Are Jewish Democrats Committed Enough to Protect Israel from Their Own Party?

Dear Friend of FLAME:

Many Jewish Democrats pay lip service to support of Israel, but when it comes to opposing acts hostile to Israel—or supporting acts helpful to Israel—they often abandon the Jewish homeland. Israel is apparently often not as important as party loyalty.

Two examples: When Barack Obama engineered and ratified the Iran Deal, we at FLAME criticized the President roundly—because it was a bad deal for the U.S. and for Israel.

When, in December 2016, the Obama administration allowed the United Nations Security Council to adopt a resolution denying Jewish connection and rights to Jerusalem, we criticized the President again—because it was a lie . . . and a betrayal of Israel.

In both cases, we received blowback from Jewish Democrats—FLAME supporters—who were angry that we criticized “their guy.” One such supporter warned us against attacking President Obama because, “you don’t understand, we love him.”

The problem was not FLAME’s failure to understand. It was that our higher principle is support of Israel above unqualified support of any politician or party.

Likewise, when we praised Donald Trump for getting the U.S. out of the Iran Deal and moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, Jewish Democrats warned us against supporting this “evil man” and warning us against dire consequences when Democrats returned to the White House.

They meant that supporting good deeds for Israel by Trump—no matter how righteous they might be—would mark us for punishment for disloyalty from ascendant Democrats.

Today, Jewish Democrats face new, even more troubling challenges to their loyalty to the Democratic Party.

Today it’s not just the Democratic President performing sneaky, debatable policy maneuvers to Israel’s disadvantage—or the “unspeakable” Republican supporting Israel. Rather, it’s Democratic Congressional representatives voicing plainly anti-Semitic sentiments to delegitimize Israel and Israel’s supporters.

What’s more, Nancy Pelosi’s Democrat-controlled House refused to condemn specifically those anti-Semitic profanities or censure Rep. Ilhan Omar, who uttered them.

Where are the Israel supporters in the Democratic Party when we need them? Where is the outrage of Democrat supporters of Israel and the Jewish people when we need them?

Don’t misunderstand: Democrats don’t have to become Republicans . . . or even to vote for Republicans. That’s a different choice. But Democrats who truly support Israel should raise a ruckus in their party—demand an immediate, unequivocal end to anti-Semitic calumnies among their members.

Put it another way: If you’re a Democrat who doesn’t vocally disavow Rep. Ilhan Omar and her evil, anti-Semitic sister, Rep. Rashida Tlaib—if you don’t write a protest letter to the editor or to your state’s Democratic chairperson—you can’t honestly say you support Israel.

This is a question of personal integrity. FLAME does not support political parties because we “like” them or “love” their Presidential candidate. We support politicians who support the causes and values most sacred to us.

When a party abandons your sacred causes, it’s your moral duty to threaten to leave—or to actually leave—that party. If you’re a Jewish American, you should insist your party support Israel. That’s good for the United States, the Jewish people and the Jewish homeland.

In short, it’s high time that all Jewish Democrats—and all Democrats of integrity—forcefully condemn the growing antagonism of increasing numbers of Democrat politicians against Jewish Americans and the Jewish state.

Contact House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and your favorite Presidential candidate. Let them know where you stand on anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism. Tell them the heart of the Party is at stake. If they fail to condemn anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, that is a failure of moral integrity—undeserving of your support.

In talking with friends, family and colleagues, I urge you to focus not on party or politicians, but on the issues of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism. If the party or a politician supports the Jewish people and the Jewish state, it’s important that we support them vocally for that (no matter which party, no matter whom we end up voting for).

I hope you’ll also quickly visit FLAME’s lively new Facebook page and review the P.S. immediately below. It describes FLAME’s most recent hasbarah campaign—on whitewashing misrepresentations made by the media and, alarmingly, by some politicians, about the insidious Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Best regards,

Jim Sinkinson
President, Facts and Logic About the Middle East (FLAME)