Keeping politics out of the discussion of Israel and October 7 has become impossible. It is clear to me that there are several in Washington D.C. that claim to represent us who are antisemitic and care nothing for the survival of Israel.
When a member of Congress calls for the destruction of the State of Israel, wears a keffiyeh and flies the Palestinian flag at her office, I am disgusted. It is almost humorous that next to that flag is also an LGBTQ Flag.
How can someone who supports LGBTQ rights fly the flag of an entity (not a country) that would throw those same individuals off a roof for their sexual orientations? Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, along with Cori Bush of Missouri, Andre’ Carson of Indiana, Jesus Garcia of Illinois, Raul Grijalva of Arizona, Marie Newman of Illinois, Ayanna Pressly of Massachusetts, and Ilhan Ommar of Minnesota all voted against funding the Iron Dome, Israels’ air defense mechanism.
Summer Lee of Pennsylvania co-sponsored the Ceasefire Now Resolution with Cori Bush, Rashida Tlaib, Andre’ Carson and Delia Ramirez after October 7. Reps Jamaal Bowman, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, and Nydia Velazquez all of New York, Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey, Jesus Garcia and Jonathon Jackson of Illinois, Ilhan Omar or Minnesota and Ayanna Pressley of Mass. all signed on to the Resolution.
While Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, condemned antisemitism, he also expressed support for the protests against Israel’s war in Gaza. Sanders was born of Jewish parents, but I find nothing in his comments or his politics that indicate to me that he has nephesh “soul” of a Jew.
Chuck Schumer – the highest-ranking Jewish-American in the US government rebuked Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel because Schumer disagrees in how Israel is conducting its attempts to survive.
Then we have a Vice President, who confirms that the emotions of Americans for the people of Gaza are justified. What about the emotions of the people of Israel? Of Jews? Of the families of the hostages?
Is the Vice President condoning the protests at college campuses and in city subways where Jewish people of all ages are intimidated, threatened, and abused?
What has our government done to aide in the release of the hostages, some are American? Are their lives less important because they are Jewish Americans?
Where is the pushback from the leaders of Congress, Hakim Jeffries, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, against the blatant antisemitism displayed by so many in their party?
I have tiptoed around this issue for 10 months and I cannot remain silent any longer. It is apparent to me that antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment is running rampant in Washington.
If your ancestral homeland was as brutally attacked, without provocation, and the equivalent of 40,000 Americans was killed (or rather massacred, burned, brutalized) the way Hamas did in Israel wouldn’t’ you hope or even expect America to stand up and help, be vocal about its support and financially and militarily assist in their defense?
If you are Italian, imagine this happening in Italy. Irish? How about an attack on Ireland. Imagine the Philippines attacked in such a brutal manner.
It is time for those with influence, the voters, to let politicians know that just because we are Jews or because we support Israel, they cannot necessarily count on our support. Daily I hear Jews and non-Jews alike profess their disgust and intent to let anti-Semitic and anti-Israel politicians know that we will not support or endorse them. It is about time!
