'Obama is turning Israel into a pariah state'
Former New York City Mayor and Democrat Congressman Ed Koch rips President Obama on Israel yet again in an interview with NewsReal Blog. NRB: Do you feel the Democrats have lost their way regarding national security?That last sentence described me until the 1980 election (in fact, I worked for Scoop Jackson in the 1976 Primary Campaign). But watching everyone fall in step with Jimmy Carter in 1980 was too much for me. I've voted mostly Republican ever since.
Koch: In 2004 I crossed party lines and supported George W. Bush because I did not think John Kerry understood the dangers of terrorism to the same extent as Bush.
NRB: But you seem to not be on the same page as Bush domestically yet you supported him?
Koch: Terrorism and how we responded to it trumped every other issue. I have no regrets.
NRB: Do you regret supporting President Obama?
Koch: I made a mistake in thinking Obama was as good as McCain on the terrorism issue.
NRB: Why do you support Israel?
Koch: Somewhere in the world today a Jewish Community is being persecuted. They can go to Israel and Israel will take them
.
NRB: Do you think there is a disconnect with the President’s attitude toward Israel as opposed to the Palestinians?
Koch: Barack Obama is in effect making Israel a pariah nation. He wants to encourage the support of the Sunni Muslim nations. He is blaming Israel for everything and placating the Arabs. He needs to remember that Israel is a great ally in the area.
NRB: What do you see as the major problem between Israel and the Palestinians?
Koch: The Arabs have to first recognize that Israel is a Jewish State. The Arabs do not believe that a Jewish nation should exist in this area. Until they come to their senses there won’t be peace.
NRB: Why do so many Jews vote Democratic?
Koch: This saying explains my belief: “If I am not for me who will be. If not now when. But if I am only for myself what am I.” I don’t think the Jews understand this extraordinary statement. They should be more discriminating then giving their support to only one party. When their brothers and sisters in Israel are attacked they stand there and do relatively nothing.
NRB: Would you vote for President Obama today?
Koch: No
NRB: Do you still consider yourself a Democrat?
Koch: I consider myself a very good Democrat, one in the image of Humphrey and Scoop Jackson. I am a liberal with sanity.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:34 PM
2 Comments:
He is way out front... the current response among the liberals I know to Mayor Koch's opinions: "He's over reacting." Just so you know, one of the Israeli consulates was at a SW US JCC for a seminar type event. It was the day after Obama spoke at AIPAC before the election. The guy was just giddy at the wonderousness of Obama. I was rolling my eyes and, sure enough, the Obama campaign came out with the opposite statements in the following days. The consulate never came back to this group to do a revision of their advocacy for the Dems. I'm hoping it will be different going forward, that the Israeli consulates will at least be neutral and able to do an "on the other hand" analysis for the locals regarding Israeli issues.
Scoop would've made a great president. What a pity. I suppose most of his supporters have become repubs
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