One wonders whether the relationship between U.S. politicians and certain "pro-Israel" camps is kosher.
On Face the Nation this morning, Elizabeth Warren was asked whether she believes that Rep. Ilhan Omar's recent tweet was anti-Semitic (Omar had claimed that American politicians support for Israel was "all about the Benjamins"). The question was straightforward, requiring only a "yes," "no," or an "I don't know" to reply. Warren, though, did not answer the question. In response, she merely stated opposition to anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.
Perhaps Warren was afraid to answer the question. After all, it was hard not to notice the ton of bricks that had fallen so quickly on poor Omar after the tweet. Some cows, it seems, truly are sacred. Mainstream media had united against Omar. The House Democratic leadership had issued a unified statement condemning her comments. And President Trump, who is not known for his agreement with Democrats, had even said that Omar should resign her seat in Congress. Support for "Israel" (i.e., the government of Israel) makes for some pretty strange and uncomfortable bedfellows. Whether Omar was right or not seemed to be of no concern to the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, or the mainstream corporate media.
The elephant in the room is not kosher. Why the hypersensitivity? Why the quickness to condemn? Perhaps it is due to the fact that money from certain so-called "pro-Israel" groups DOES influence policy and law. A good example of this is found in the laws against boycotting Israel.
According to Wikipedia, a 2011 Israeli law outlawed calls for an economic, cultural or academic boycott against a person or entity because of its association with the State of Israel and/or a specific region under Israeli control. There was a lot of opposition within Israel to this restriction of their freedoms, but the law stands.
The 2011 Israeli law is now reflected in the laws of 26 U.S. states. In Arizona, for example, agencies contracted with the state to provide service must not boycott Israel. No other country is so favored. And The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle explains what the State of Israel, which governs nine million people, gets in return for the purchase of U.S. politicians: 3.3 billion dollars in 2019 alone.
In other words, Americans will give 3.3 thousand-million dollars to Israel this year. That boils down to every man, woman and child in the United States giving $10 to a pot that, when divided by the population of Israel, come out to over $300 for every man, woman, and child in Israel. Which really isn't much, is it? Sure, it would be hard for a politician to turn down such a modest request - especially when the return on investment for Israel is so great. And, considering the cut that the politicians get, who can blame them?
Yet U.S. politicians are very sensitive on the subject of being bought by certain Israeli interests. Swiftly, almost instinctively, they label people who dare to question quid-pro-quo relationships with the Israeli regime as "anti-Semitic."
Omar's tweet said a lot more about how money influences U.S. foreign policy than it said about Jews, Judaism, or even the people of Israel. The political and mainstream media response to her little tweet was appalling. And so was Elizabeth Warren's refusal to answer a simple question on Face the Nation. Her love-and-peace answer showed her willingness to throw a truth-telling Democrat, and the truth, under the bus. Bernie Sanders, a Jew, did not throw Omar under the bus. In fact, he defended her.
And THAT's the hard truth, America.
