Chicagoland Pro-Israel Political Update
A newsletter for people willing to think for themselves
September 2, 2018
If we don’t trust our kids to understand Israel’s complexities and feed them nothing but propaganda, they will be unable to effectively advocate for Israel in college and beyond. Some pro-Israel advocacy groups try to sell messages that their donors want to hear; we need to tell our kids what they need to hear.
Trump's aid cuts to the Palestinians again put him at odds with Israel's security establishment.
John McCain was a complex man who deserves the praise he’s received in the days following his death. His farewell message contained an important warning about the alt-right.
I’ve updated the scorecard on Trump’s Israel’s record.
We had a great turnout for our Sean Casten event, but if you missed it, you can meet Sean in Wilmette on September 6. Defeating Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL), whose extreme views are antithetical to our values, is a top priority. Details beneath the Video Clip of the Week.
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Friends,
Israel is a modern-day miracle
. The unbreakable bond between the U.S. and Israel must remain a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy. We do ourselves and Israel a grave disservice if we fail to distinguish between honest, legitimate criticism of Israel's government and hateful criticism designed to delegitimize Israel.
Pro-Israel advocacy in 2018 requires that we be proud of the Israel that actually is, a real country struggling with real problems and doing a remarkably good--albeit far from perfect--job in a very tough neighborhood under threats unprecedented for any democracy. Bipartisan support is essential, but in the long-run, support from people who see Israel with clear eyes, who might criticize certain Israeli policies but nevertheless support Israel, may prove more valuable than support from those who blind themselves to the reality of Israel and could face a rude awakening should their eyes be opened.
But how do we do this in practice? How do we talk to our kids when the Israel that exists in the real world acts differently from the ideal of Israel that they learn about in school and camp? If we send our kids to college believing in an Israel that doesn’t exist, they will be unprepared to advocate for Israel in college and could fall prey to groups that feed on ignorance and disillusionment.
Rabbi Sharon Brous
explains that we should trust our kids to grasp Israel’s complexities and to understand “that to love a place — Israel or the United States — does not necessarily mean to love its government. In fact, it sometimes means precisely the opposite.” By teaching our kids about the real Israel, “they won’t grow up and say to us, as so many young Jews are now saying to their parents, rabbis and teachers, ‘You never told me’.”
Trump is again at odds with Israel's security establishment.
Neri Zilber explains that some Israeli military officials are worried that cutting aid to the Palestinians could deepen the economic crisis in the West Bank and Gaza and lead to violence. Ilan Goldenberg noted that the U.S. role used to be firefighter, but "
now we are acting like the arsonist." The
Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA) said that "these irresponsible cuts would imperil the security of Israel and the wellbeing of millions of Palestinians, especially children."
What kind of man was John McCain?
How can people who once so strongly criticized McCain now talk about how wonderful he was?
Rabbi Shai Held
explains that McCain was not a one-dimensional cardboard cut-out, but a complex person--much like all of us.
In addition, most traditions (including ours), for what I hope are obvious reasons, encourage us to reflect on the positive qualities of the deceased in the immediate aftermath of his or her passing. So we shelve the negatives for a while. Aside one day from Donald Trump, it’s hard to think of any political figures who deserve obituaries as scathing as
this obituary of Richard Nixon
.
Updated: Trump’s record on Israel
.
Trump
ran a campaign
laced with anti-Semitic tropes
and
anti-Jewish stereotypes
.
Since taking office, Trump has threatened that Israel would
“
have to pay a higher price
”
in return for moving the embassy to Jerusalem (a move that made Israel not one whit safer), he proposed arms sales to
Saudi Arabia
and the
United Arab Emirates
t
hat would erode Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge, he proposed providing
nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia
(a regime that still beheads people), he has several times
gone behind Israel's back
t
o negotiate with Russia about Syria, he
imposed steel and aluminum tariffs on Israel
,
he
compromised Israeli intelligence
by sharing information with Russia, he
endangered Israeli lives
by
reckless aid cuts
that will destabilize the Palestinian Authority and increase volatility in the West Bank and Gaza, and he exited the Iran Deal with no Plan B and nothing but a sham
Iran Action Group
. All in less than two years. And Trump has still not filled the position of
Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism
,
which has been vacant since he took office, nor has he appointed a White House Jewish liaison. It’s almost like he just doesn’t care.
Meet Sean Casten on September 6
.
Dave Lundy and many others
(including yours truly) are hosting an event for Sean Casten in Wilmette on Thursday, September 6, from 7:00 to 9:00pm.
RSVP here
.
Sean's opponent, Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL), is anti-choice (even in cases of rape and incest), opposes same-sex marriage, opposes stem cell research, has called climate science “junk science,” and opposes a ban on assault weapons. The
Koch brothers
announced that they are again backing Roskam.
Josh Block, head of the Israel Project
, said in May that any elected official with Koch ties should be aghast over revelations that Koch money funds "anti-Israel ideas." But Roskam has taken the money and remained silent.
The Fine Print (in regular type)
: This newsletter usually runs on Sunday mornings. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, my views do not necessarily reflect the views of any candidates or organizations that I support or am associated with. My views might not even be my views tomorrow; I reserve the right to change my mind as I learn more, and sometimes I make myself mad too. Intelligent, well-informed people may disagree with me; seek out opposing views and decide for yourself. When I link to an article, it doesn't mean I agree with everything the author of that article has ever said or even that I agree with everything in that article; it means that the article supports or elaborates on the point I was making. Advertisements reflect the views of the advertisers, not necessarily of me, and advertisers are solely responsible for the content of their advertisements. I read, value, and encourage replies to my newsletters, but I don't always have time to acknowledge replies or to engage in one-on-one discussion.