Pro-Israel Vote Being Mobilized

It would appear that Obama may be a blessing in disguise as pro-Israel voters have become highly motivated, which might just result in the most pro-Israel Congress ever which in turn will thwart Obama's devastating agenda to destroy Israel.

Obama’s achievement: Rousing the pro-Israel vote


By ABE KATSMAN JPOST

US President Barack Obama has succeeded in at least one area in his controversial presidency: He inadvertently has galvanized American public support for Israel, making Mideast policy a surprisingly potent issue in this congressional election. And, thanks to the Obama administration’s perceived hostility toward Israel, the reticence of even Jewish elected Democrats to criticize their president and the emergence of a new generation of vocally pro- Israel Republican candidates, the pro-Israel vote has shifted in a decidedly Republican direction.

The litany of Obama administration acts causing angst in the pro-Israel community includes: reneging on understandings reached with Israel by the previous administration to avoid a return to indefensible pre-1967 “Auschwitz” borders; orchestrating a diplomatic crisis and publicly dressing-down Israel following Vice President Joe Biden’s visit; suggesting that its policies were causing American troop deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan; forcing long-established Jewish Jerusalem neighborhoods onto the negotiating table; suggesting that American cooperation on Iran be contingent on bending to Obama’s will regarding unilateral concessions; freezing-out mainstream Jewish organizations from the White House, while elevating the George Soros-financed J Street (which claims to be pro-Israel, though it is still searching for that elusive issue where it actually endorses Israel’s position); dithering while Iran methodically builds the bomb; and, last week, refusing to say plainly that America considers Israel to be a Jewish state.

Even prominent liberal Jewish Democrats – Obama supporters in 2008 – have been straightforward in their criticism of the president’s conduct. Mort Zuckerman, editor of US News and World Report, who even did speech-writing for Obama, has repudiated his endorsement, lamenting that “from the start of his presidency, Mr. Obama has undermined Israel’s confidence in US support.”

Marty Peretz, editor of The New Republic, had said in 2008 that the Obama foreign policy team gave him “the shudders” regarding Israel. He overcame that feeling once Obama was the Democrats’ nominee, and bestowed his Jewish blessing on Obama’s candidacy. His verdict on Obama now: “The fact is that he does not particularly like Israel.”

Ed Koch, New York’s irrepressibly liberal former mayor, blasted Obama’s “blatantly hostile attitude toward Israel,” and expressed “grave doubt” that he “can be counted on to do what presidents before him did – protect our ally, Israel.”

Koch touched on an insufficiently discussed point: the silence of so many in Congress who should be protesting Obama’s shabby treatment of Israel. “Where are the voices,” asked Koch, “of the 31 members of the House and 14 senators who are Jewish?”

IT’S A question worth pondering. Of those 45 Jewish members of Congress, exactly one is a Republican. The Jewish Democrats, with the notable (if belated) exception of Sen. Charles Schumer, have not exactly been outspoken defenders of Israel against Obama’s onslaught. Too many have been fair-weather Zionists – tepidly supportive in general, but not willing to make waves or cross their party’s leader no matter how warranted.

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