Thoughts on Anti-Israel Democrats

Some say that it's time to abandon the Democrats. More accurately, Obama. I am not there yet, though watching Panetta and Clinton of late is not what I would call a confidence building measure. When it comes down to it, each person has the right to exercise their vote or not, and when there is thoughtful disagreement I can fully respect different opinion.

Among Democrats, it's important to know who the anti-Israel voices are. I do not believe that anti-Israel is anti-Jewish per se, and would caution against that assessment, particularly when seeking to change the dynamics. It depends on the individual case. Yes, many of anti-Israel crusaders crossed the line a long time ago, and even side with antisemitic Muslims who call for delegitimization of Israel and extermination of the Jews. They must be confronted and called out for moral bankruptcy, even if it earns calls of being a racist right-wing Islamophobe. Yet, there are many that do see only the behavior of Israel. That is all that matters to them. Their rage at "injustice" comes from an uneducated perspective, built on a foundation of a one sided narrative that denies them the opportunity to see that Israel is a victim among states and Jews are a victim of humanity.

In my opinion, these anti-Israel voices do not understand that in similar circumstances, is there another state that would more humane? Even as it faces the most difficult challenges of any state on earth, born of decades of continued aggression that has morphed from conventional to asymmetric, Westerners hold Israel to a standard that cannot be attained even in normalcy and peace: perfection! Sometimes they do this in disregard of the truth. Not to mention they often behave as poorly or worse, obsessing over Israel while remaining relatively silent as women and children around the planet are subjugated and innocents killed in more costly and senseless conflict.

And when it comes to the Palestinian side, the claims that Israel is occupied, the threats of genocide and acts of aggression, the disregard for the fundamental rules of armed conflict, the abuse of fundamental human rights of the governed, among other things, it seems there is hardly a standard at all.

That said, there are plenty of Democrats who strongly support Israel. As events unfold, and the belligerency and intolerance of Arab states, Iran and others are further laid bare, one hopes the disconnect of the anti-Israel voices, especially the talking heads with their Orwellian theories, will become stark, and they will lose favor among liberals and Democrats. Even Obama may flip, as did his immediate predecessors, when the malfeasance becomes undeniably apparent.

When one considers the strong support of the American people and military for Israel, the misfeasance of the Administration will only go so far. I am unsure whether a Bush or Gingrich could have prevented the aftermath of the Arab Spring. It is a mistake to think that Republicans have the answer. And in the end, perhaps Obama's blunders may prove beneficial by hastening the West to become aware of what confronts us all, especially in Europe where the real threat to democracy is apace. Though it is hard to change the momentum, perhaps a more concerted and effective push will soon commence on the international level against the OIC and its agenda to impose its ideology on us all.