Emergency Committee for Israel: 'Why is Donald Trump always kissing up to dictators?'
The Emergency Committee for Israel has released its first online advertisement in a while. It's directed at Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Here's the press release:
Today the Emergency Committee for Israel released "Trump Loves
Dictators," a 30-second ad highlighting Donald Trump's disturbing
affection for anti-American dictators. The ad will appear online and on
television in primary states this week.
In recent months, Trump has praised or apologized for Saddam Hussein,
Bashar Assad, Vladimir Putin, and Benito Mussolini, and previously he
praised the Chinese government for carrying out the Tiananmen Square
massacre.
William Kristol, Chairman of the Emergency Committee for Israel, said:
"If you're pro-Israel, you shouldn't be pro-Trump. Apologists for
dictators aren't reliable friends of the Jewish state."
Let's go to the videotape.
Hmmm.
If you follow me on Twitter, you know already that I'm not very keen on Donald Trump....
Emergency Committee for Israel goes after Charles Schumer on Iran
The Emergency Committee for Israel has gone after Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on Iran, urging him to oppose a deal.
Let's go to the videotape.
Someone needs to remind Schumer that Obama is a lame duck and that Schumer can better advance his career by showing that he has a backbone than by supporting Obama.
I understand from an article in Politico
that you'll be in Washington, D.C. on March 3rd. What good luck and
great timing! For, as you may have heard, your friend and Israel's prime
minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is scheduled to speak to Congress that
day. I write, as Chair of the nonpartisan Emergency Committee for
Israel, to urge you to attend the speech.
I imagine that, as a longtime supporter of Israel, you'll want to be
in attendance to show support for the U.S.-Israel relationship. You'll
surely want to show that you have no sympathy for the unfortunate
boycott by some politicians of the Prime Minister's speech, a boycott
that plays into the hands of the enemies of the Jewish state. You'll
certainly want to be there to show solidarity at this historic moment
when Israel, and Jews, are under assault.
I'm sure that, as a former secretary of state, you'd have no problem
getting a ticket to the speech -- but if there's some problem, do let me
know and I'd be happy to put in a word with the Speaker. Please let me
know if we can do anything to help facilitate your attendance at the
speech (the Emergency Committee would, for example, be happy to provide a
car and driver).
I look forward to seeing you in the House gallery on March 3rd along with other staunch friends of Israel.
Yours,
William Kristol Chairman, Emergency Committee for Israel
Well it would be one way of putting distance between Hillary Clinton and Barack Hussein Obama.... Maybe she could even use Biden's seat. Heh.
Joint ECI-CUFI statement on Democratic boycott of Israeli PM's speech
Received this by email:
Today William Kristol, Chairman, Emergency Committee for Israel, and
Gary L. Bauer, Chairman, Christians United for Israel Action Fund,
released the following statement on the emerging Democratic boycott of
the Israeli Prime Minister's speech to Congress:
"In mid-January, the Speaker of the House of Representatives invited the
Prime Minister of Israel to address Congress. The Prime Minister
accepted the invitation. He will deliver remarks to a joint session of
Congress on March 3rd.
"Some Senators and Congressmen are now threatening to boycott the
speech. Whatever their intentions and reasons, their action will be
construed, at home and abroad, as a victory for the enemies of Israel
and the enemies of a strong U.S.-Israel relationship.
"Some members of Congress claim to be upset that the Speaker may have
violated protocol or blindsided the Administration by inviting the Prime
Minister. But then why take their anger out on the Prime Minister, and
thereby on the State of Israel? Others claim that this speech will
somehow help the Prime Minister in his reelection campaign -- as if
Israeli voters are going to base their choice on one speech to the U.S.
Congress, a speech in which the Prime Minister will reiterate arguments
about Iran's nuclear program with which the major opposition parties
agree and on which there is national unity.
"The bottom line is simple: The enemies of Israel benefit most from this
campaign against the Israeli Prime Minister's speech. Whatever their
views on Israeli politics or the Iranian nuclear negotiations, members
of Congress who are friends of Israel should not play into the hands of
Israel's enemies -- and America's -- by boycotting this speech.
Boycotting Israel is high on the agenda of the enemies of Israel.
Welcoming Israel's Prime Minister to the halls of Congress is the least
that those who claim to be friends of the Jewish state should do.
"As representatives of two proudly pro-Israel organizations, we urge
members of Congress to do the right thing for the U.S. and Israel. And
for those who would turn their backs on Israel and boycott its leader --
they are no friends of Israel, and we pledge to do our best to educate
voters about their undermining of Israel and the U.S.-Israel
relationship at this crucial hour."
President Obama and Secretary Kerry must do more than denounce Hamas's
terrorist acts. Obama and Kerry must change course. They must stop
pressuring Israel to stop fighting a just and necessary war. They must
stop demanding Israeli concessions to Hamas. And they must start
supporting an Israeli victory over terror that could free Gaza from
Hamas and bring a real and lasting peace.
US President Barack Obama said on Monday the world must focus on a
cease-fire in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to put an end to the
rising number of civilian casualties.
The Palestinian death toll in an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip
rose above 500 on Monday. Hamas, which killed 13 Israeli soldiers in
Gaza on Sunday in the biggest one-day toll in eight years, continued to
fire rockets deep into Israel.
Obama repeated that Israel had the right to defend itself against
onslaughts from Hamas militants but said he had serious concerns about
the growing number of civilian deaths resulting from the conflict.
"As I've said many times, Israel has a right to defend itself against
rocket and tunnel attacks from Hamas. And as a result of its operations,
Israel has already done significant damage to Hamas's terrorist
infrastructure in Gaza," Obama told reporters at the White House.
"I've also said, however, that we have serious concerns about the rising
number of Palestinian civilian deaths and the loss of Israeli lives,
and that is why it now has to be our focus and the focus of the
international community to bring about a cease-fire that ends the
fighting and that can stop the deaths of innocent civilians," he said.
Israel does not need a mediator. Israel needs an ally. Pressuring Israel
to agree to a cease-fire that rescues Hamas from defeat and leaves it
in possession of its missiles, tunnels, and terror infrastructure is
foolish and wrong. If President Obama and Secretary Kerry want to
advance the cause of peace in the Middle East, they should support
Israel and its campaign to end the terror threat from Gaza.
That's been the problem since Day One of this administration. Obama does not see himself or the United States of America as Israel's ally.
For those who have forgotten, as one of Obama's first acts even before becoming President, Obama forced Israel to stop Operation Cast Lead before his inauguration. After Operation Pillar of Defense, which was stopped before there was a ground invasion, Hamas started making threats before the ink on the cease fire was dry. There too, an inauguration was about six weeks away. Obama is about Obama - and nothing else. Counting the days until his term is over.
When John Kerry slandered Israel, leading Democrats criticized him -- but not Hillary Clinton. Why not?
Today the Emergency Committee for Israel released "Why Not?" a 30-second
TV ad that will begin airing tonight during Diane Sawyer's
interview with Hillary Clinton on ABC.
Amidst Clinton's efforts to downplay her involvement in the Obama
administration's hostile policies toward Israel, the ad asks why
she was virtually alone among Democrats in refusing to criticize
Secretary of State John Kerry after he claimed Israel may become an
"apartheid state."
The ad will air tonight during the Clinton interview and on cable news programming throughout the week.
New TV ad exposes Rep. Walter Jones in NC-3 Republican primary
Today the Emergency Committee for Israel released "Changed," a 30-second
TV ad airing throughout Rep. Walter Jones's NC-3 district in the weeks
before the May 6th Republican primary.
The ad highlights Rep. Jones's left-wing foreign policy record, which
over the past decade has included votes against Iran sanctions, refusal
to support pro-Israel resolutions, and endorsement by an anti-Israel
PAC.
In a six-figure buy, the spot will air hundreds of times on broadcast and cable in Rep. Jones's eastern North Carolina district.
Emergency Committee for Israel executive director Noah Pollak said,
"Rep. Jones has embraced the foreign policy views of Barack Obama and
the liberal wing of the Democratic Party to such an extent that
Congressional Quarterly ranks him the most pro-Obama Republican in the
House. Conservative voters of North Carolina should know just how much
he's changed since they first sent him to Congress."
Let's go to the videotape.
I can't recall them going after a Republican before. But the fact that they have shows that they're consistent and have integrity.
Party uber alles: Emergency Committee for Israel statement on withdrawal of Democratic support for vote on Iran sanctions bill
The Emergency Committee for Israel has issued a statement on the withdrawal of support by Senate Democrats for forcing a vote on the Menendez-Kirk Iran sanctions bill.
We commend 42 Senators for their strong letter demanding a vote on S. 1881, the bipartisan Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act, which has been cosponsored by more than half of the Senate. The bill is simple and reasonable. It would reimpose existing sanctions suspended under the interim agreement if Iran cheats; it would ensure that a final agreement requires Iran to dismantle its illicit nuclear infrastructure; and it promises to impose additional economic sanctions in the future should Iran fail to agree to a final deal that dismantles its nuclear infrastructure.
As the Senators put it in their letter to the Majority Leader, “Now we have come to a crossroads. Will the Senate allow Iran to keep its illicit nuclear infrastructure in place, rebuild its teetering economy and ultimately develop nuclear weapons at some point in the future?”
The answer to this question must be no. The Senate should act now to deliver that answer. It would be nice if there were universal bipartisan support for acting now to stop a nuclear Iran. But there apparently is not. And it would be terrible if history's judgment on the pro-Israel community was that it made a fetish of bipartisanship -- and got a nuclear Iran.
Unfortunately, that seems to be exactly the direction in which we are headed. The 'pro-Israel community' is being made into a fetish of bipartisanship, and a nuclear Iran is likely to result.
Emergency Committee for Israel urges Senator Reid to allow vote on Iran sanctions
Today the Emergency Committee for Israel released the following
statement on the announcement that the P5+1 had reached an agreement
with Iran on implementing the November, 2013 Geneva Agreement:
Who says President Obama isn't tough?
With today's announcement of an implementation agreement with Iran,
President Obama has shown a willingness to be tough in confronting the
pro-Israel majority in Congress, threatening to veto any legislation
that would punish Iranian deception or prevent the White House from
acquiescing to a bad deal with Iran.
With Iran, on the other hand, Obama is willing to accept an agreement
that weakens even the original bad deal he announced two months ago. It
is a deal that guarantees a permanent Iranian nuclear weapons capability
and grants a new concession by allowing Iran to continue developing
ever more advanced centrifuges during the talks. It is a deal that, as
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister boasted today, rolls back nothing and
means Iran "can return to the previous situation within a day."
We urge Senator Reid to allow a vote on the Menendez-Kirk bill to ensure
that the interests of America and our allies are not subordinated to
the political interests of the Obama White House.
The Emergency Committee for Israel has finally gone after Debbie "I wear my love for Israel to work on my sleeve every day" Wasserman Schultz. Long overdue.
The
question is, where do her loyalties lie? If even Senator Chuck Schumer,
a staunch liberal, can see the necessity of sanctions against the
Islamist regime of Iran, then why can’t Rep. Wasserman-Schultz?
It’s simple — just as members of the Congressional Black Caucus
continue to do, selling out one’s community for the “party” takes
precedence.
There can be no question Iran is a deceptive and dangerous enemy,
supporting the majority of Islamic terrorist activity worldwide.
However, for whatever misguided reason, President Obama wants to
acquiesce to the mad mullahs of the Iranian theocracy at the sacrifice
of the State of Israel.
And so it seems, just as individuals such as Alcee Hastings, a former
impeached federal judge, would sell out inner city black communities,
Wasserman-Schultz will do the same to advance party politics in blind
obedience.
A bipartisan group of Senators has introduced carefully considered
legislation intended to prevent a nuclear Iran. The Obama administration
immediately threatened to veto the legislation -- and falsely accuses
its sponsors of engaging in a rush to war. In fact the White House has
responded in far harsher terms to these members of Congress than it has
to an Iranian regime which continues to enrich uranium, prevent
monitoring of its nuclear program, and still refuses to implement the
Geneva agreement negotiated last month. That is why members of Congress
of both parties doubt Iranian claims of good faith -- and why they are
supporting legislation that makes clear Congress has its own red lines
for any deal, and that there will be real consequences if Iran refuses
to dismantle its nuclear program.
Emergency Committee for Israel slams Iran nuclear deal
Statement by Noah Pollak, Executive Director of the Emergency Committee for Israel, on the agreement with Iran just concluded in Geneva:
"The Geneva Agreement is a defeat for the United States and the West. It fails to uphold even the minimum demand of repeated U.N. Security Council resolutions that Iran must stop enriching uranium. For the next six months, the centrifuges will not be dismantled and will continue to spin, uranium will be enriched, the 20 percent enriched uranium will stay in Iran, and a reactor designed to produce bomb-ready plutonium will remain just months away from completion. Iran will continue its march to nuclear weapons, with perhaps a brief pause in some parts of the program -- but it will be a pause that refreshes, since Iran will be rewarded right away with significant sanctions relief, with the additional likelihood that the rest of the sanctions regime will begin to crumble.
"Congress should make clear that it does not support this deal. Congress should make clear that just because the Obama administration seems to have taken all our options off the table, our allies need not follow us down this futile path of accommodating the Iranian regime's nuclear ambitions. In particular, Congress should make clear the United States will support Israel if Israel decides she must act to prevent a regime dedicated to her destruction from acquiring the means to do so."
The statement is online at the following link: http://goo.gl/GGszTB.
Yesterday, a group of 100 liberal American Jewish leaders released a letter
to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling on him to make
"painful territorial sacrifices" to the Palestinians. In response, ECI
has written its own letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu:
Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu:
We know you don’t need our advice on how to handle the peace process –
but given the decision by a group of self-described American Jewish
leaders to call for you to make “painful territorial sacrifices,” we
felt it appropriate to convey our own thoughts on the matter.
Be assured that they don’t speak for us or for a majority of
Americans. We not only question the wisdom of their advice, we question
their standing to issue such an admonition to a democratically-elected
prime minister whose job is not to assuage the political longings of 100
American Jews, but to represent – and ensure the security of – the
Israeli people.
Indeed, it’s puzzling to us why a small group of American Jews
believes it appropriate to demand “painful territorial sacrifices” of
Israelis, when those issuing the demand will not experience the pain, or
be compelled to sacrifice anything, should their advice prove foolish –
as it has so many times in the past. We affirm the words of Israel’s
ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, who recently asked an
American Jewish audience to “respect the decisions made by the world’s
most resilient democracy.”
The “American Jewish leaders” who deign to advise you today are
largely the same leaders who rarely, if ever, demand “painful
sacrifices” of Palestinian leaders – or even demand that they come to
the negotiating table, which they have refused to do in any meaningful
way since 2008. From the safety of America, in the past they have
recommended trusting Yasser Arafat, dividing Jerusalem, surrendering the
Golan Heights to Syria, and withdrawing from territory that today is
controlled by Iranian-backed terrorist groups.
Before rushing to issue new recommendations, we suggest that these
oracles of bad advice might pause to reflect on the wisdom of the
recommendations they’ve already made.
We, too, have strong opinions on the peace process – but one thing we
never presume to do is instruct our friends in Israel on the level of
danger to which they should expose themselves.
We trust, of course, that you are under no misapprehensions about any
of this. But we felt it important that you heard from a mainstream
voice in addition to the predictable calls from a certain cast of
American activists for more Israeli concessions.
Sincerely,
William Kristol Rachel Abrams Gary Bauer Noah Pollak Michael Goldfarb
I wish they would add my name to that letter. it's very well said.
Both Democrats and Republicans have something to crow about in a new Smith poll regarding Israelis' views on President Hussein Obama. While fewer Israelis consider Obama hostile to Israel than was the case in the past, most are not yet willing to declare that he is more pro-Israel than pro-'Palestinian.'
The National Jewish Democratic Council and
the pro-Republican Emergency Committee for Israel both claimed victory and spun
the numbers in favor of their agenda.
“I’ve been in Israel since before
President Obama arrived and was in the convention center for the extremely
well-received speech,” NJDC interim executive director Aaron Keyak said. “The
Israeli public has reacted very positively to the president’s visit and his
message that the United States has Israel’s back. President Obama sent this
message to the Israeli people and made sure it was heard by those who seek to
destroy our way of life and the Jewish state of Israel.
This poll is just
the latest example of how clearly that strong message was
heard.”
Emergency Committee for Israel executive director Noah Pollak
said he was not surprised that only one percent of Israelis were persuaded by
the visit that the Obama administration was more pro- Israel than
pro-Palestinian.
“President Obama said some good, long-overdue things –
but he continued blaming Israel for the failure of the peace process,” Pollak
said. “Why did he lecture Israelis on peace but not Palestinians? Why did he
demand that Israelis see things from the Palestinians’ perspective, but not the
other way around? Why didn’t he admonish the Palestinian people to demand that
their leaders pursue peace, as he did the Israelis? Israelis know that Obama, at
bottom, still promotes key aspects of the Palestinian narrative of the
conflict.”
Another skeptic is Jewish Home party leader and Economics and Trade Minister Naftali Bennett.
In a lengthy Hebrew post on his official Facebook page, Bennett said the
atmosphere during Obama's visit reminded him of the Oslo period. He
recalled that during that time in the mid-1990s, there was a feeling
that if Israel conceded enough, peace would come.
"There were the usual statements about both sides wanting peace and
two states side by side being the only chance for peace," Bennett wrote.
"These are nice statements but they are distant from reality."
Bennett
noted that in the Second Intifada that followed Israel's concessions in
Oslo, hundreds of Israelis were killed in suicide bombings in cafes and
on buses in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa. He singled out the 2002
bombing of Netanya's Park Hotel on Passover Seder night that left 32
Israelis killed and 160 wounded.
"Back then they also said that
there is no military solution to terror and that only diplomatic talks
would work, but Operation Defensive Shield proved that they were wrong
and that actually only force can defeat terror," Bennett wrote. "We
trounced terror."
Bennett said he was proud that he came back from
the United States where he was advancing his hi-tech company to fight
in the operation in Tul Karm.
"Now that I am a minister, I will
act in every way possible to prevent another tragedy, even if it's not
popular," he wrote. "I will use my brains and will not drift after
conventional wisdom. I want peace with the Arabs no less than anyone
else, but giving territory to our enemies is not the answer."
Bennett
said he told Obama that the time has come to consider new directions on
the Palestinian issue that would be different and creative. He said the
president responded that he wanted to meet with him and listen.
"The lesson is never be silent, even if everyone thinks differently," Bennett concluded.
I don't think most Israelis were fooled by Obama. But perhaps I run in the wrong circles.
Today the Emergency Committee for Israel released "Confusion," a web ad highlighting Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel's confused response at last week's hearing to questions about the Obama administration's Iran policy.
During his confirmation hearing on Thursday, Hagel could not explain -- despite repeated attempts -- the administration's policy of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Instead, Hagel first said he supported the president's policy of "containment," i.e. containing Iran after it acquires nuclear weapons. Then, attempting to correct himself, he said the administration "takes no position" on containment. Finally, Senator Levin was forced to explain to Hagel that "we do not favor containment."
ECI's executive director, Noah Pollak, said: "Is it too much to ask that the nominee for Secretary of Defense understands the policy of the Obama administration on the single most important national security challenge facing the United States?"
With news reports suggesting former Senator Chuck Hagel may be nominated for the job of Secretary of Defense, the Emergency Committee for Israel released "Not An Option," a 30-second TV ad that highlights Hagel's troubling record on Iran.
The ad recounts Hagel's numerous votes against sanctions, his opposition to designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization, and his view that there is no "viable" military option for preventing a nuclear Iran -- in contrast to President Obama, who insists all options remain on the table.
The ad will air on cable this Thursday and Friday throughout the Washington DC area.
ECI goes after Wisconsin Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin
Today the Emergency Committee for Israel released "Extreme," a 30-second
TV ad that highlights Wisconsin Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin's
troubling foreign policy record. In a significant buy, the spot will air
hundreds of times statewide over the next two weeks on cable and
broadcast television, including during Green Bay Packers games.
Throughout her career in the House of Representatives, Baldwin has been
nothing less than hostile to the U.S.-Israel alliance. She has accused
Israel of war crimes, befriended anti-Israel groups, refused to sign
bipartisan letters of support for Israel, and defended the libelous
Goldstone Report.
ECI's executive director Noah Pollak said: "Over the past decade, Tammy
Baldwin has established a foreign policy record of extremism. Yet now
that she's running for Senate, she's attempting to obscure that record
-- in fact, her campaign website doesn't even include a foreign policy
section. Since she doesn't want to tell the voters where she stands, we
will."
Emergency Committee for Israel goes after Rep. Lois Capps (D-Ca)
Today the Emergency Committee for Israel released "What's Wrong," a
30-second TV ad that highlights Rep. Lois Capps' troubling foreign
policy record. The spot will air hundreds of times over the coming weeks
on cable and broadcast television in Capps' district, which includes
Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and San Luis Obispo counties.
Capps has been consistently hostile to the U.S.-Israel alliance. She has
accused Israel of war crimes, befriended the radical Islamic group
CAIR, refused to sign bipartisan letters of support for Israel, and
supported the libelous Goldstone Report.
ECI's executive director Noah Pollak said: "If there is a member of
Congress whose foreign policy record is more extreme than Lois Capps', I
can't think of one. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated an
inability to distinguish between America's friends and enemies and has
repeatedly attacked America's closest ally in the Middle East --
Israel."
I am an Orthodox Jew - some would even call me 'ultra-Orthodox.' Born in Boston, I was a corporate and securities attorney in New York City for seven years before making aliya to Israel in 1991 (I don't look it but I really am that old :-). I have been happily married to the same woman for thirty-five years, and we have eight children (bli ayin hara) ranging in age from 13 to 33 years and nine grandchildren. Four of our children are married! Before I started blogging I was a heavy contributor on a number of email lists and ran an email list called the Matzav from 2000-2004. You can contact me at: IsraelMatzav at gmail dot com
