Pro Israeli democrats?

[kaffiria]

Any here? I do not see many such people on the Israel/palestine topic forum.

Im not asking because I am one, Im just asking for a general sense of what it is like to be a pro Israel democrat. Is that a minority?

[Dr.Phool]

1. Not if you're a presidential candidate.

They're tripping all over each other to kiss AIPACs ass.

[azurnoir]

5. they have too

if they don't they will spend the rest of their careers answering charges of antisemitism. An example of this occurred last summer on DU, when anyone who did not agree that Israel had the right to bomb Lebanon back to stone age over 2 soldiers was a Jew hater and would spend hours "discussing" well known history or defending themselves against those charges, oh and what if you were a Jew then you were lieing or a self hater. What it did do was successfully halt any logical discussion of what was going at the time.
At present what AIPAC has accomplished is to set up American Jews as the fall guys if the US should attack Iran, I truly thought we were smarter then that.

[kaffiria]

6. .

I have seen the extremes on both ends and dont really know what to think. American jews vote strongly democrat, but I have heard some completely insane bizarre comments from them that amount to "but that is our land becase the bible says so and we must have it."

But there are also palestinians that want all of israel to leave and that lie about what was rejected at camp david.

[Behind the Aegis]

2. Yes, it is a minority position at DU.

[kaffiria]

3. yes

There are no major leaders of the democratic party that are pro palestine any more than republicans are, but it may be that the majority of democrats side with palestine.

Why is this?

[Jai4WKC08]

12. Being pro-Israel does not equate to being anti-Palestine

Most of our Democratic leaders, as well as most mainstream Democrats, support Israel but want a fair resolution for the Palestinians too.

Duers are not representative of the party rank & file on many issues. So maybe we are a minority here on DU... but to tell the truth, I sort of doubt that too. I think we're just not as loud as those who are anti-Israel.

[mmonk]

4. Some will say any criticism of policies

that stem from the Palestinian issue make one anti-Israel where alot of the time, that is not the case. There is not a concensus in Israel so I don't know why people necessarily think like that or that there should be here.

[KOBUK]

7. Evidently I 'm in the minority !

I support Israel's right to exist and a fair peace agreement.

[azurnoir]

9. Please define "right to exist " n/t

[KOBUK]

10. The Jews have a ancient presence in the area and deserve a secure state.

I also believe that Palestine deserves a state of its own in Gaza and the West Bank. Wasn't Jordan one time Palestine ?

[Alexander]

8. There's a huge difference between "pro-Israel" and "pro-Likud/AIPAC"

Of course, the Likud/AIPACers would have you believe that they represent all of Israel and Jews everywhere (which they really don't), so an attack on their ideas or policies is anti-Semitism.

It's the exact same logic Team Bush uses. If you criticize us, you hate America.

There are many here on DU who would be considered "pro-Israel", myself included, but would greatly prefer a Labor leader to advance the peace process.

[Jacobin]

11. Thank you.

that is an extremely important distinction.

Neo-cons are not traditional republicans.

The Likud Party is a minority party in Israel that has coopted the government, much like the neo-cons have in this country