (even Obama's opponents agree.) Now, why can't we have a debate about the real issues? Or is that a conversation that the Republicans are afraid to have?
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GZ of 7/10/08 needs to read my latest comments as they are out of sequence. This is a public service.
I have been a Democrat for over 60 years. I recently became an Independent because I did not like the way the DNC pushed Obama to the fore. I also did not like their giving Obama 1/2 of the Michigan & Florida delegate count, at Obama's insistance. I do not like Obama!. I do not trust Obama!
In the 2 books he wrote, Obama touted Rev. Wright as his mentor, as his political teacher. For over 20 years, Wright was his pastor, the pastor of a radical church and who was given to rant against the U.S., Israel, & the Jews without one word of dissent from Obama. When Wright surfaced & threatened Obama's political aspirations, Obama did not think twice about tossing Wright out of his life. If he could do this to a man who was his mentor & political teacher for 20+ years, to a man he considered to be an uncle, then how could Obama be trusted not to turn against a nation he had been taught to damn for over 20 years? Where are these man's allegiances? Does he have any?
I worry about ANY of Obama's positions, values, stances, including the one that makes him seem like a friend of Palestinians. The man has very few values of any sort and so little experience that he'll go with whatever flow the mentors he likes that particular day go.
After reading all of the comments here, I think a more appropriate article would be about the irrational attacks on and hatred of Israel.
For those who try to imply that we Jews call everyone who attacks Israeli policy as "anti-Semitic", we don't. In fact, it is just another distortion used to attack those of us who support Israel.
It is also true that many of those who attack Israel are, in fact, Jew Haters. I have been on enough forums to know that this is true.
It is also true that, regardless of the past, the far left of today is anti-Israel and is in the process of trying to deligitimize it as a step in removing it from the pages of history (to quote Ahmadinejad).
dear Jan
with all due respect,
you have OBVIOUSLY never criticized any policy of Israel.
Or you would KNOW this is not true.
Respectfully.
"you have OBVIOUSLY never criticized any policy of Israel." ???
"OBVIOUSLY" ?
Are you a close relative, spouse, friend etc.?
If not, respectively, where do you get off to pretend to know anything of the sort about JanP?
Seems like you're just a bit presumptuous, no?
Or making really sweeping generalizations and claiming them as ... fact?
"pro-Israel" is a rather empty term these days. Because it means such vastly different things to different people, it has no meaning. That doesn't make it a politically neutral term; in fact, the ambiguity makes it even more potent. However, political potency is often irrelevant to political progress.
I would prefer to see more people express an interest in ending the conflict than in boasting of their own fidelity to one side or the other. I dream of a day when people are secondarily obsessed with assigning blame--there's plenty to go around--and primarily obsessed with bringing about human dignity to a place where little exists today. Too bad the term "pro-life" has already been so polluted. It's far preferable and more accurate to those who, like me, would like to see an end to chronic brutality, suspicion and violence.
All you people who are angry at Israel seem to forget that about 70% of Aemricans support Israel, about he same number blame the Palestinains for continuing the strife.
Keep up you anti_israel (and frequent anti-Jewish) sentiments so you can lose even more ovtes.
First of all anti_Israel does not equal anti_Jewish. Secondly, there is no reason any insane person should hate Israel or any other countries. Israel like other countries has the right to be secure and safe. However, Israel"s comfort should not be obtained at other nations expense. Furthermore, pushing for a narrow minded and militaristic approach to any situation does not necessarily translate as a real support. For example if our approach to Israeli " Palestinians issue were fair and even handed, most likely Israel would be in much better peace and harmony today. In simple worlds, no matter how much you love you kid, spoiling your kid does not necessarily would guarantee happiness and prosperity in your kid"s future.
Your post assumes the Arabs actually want peace with the Jews. From watching the conflict for 40 years, the truth is those Arabs who wanted peace have either or keep very very quiet fearing their lives.
The Arabs there elected Hamas who ran on a platform of continuing an unending war to liberate "all Palestine" which is all of Israel.
The Israelis withdrew every Jew from Gaza and a day later had rockets fired into their cities from what a day before had been Jewish settlements.
Does that sound like people who want peace and co existence?
To say the Arabs want peace is to be in a state of denial. They want peace if they can have all of Israel or the end of any Jewish state ...
I don't know where you got your statistics, but most Americans aren't stupid enough to fall for the "Israel is our only ally in the region" belief that allows Israel to perpetrate any sort of horros they want on their neighbors with impunity. My best example of Israel's outrageous behavior is when the brother of some of my friends was killed in Lebanon, in a CHRISTIAN area, which the Israelis were shelling because there 'might' be some terrorists hiding there. That's the kind of behavior most Americans associate with Israel. And for those who wholeheartedly support Israel, those are some scary people who see Israel as the means to an end and will willingly discard Jews when the Rapture comes. Some friends are worse than enemies.
Top ten reasons why Obama must support Israel even if is not in our interest.
1. It is a true democratic country with clearly defined borders and comprehensive constitution.
2. Does not have a military. Only a group of helpers who go to their neighboring territories to build shelters, hospitals, orphan house, cemeteries and save lives on daily bases.
3. Always promotes peace and has never developed any nuclear, WMDs or other weapons.
4. Buys many hearts in the Middle Eastern countries. Consequently we end up with more friends than enemies and that leads us to have access to cheaper oil.
5. We dot need this money any way. We are very well off and have no budget deficit .All our citizens have access to comprehensive health care.
6. If there is a conflict, she will do the fighting on our behalf. Our young soldiers never have to go to war theaters.
7. She never interferes in our political affairs. Never maintain over 20 plus political groups with misleading names, promoting her interest in our country. Does not control our major media.
8. Never spies on us and there is no case of spying currently or in the past.
9. Never pushed us to Iraq War and has no relationship with Richard, Paul, Douglas and Ron.
10. And finally because it makes us feel good, like we are living in a fantasyland.
Thank God I figured out you were being sarcastic, my head was about to explode...
That is one of the great posts ever on HuffPo. Damn funny. But......, never underestimate the ability of 99% of Obamacons to not get it. Thanks so much.
The best post I have read on huffington! Surprised the censors let it thru! GZLies won't like it!
Jews who vote for Republican because they're comforted by the Evangelicals' pro-Israel stance are insane.
I just saw the best summation of my feelings on this last night while re-watching an old episode of "The Sopranos."
Hesh's daughter (Hesh is an old, wise, Jewish gangster), in response to an Evangelical pastor who has just left Tony's room says something along the lines of, "Jews should be grateful for the Evangelicals. They are great friends of Israel."
Hesh turns to her and says, "Just wait."
We have already seen the best way to win arguments and save time. Just say that those who don't agree with you are anti-Semitic.
There is wishful thinking and wishing what I think is true. Unfortunately both notions may be seriously incorrect and in this instance, Mr. Forman has strayed from a reality based on fact. The facts regarding Mr. Obama's position regarding Israel are difficult, at best, to understand and in courting the American Jewis vote, one is reminded of Mr. Obama's pandering to the Hispanic vote. He is all things to all people but has no track record and, indeed, his record of associations with "unusual" clergy, former terrotists, and support of anti-Israel Arab groups leads one to wonder. Perhaps Mr. Obama will urge American Jews to learn Arabic, much as he urged others to learn Spanish. Mr. Obama has little or any real foreign policy experience. His uncewrtainty whether he visited 57 or 58 of our states, makes one concerned if he has much in depth knowledge that is substantive. Mr.Forman suggests he is concerned about history and policy and substance--we can ask him to demonstrate where he has found evidence of any of this in Mr. Obama's CV.
American Jews should learn Arabic. Ask the State Department, the Israeli government, Israelis themselves, and every company currently cashing in on Iraq.
These irrational attacks... are they anything like collectively punishing (i.e killing) 1000s of innocent civilians in Lebanon for the actions of an extremist group who took TWO hostages (while 1000s of Palestinians who were rounded up on the streets because of ethnicity remain imprisoned by Israel), extending the conflict another generation into the future, while claiming to be acting in "Self Defense"?
So, if a terrorist group in Canada or Mexico, that was part of the Canadian or Mexican government, took just150 hostages (proportional to the two) and killed another 600, America should just sit back and do nothing?
hm, interesting hypothetical scenario, considering that's NOT what happened in Lebanon. Israel killed the first civilians, to boot.
All the comments here are a good reason for Democratic Jews to wake up and either kick out the Jew-Hating racists or elave the party temselves.
I felt liberated when I left the Democratic fold.
We felt liberated when you left, too! buh-bye now...
Funny Joemama but you sound just like all the Ned Lamont supporters right before the election - remember him?
If elected President, Barack Obama need only be "Pro-America."
If Israeli interests happen to coincide with American interests, then, "Yes" we should support Israel. But if Israel is destabilizing their own region, if by supporting Israeli interests the US becomes an anathema to the entire Middle East region, than maybe we should rethink our position and rethink whether its in our national interest to be "Pro-Israel."
Being Pro-Israel or Pro-Any Other Country should NOT be a requirement to holding the office of President of the United States. It baffles me that every US candidate for significant office is forced to drink the "Pro-Israel" Kool-Aid.
Very well put. Hear. Hear.
The issue really seems to be, where is the pro-American Mr. Obama of the primary campaign? The emergent post-primary candidate named Obama, seems to be trying to be anything needed to all interest groups, but in the end mostly seems to be singularly "pro-Obama" and has a very Marie Antoinette mentalit. In the end the sterility of the French nonility led to a public rejection; perhaps Mr. Obama is now heading for that rejection by the party Left, and he is less than convincing for the party Center and Center-Right.
It cracks me up that people (I'm not necessarily referring to dontshootme on this) believe that it's the vote of American Jews that's being courted.
I am not sure how to respond to the number of comments here.
My question is how does one speak out if one does not like something Israel is doing or feel that AIPAC has too much influence over Congress; while at the same time wanting to be supporter of Israel continued safe existence? Given many statements here that is not possible.
It appears that people are only leave me with 100% for or 100% against. That is a poor way to elect a President of the USA and I choose neither but remain sadden.
What a thoughtful and intelligent post. I think that you summarize the reason it is so difficult to help stabilize the region--people reduce the struggles and violence of Israel and Palestine to the same old tired rhetoric. The truth is, most have never been to the region or even know much about it. If they did, they would not talk in such absolute truths, because there are none. Both the Israeli and Palestinian people have suffered tremendously at the hands of militants and armies. Both have seen extreme thoughts wreak violence and terror, and both have seen the rest of the world minimize their suffering because they take such extreme stands that hold very little reason. It is time that we all starting viewing this crisis in terms of human beings and not extreme ideology. This why I am supporting Barack Obama. He understands the issues and realizes that it demands more than sophomoric analysis. And having recently returned from the region, it is safe to say that many Israeli's support Obama and many Palestinians do as well. It is only the extremists--both here and there--that think name calling and mean rants solve anything, yet unfortunately, it is the same extreme thinkers who cause all the problems--both here and there.
You're absolutely right. As someone who has been to Israel many times, and been in close proximity to suicide bombings, the suffering is not one sided. I am supporting Obama for the same reasons- he is the right person to be an honest broker in the region. Even more importantly, he's the right man to help America solve its own domestic issues. Thank you for your balanced, non-virulent assessment of the situation. That's pretty rare when it comes to this topic.
It's possible; I do it all the time. Of course, the fact that I'm Jewish may be what makes that possible.
Does AIPAC have as much influence as MoveOn.Org, the Saudis, the Americna Medical Asosciatio, AARP, or myriads of other also legal lobbying groups?
This is just my thoughts based on looking at a number of items. AIPAC brings more influence than MoevOn, Saudis, or AMA but less than AARP, or American Bankers Assocition. I tend to put them on par withe the National Right to Life Committee and AFL-CIO.
IMO, all teh above have to much influence.
Mr. Forman never defines what "pro-Israel" is, and thus it's a bit difficult to respond to his article responsibly. But it appears as if being "pro-Israel" is to have a reflexive "pro-Israel" voting record or pronouncements.
Not once in his article did Forman state that being truly "pro-Israel" is to come up with suggestions for peacefully solving the Israel-Palestine conflict in a just manner. A truly just solution will be one that is only tolerable to both sides; it would never be 100% what either side wants. This is why being blindly "pro-Israel" or "pro-Arab" or "pro-Palestinian" is, ultimately, a folly. It is tantamount to being against all of those populations in that area who've had to endure the evils of the 60-year old conflict. readerK.
Jerusalem belongs to Palestine. And Palestine belongs to the Palestinians. End the occupation that has been going on since 1948. The UN has no right to steal Palestine from the Palestinians and give it to anyone else.
You forgot to mention that Palestinians belong to Palestine.
Ah, now the whole thing is nicely rounded.
But do stop foaming at the mouth. It's unseemly.
Do you feel that way about all former colonial territories like Australia, the USA, Iraq, Jordan, Canada and many other countries on the planet? Or just Israel?
The question of who has what "rights" can and will be debated until judgment day.
The state of Israel, however, is the only state as a result of a religion-based (using religion) colonial movement created by UN fiat.
This UN created religious colonial state is here to stay. Unlike other colonial states you mention, Israel has expanded its boarders by force and in disregard for the same body of international laws that legitimized Israel in the first place.
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Posted July 10, 2008 | 10:10 AM (EST)