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Steven Richard Sheffey's

Chicagoland Pro-Israel Political Update

Calling balls and strikes for the pro-Israel community since 2006

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June 21, 2020

135 days till Election Day

If you remember nothing else, remember this:

Read to the end for fun stuff and upcoming events. I love when you tell me about mistakes--consider it a quid pro quo.

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Friends,

Black Lives Matter. Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA) is a good friend of Israel and the Jewish community. She also Chairs the Congressional Black Caucus. On Tuesday, on a call convened by the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA), Bass was asked by a participant about anti-Semitism in the Black Lives Matter movement. She said that the entire group should not be held accountable for what a few might be saying and that most Black Lives Matter supporters think of Black Lives Matter as a broader concept, not as a particular organization. She said that a large majority of the protesters have no idea about the website or what's on it and that if you asked most Black Lives Matter protesters about any anti-Israel language, they would have no idea what you were talking about or even that it existed at all. That's not why they are protesting.

I'll repeat my challenge from two weeks ago. If you're concerned about anti-Israel language in the Black Lives Matter platform, go to its website and try to find it. If you can't, chances are that others who aren't even focused on the issue haven't seen it. Read Rabbi Moshe Rosenberg, Maayan Belding-Zidone, and Carly Pildis for more insights.

Has Israel become a partisan issue? The question isn't whether both parties support Israel, but whether they agree on how to support Israel. Neither party wanted Iran to have nuclear weapons, but Republicans opposed the Iran Deal and all but a few Democrats supported the deal (Jewish members supported the deal by more than a 2-1 margin). Taking sides on the Iran Deal meant wading into a partisan fight, and it should not surprise us that parties that see everything else differently would see the Middle East differently too.

Both parties want Israel to remain secure, but only Democrats are speaking out against unilateral annexation of parts of the West Bank by Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu has three objectives: remain prime minister, stay out of jail, and ensure Israel's security.

Bibi is superficially similar to Trump. Both are corrupt and not above using racist rhetoric. Both backed Romney over Obama in 2012. But unlike Trump, Bibi reads (and writes) books and understands geopolitics. In two decades as prime minister, he has avoided annexation even though his own Likud party favors it. He understands the damage unilateral annexation would cause to Israel, and my guess is that he wishes Obama--or any post-1967 president, for that matter--was in office, because they all opposed unilateral annexation and would have given Bibi the cover to say to his coalition partners "I'd love to skip negotiations and annex, but gosh darn it, that guy in the White House won't let me."

Do you think it's an accident that the coalition agreement explicitly conditions a vote on annexation on U.S. approval? Some friends of Israel in America say it's not our place to disagree with Israel's government because they, not we, will suffer the consequences of mistakes. We can debate that proposition, but in this case, Israel's government has made clear that the U.S. has a voice on annexation. And if Bibi really does favor annexation, all the more reason for friends of Israel to speak up now.

Four strong friends of Israel, Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Ted Deutch (D-FL), and David Price (D-NC) are circulating a letter that reiterating their commitment to a "strong and secure Jewish and democratic State of Israel" and urging Israel's government to reconsider plans for any unilateral annexation of West Bank territory. Plenty of Democrats will sign the letter. Plenty of Democrats have already spoken out against annexation, including Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) on Tuesday. If Trump abdicates his responsibility, it is up to pro-Israel lawmakers to ensure that Israel knows the depth of American opposition to annexation.

Yossi Klein Halevi writes that "Annexation will be a betrayal of those around the world who are heroically fighting to protect the good name of the state of Israel. Annexation will betray those young Jews who publicly identify as Zionists in a culture that increasingly defines 'Zionist' as 'racist.' Sending them to defend us on campus in the aftermath of annexation will be the equivalent of dispatching soldiers into battle without ammunition."

Republicans are with us in supporting President Obama's record setting ten-year aid package to Israel, but not on annexation. I wish Republicans were with us on gun control, climate change, and economic justice. Just as Republicans sincerely believe they support Israel, I'm sure they are against gun violence, pollution, and people starving. It's that they have, shall we say, interesting ideas about how to achieve those objectives. So too with Israel. As with all issues, we should work across party lines when we can, but don't help ourselves by papering over major differences. Parties matter. Elections matter.

Did you read the excerpts from John Bolton's new book? Chemi Shalev read them so you don't have to, and writes that "Bolton’s book confirms the claim that Israel has placed its fate in the hands of a vain, corrupt and reckless president, who cares only for himself and who subordinates U.S. foreign policy to his personal interests."

D.C. and Puerto Rico should be states. If it's not obvious, read Cady Stanton. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) announced that the House will vote on D.C. statehood on June 26. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser writes that D.C. is "the only capital of a democratic nation that denies its residents a vote in the federal legislature."

If Democrats win back the Senate, they should abolish the filibuster; if they don't, Mitch McConnell will be able to block everything. But if the political will is not there, they should at least carve out an exception for statehood votes similar to the exception for federal judges. Statehood is long overdue.

Last week's newsletter .

ICYMI. John Bolton is a weasel in a party of weasels .

Tweet of the Week. Ilan Goldenberg .

Video Clip of the Week. Let's take a break from politics and watch the only time Elton John was in a band where he was not the most flamboyant performer.

Political Ad of the Week. Well, that was a short break. Truer today than three months ago.

Upcoming Zoom Events--All Free, but RSVPs are required: 

This  Tuesday, June 23, from 3:30 to 4:00 CDT, Dana Gordon and I are hosting Minnesota House candidate  Dan Feehan.  RSVP here to get your Zoom link.

Dan's Republican opponent, Rep. Jim Hagedorn, called female Senators "undeserving bimbos in tennis shoes," denies climate change,

greeted Vice President Pence at the Mayo Clinic without a mask, and just this week, immediately announced that he was opposed to the Supreme Court decision protecting LGBTQ individuals from workplace discrimination.  You need to meet Dan Feehan. RSVP today.

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The Fine Print : This newsletter usually runs on Sunday mornings. Unless stated otherwise, my views do not necessarily reflect the views of any candidates or organizations that I support or am associated with. I reserve the right to change my mind as I learn more. Intelligent, well-informed people may disagree with me; read opposing views and decide for yourself. A link to an article doesn't mean that I agree with everything its author has ever said or that I even agree with everything in the article; it means that the article supports or elaborates on the point I was making. I take pride in accurately reporting the facts on which I base my opinions. Tell me if you spot any inaccuracies, typos, or other mistakes so that I can correct them in the next newsletter (and give you credit if you want it). Advertisements reflect the views of the advertisers, not necessarily of me, and advertisers are solely responsible for the content of their advertisements. I read, value, and encourage replies to my newsletters, but I don't always have time to acknowledge replies or to engage in one-on-one discussion. Don't expect a reply if your message is uncivil or if it's clear from your message that you haven't read the newsletter or clicked on the relevant links. © 2020 Steve Sheffey. All rights reserved.