The Left's Influence on Democratic Support for Israel

Jewish Pro-Palestinian Notre Dame Professor, Ashley Bohrer 

If there is any doubt about which direction the Democratic party is going with respect to support for Israel, the following should put that to rest. Ten Jewish attendees at last week’s DNC convention were interviewed by the JTA about how they view their party’s Israel policies. Four of those responses were quite telling:

Admittedly these responses do not reflect the current Israel policy of the Democratic party. Which still supports Israel. That was made clear once again by V.P. Kamala Harris by comments she made during her acceptance speech at the convention. Which was enthusiastically supported by the attendees. 

But to not recognize what an openly progressive Jewish delegate to the convention said is to blind oneself to the reality of the anti Israel progressive influences. To repeat his primary observation: 

...seeing friends of mine on Facebook take the sides of the invading army of Hamas, with those parachute symbols [the paraglider, used by some Oct. 7 terrorists to cross into Israel, has become a symbol of support for Hamas], My God almighty! I think some chunks of the progressive left are trying to hide the amount of antisemitism that’s there. And for people like me who’ve been on the progressive left for ages, I’ve seen this antisemitism get worse and worse and worse and worse over time. I can see through their attempts to try to mask it 

And then there is the guy who thinks the US should take a more assertive role with Israel. In other words to apply pressure by threatening such things as withholding military aid so that Israel will give in to the US version of ‘peace in our time’!

And what about the woman that said we have to make a real commitment to Palestinians? 

And finally one Democrat., a  Jewish woman who can only be described as a radical progressive -  a  professor at Notre Dame that came to Chicago to join Jewish Voice for Peace.

When four out of ten Jewish attendees were randomly asked how they saw their party with respect to Israel, this is how they responded.

These influences on the Democratic party are not insignificant. And they are getting stronger every day as the war carries on. And as the new school year begins it will surely bring on more Palestinian protests on college campuses that will demand an end to the Zionist occupation and freeing Palestine. Protests that will include Jews like that Notre dame professor.   Protests that will surely include more sympathy from V.P. Harris.

But what about Harris? Can she be relied upon to back up her words with action? I suppose to a certain extent she can be. But not without some possibly serious caveats. The kind that was hinted at by her selection of Ilan Goldenberg as the liaison to the Jewish community. That signals a turn away from  pro Israel  AIPAC - turning instead towards the left wing J-Street

J-Street in their infinite stupidity thinks that if Israel just evacuates all of the West Bank settlements, returns to its pre 67 border and gives the Palestinians a state, all will be well with the world. The Jihadists will just lay down arms and embrace us with pure love and Iran will become our best friend.

Harris’s full throated support for Israel during her acceptance speech was wonderful to hear. But it was just a bunch of words. Actions speak louder than words. Which is what selecting Goldenberg as an advisor clearly is. That and the oft expressed sympathy for Palestinians with implication that Israel is committing genocide against them (without her saying so explicitly).   

A lot of pro Israel Jewish Democrats blame Netanyahu for eroding that traditional Democratic support. That it’s not in Israel’s interest to rely on only one party for support. I actually very much agree with that sentiment. But Israel has done nothing to erode Democratic support. 

The ‘Blame Netanyahu for everything’ crowd seems to believe that any other prime minister would do things differently. But I’m not buying it. While there might be some minor differences - there is not a single politician in Israel that has the slightest chance of becoming prime mister that would have conducted the war that much differently than Netanyahu has. Or accept the US demand for a 2 state solution upon the completion of the war. Blaming Netanyahu is a red herring. 

As much as I would love to see the kind of support for Israel by the Democratic party that the Republican party has, it just isn’t going to happen under its current influences, whether one likes it or no

Bearing all this in mind, I’m not feeling so good about the prospect of a Democratic victory in November. Which as things stand now could easily happen in both the Executive and Legislative branches of our government.