T. Belman. There are some issues in which it is appropriate to seek bipartisan support. e.g. The Taylor Force Act but on most issues it is not appropriate. The policies of the Democratic Party are for the most part antithetical to the policies of the Israeli government. The Democrats supported Obama’s position on the peace process and embrace of the Iran Deal both of which were decidedly not in our interest. in addition they attack Trump relentlessly regardless of the fact that he is the most pro-Israel President ever. Klein goes so far as to admonish us for defending Trump on the charge of antisemitism. That Klein would actually say so in Israel shows just how far the Democrats have gone.
I feel that the left in Israel is not pro-Israel and therefore don’t seek their approval. Why should I think differently about the Democratic Party.
Ron Klein came to Israel to meet with government leaders and opinion settlers.
Israelis and their politicians must stop adopting Republican claims that Democrats no longer support Israel, because such claims are dangerous for Israel’s future, the chairman of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, former Florida congressman Ron Klein, told The Jerusalem Post in an interview in the capital on Sunday.
Klein, whose organization bills itself as “the voice for Jewish Democrats and socially liberal, pro-Israel values,” came to Israel to meet with government leaders and opinion setters. He would not give names, but said that Netanyahu was not one of them.
“We’re bucking up against an Israeli population with an opinion being impacted by the opinion of the [US] president [Donald Trump] and some of the media here, that because three Democrats were elected to Congress who might not support Israel, the Democratic Party has disconnected from Israel – when in fact, it is very supportive, and it’s constant.”
Klein, who is close to Israel’s ambassador to the US Ron Dermer, said it was wrong of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett and the ambassador to say following the October 27 massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh that Trump is not antisemitic.
“I don’t think the prime minister of Israel has to defend the president of the United States on antisemitism,” he said.
Klein said that Netanyahu has turned off Democrats repeatedly, including when he spoke to Congress against the Iran deal advocated by then-US president Barack Obama, and by going too far in praising Trump.
“There are people who feel the prime minister has aligned himself with Republicans,” he said. “I get that he’s the prime minister of Israel and he has to do what’s right for Israel. But it didn’t help to say ‘Your wall is our wall.’ The smartest thing the Israeli government can do is embrace all supporters of Israel.”
Klein said that Israel is best served when both parties support it, and they do not have to do it in the same way. He said it is OK for Democrats to disagree with policies of the Israeli government like they do with their own government, which they criticize without making themselves less patriotic.
Likely Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi will visit Israel regularly and remind Israelis how pro-Israel their party is, Klein said. He said that her returning to her post is an opportunity to improve the relationship between Israel and Democrats, as is the takeover of other key Congressional posts by very pro-Israel Democrats.
Klein singled out the expected heads of the Appropriations Committee Nita Lowey (D-NY), Foreign Affairs Committee Elliot Engel (D-NY) and Middle East subcommittee Ted Deutch (D-FL).
“I spoke to all of them, and they want us to do what we are doing,” Klein said. “Pelosi is a consummate professional. Her consistently supporting Israel is a signal to the Democratic Party and its new members in Congress that being pro-Israel is an essential component of Democratic ideology and policy. There are a few new members we don’t agree with but they are in the fringe and won’t have a majority.”
Klein said he is in touch with possible US presidential candidates and that the council will play an important role in how they come down on issues his organization cares about. Meanwhile, he said most of the new members of Congress are not educated yet about Israel.
“We think this is a great opportunity to educate them,” he said. “Our job is to make sure they understand. We impacted a lot of races; we got involved where the Jewish community could make a difference.”
t seems to me that Klein, although openly intimating negativity, through his position as a prominent Jewish leader, is actually speaking, not as a rep of the Jewish Communities but as a die-hard Democrat. That Israel’s partiality to Trump-actually to the policies of the Republican Party as led by Trump- is antagonising the Democratic Party who have a lock-hold on the vast majority of Jewish voters and money, even though the Dems have shown strong evidence of Jew-Hate creeping into their ranks.
So what he’s really saying is “cool down” being so partial, we resent it.
An oblique warning that it will affect the supportive attitude of American Jews for Israel… The self-centred, self-proud pomposity, should welcome any support for Israel regardless whence it comes, and should be encouraging his Party to emulate it across the board. This of course could be done with little effort, except for the extreme and unfair hatred that Dems have for Trump.
He has worked marvels just by seeing through the fabrications and pretenses, and gone straight to the problems….and dealt with them. The Democrats are shriveling up with jealousy.
He would be glowing all over and claiming credits for the Democratic Party if it so happened that the “partiality” was for the Democrats having achieved the same successes…..
@ Roberto Edery:
There is none. In fact evidence shows he’s exactly the opposite. Anyone who concludes Trump is an anti-Semite yet whitewashes the very blatant anti-Semitism of people like Marc Lamont Hill and the 2 dumb muslim broads from MN and MI who just got elected, is delusional or demented. Jewish liberals are desperately trying to justify away their continuing and indefensible support for the democrats, who are the real anti-Semites. So they turn it around on Trump. They can’t possibly believe deep down he’s an anti-Semite.
@ Roberto Edery:I couldn’t agree more! I certainly understand Klein’s point though. Israeli leaders need to stay out of all foreign country’s business. So maybe he has a point with Bibi’s remark about Trump’s wall. But he lost me completely when he used Bibi’s speech to Congress about the dangers of the Iran deal. That was/is Israel’s business! True that Trump doesn’t need Israeli leaders to defend him on most non-Israel matters but let’s not pretend for one minute that most of the Democrats are our friends. They are not! For the US to help Israel, the US needs to be strong and successful. Despite ‘friends’ like Pelosi who are weak themselves and certainly help to weaken the US with their insane policies, Israel needs real friends who both share the same ideology and are strong. Having weak, powerless allies does not help us. BTW, anyone who wants a ‘2 state solution’ is definitely our enemy. By demanding that Israel abandon Judea and Samaria and let arab terrorists control the high ground, they are asking Israelis to commit national suicide. Guess who wants Trump to commit to a 2 state solution? Pelosi.
Klein thinks we israelis are stupid. “The smartest thing the Israeli government can do is embrace all supporters of Israel.” He pretends that the Democrats are supporters of Israel. Tell that to Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, the “future of the Democrat Party”, not to us. Democrats are NOT our friends, after 8 years of Obama, it’s ludicrous to say something like that, they embraced the palestinians and BDS long ago, and oh, yes, J Street, the paradigm of anti-israeli “jewish” organization and BDS supporter. Where exactly is the EVIDENCE of Trump’s anti-semitism? I for one would love to see it. President Trump has done more for Israel in less than 2 years than ALL the previous presidents combined, Democrats or Republicans. Period. Boy, just for that, he must be a bigot! As for the jewish liberals that cling to the Democrats, mainly by closing their eyes and ears, they are demeaning the hard won reputation of intelligence of the jewish people. To keep voting for Democrats and attacking Israel, at this point, is a good symptom that they need a brain wash, to clean all the garbage inside. Pathetic bunch.
Ron Klein is an ass.
Ron Klein says “that Netanyahu has turned off Democrats repeatedly, including when he spoke to Congress against the Iran deal advocated by then-US president Barack Obama, and by going too far in praising Trump.” Proving Democrats have turned against Israel. One can listen to Ron while ignoring his advice.