The Truth on Trump & Israel
In 2019, JDCA warned that “Trump threatens to undermine the long-term trajectory of the U.S.-Israel relationship by making it all about him and what he deems good politics.” Today, we’re warning that – in light of Trump’s clear decision to debase U.S.-Israel ties into a cheap political transaction – “Republican leaders have remained silent, putting their political allegiance to Trump over the U.S.-Israel relationship.”
Barak Ravid, a highly respected Israeli journalist, published a new book this week documenting more evidence that, like so many other aspects of his presidency, Donald Trump saw the U.S.-Israel relationship through a self-serving political lens. Ravid’s book describes chaos throughout the Trump administration surrounding policy towards Israel, including Jared Kushner kicking Israeli Ambassador Dermer out of the White House and a top aide telling Dermer that Trump ‘doesn’t like you guys now.’ Trump even used profanity to describe his view of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu once Bibi recognized that Joe Biden won the 2020 election. Read more in a JDCA op-ed below, and you can read more about Ravid’s book in The Forward.
JDCA OP-ED ON TRUMP AND ISRAEL
REPUBLICAN HYPOCRISY: Unsurprisingly, Republicans continue to support Donald Trump. Earlier this week, the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) defended Trump’s use of profanity to personally attack Israel’s Prime Minister, calling it a “nothingburger.” Republicans have shown time and again that nothing Trump does – refusing to condemn, inciting and aligning with white supremacists; launching an insurrection and violent attack on our democracy aimed at stopping the peaceful transfer of power; and using profanity to berate and describe the Israeli Prime Minister – would be enough to admit the danger he poses to the U.S., Israel, and Jewish Americans. They will never reconsider their support for Trump, who controls the GOP and remains the frontrunner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.
It doesn’t end there. In recent weeks, Israeli security and military experts have gone public with their concerns about Trump’s disastrous withdrawal from the Iran Deal in 2018. Major General Isaac Ben Israel called it “the worst strategic mistake in Israel’s history,” which paved the way for Iran moving forward with its nuclear development. Meanwhile, it’s been 82 days since the House passed $1 billion in emergency funds for Iron Dome pursuant to President Biden’s request, and Republicans are still holding Iron Dome. Senate Republicans are still blocking this crucial funding, in addition to the obstructing the confirmation of noted Holocaust historian Dr. Deborah Lipstadt to serve as Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism and other critically important national security nominations.
As we prepare for the 2022 midterm elections, we cannot lose sight of the bigger picture. The GOP is a reflection of Donald Trump, and Jewish Dems will not stand by as their dangerous policies threaten our community and values. Help us elect Democrats who share our values and are committed to protecting our democracy, defending the security of American Jews, and supporting the U.S.-Israel relationship.