ed note–BUT REMEMBER, according to some REALLY smart people in this movement whose only qualification for rendering commentary on political events is the fact that they somehow scrounged up a working computer and have an internet connection, this is all ‘an act’. Trump is really ‘one of them’ by virtue of a few nice things he has said about Israel.
Forward.com
Jewish Republicans have never been a constituency Donald Trump could lean on for support. But recent comments made by the New York billionaire and what seems to be his unstoppable race to the Republican nomination, have led some Jewish Republicans to set off alarm bells.
“Trump promising he’ll be neutral when it comes to Israel is highly concerning,” said a Jewish Republican activist. “Jewish Republicans,” the activist who asked not to be identified because his organization does not endorse candidates, “are obviously troubled by these comments.”
Trump’s ascent has spurred an unusual Jewish political coalition. Pro-Israel Republicans, neo-conservative ideologues, and human rights activists have all been ramping up their criticism of Trump, in public and in private discussions. Some are actively calling for a joint Jewish effort to block Trump from becoming the GOP nominee.
Some, like historian Robert Kagan, who is considered among the fathers of American neoconservatism, have taken bold steps. Kagan, announced in a Washington Post article that Trump’s emergence as the most popular Republican candidate has led him to cross the political line: “For this former Republican, and perhaps for others, the only choice will be to vote for Hillary Clinton,” Kagan wrote. “The party cannot be saved, but the country still can be.”
Others have taken to an activist campaign in attempt to dissuade conservative voters who care about Israel and support a strong American international stature, from accepting the inevitability of a Trump candidacy. The Emergency Committee for Israel, a pro-Israel organization headed by leading neoconservative William Kristol, released on February 28 a video ad titled “Trump Loves Dictators.” The spot is compiled of clips in which Trump speaks positively of ousted leaders Saddam Hussein of Iraq and Mouammar Kadhafi of Libya, as well as Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. “How can Trump make America great when he’s kissing up to anti-American dictators?” the ad concludes. Kristol, in a press release, said: “If you’re pro-Israel, you shouldn’t be pro-Trump. Apologists for dictators aren’t reliable friends of the Jewish state.”
Trump’s February 17 refusal, during an interview on MSNBC, to take sides in the Israeli – Palestinian conflict raised eyebrows among many Jewish Republicans. “Let me be sort of a neutral guy,” Trump said, explaining that only this stance could make him acceptable on both sides as an honest broker. The comment, a clear deviation from the automatic siding with Israel which has become the standard among candidates, was viewed by Trump’s rivals as an opportunity to attack the frontrunner. During the February 25 Republican debate, Trump tried to defend his stand, stating he was “totally pro-Israel” and explaining the need to make sure none of the sides see him as biased against them.
But for some Jewish Republicans, Trump’s explanations did little to put to rest their lingering doubts regarding his position on Israel. “He can’t just paper over these comments by saying he’s pro-Israel,” a Jewish Republican activist said a day after the debate. “Donald Trump failed that test last night. He’s words were very troubling.”
Another Jewish Republican, who also asked to remain anonymous, argued that Jewish donors and major activists should speak out in clearer terms against Trump. “Of course no one wants to run a negative campaign against a Republican candidate, but if we don’t want him as Republican nominee, now is the time to do something.” Some Jewish Republicans are worried that a Trump candidacy would force them into an impossible position in which they’ll have to back a candidate that they feel is not sufficiently strong on Israel.
But not all share these concerns.
“Trump will flat out be a friend of Israel,” said Sid Dinerstein, former chair of Florida’s Palm Beach County Republican Party and a long time Jewish Republican. Dinerstein does not see a problem with Trump’s comments on Israel. “People understand that Trump, every time he opens his mouth, is negotiating,” he said referring to the candidate’s claim that neutrality will help him broker an Israeli – Palestinian deal. “But he’s doing it from a position of strength and that’s what makes all the difference.”
Fred Zeidman, a major Jewish donor from Texas also expressed his belief that at the end of the day Trump won’t be a problem for Jewish Americans who support Israel. “I wish he was more positive on Israel, but I’d be very surprised if as president he wasn’t supportive of Israel,” Zeidman said, adding: “Maybe I’m naive.”
Zeidman, who had initially supported Jeb Bush’s run and is not a Trump backer, argued it would be a mistake for Jewish Republicans to organize as a group against Trump. “If he will be the eventual candidate, you don’t want him to be an enemy,” he said. “The last thing I ever want is to have an enemy in the White House.”
Republican Jews aren’t alone in their growing criticism of the leading candidate. Trump’s endorsement by White supremacist David Duke and his initial refusal to disavow Duke and the Ku Klux Klan, led the Anti-Defamation League, a non-partisan national Jewish organization, to step up and demand Trump clearly distance himself from racists who pledged their support to him. “It is time for him to come out firmly against these bigoted views and the people that espouse them,” said the group’s CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. ADL also issued a list of extremist and racists who had inserted themselves into the presidential race. Most of them had done so in favor of Trump.
The Republican Jewish Coalition has carefully refrained from speaking out publicly against Trump although he has little support among the group’s board members. RJC will not host any of the candidates at its upcoming spring meeting, in an attempt to remain above the primary race which is still far from being determined.
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To make Trump to distance himself from the bigots, racists? Look who is talking. Israel and acolytes are the most racist people on earth. They call themselves: The Jewish State of Israel. That means: no other people in Israel but Jews.
Someone said: “the Jews are out of touch with reality”….quite a understatement indeed. They Zionist traitors have been part of the greater Israeli firster plan since Ben Hrun lied about everything including Eichman. They are the Mossad creed in action….”by way of dececption thou shalt make war”.
Two corrections: “The Zionists and Ben Grun(aka Ben Gurion)”.