AOC Shows Israel Can’t Win with American Progressives

By Aaron Kliegman Dr. Saeb Erekat is no friend of Israel. He’s said that Palestinian terrorists who stab random Israelis are “defending themselves.” He’s accused Israel of practicing apartheid and giving Palestinians the coronavirus. He’s compared Israel to ISIS, saying there’s “no difference” between their “terrorism.” And he’s called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal” who’s “not worth the bullet it would take to shoot him.” Erekat also promotes the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which seeks Israel’s destruction through economic warfare. Worst of all, he’s an architect of the Palestinian Authority’s so-called “Martyrs Fund,” which rewards terrorists who attack Jews or Israelis. None of this should be shocking, given that Erekat is the chief Palestinian negotiator and secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). But even Erekat was willing to praise former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin last week for working — and dying — to make peace with the Palestinians. Apparently, American progressives have higher standards — and are less willing to praise Israeli efforts to make peace. On Friday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) withdrew from an event commemorating Rabin that was set to take place on Oct. 20. She had been scheduled to speak at the virtual event, which the nonprofit group Americans for Peace Now (APN) is organizing to mark the 25th anniversary of Rabin’s assassination. But then Ocasio-Cortez received intense backlash from anti-Israel activists and her fellow far-left progressives online. They called Rabin a war criminal who oppressed Palestinians. It didn’t take long for Ocasio-Cortez to back out. APN never even had a chance to reach her to discuss the matter. Peace, it seems, is not worth angering one’s followers on Twitter. What’s so striking is that Americans for Peace Now is a left-wing group and an ally of the Palestinian cause. No doubt many of its supporters also support Ocasio-Cortez. Brian Reeves, the director of development and external relations for APN’s sister organization, Peace Now, summed up the absurdity — and shameful cowardice — of Ocasio-Cortez’s decision in a series of questions posed to her. “Are you really going to boycott us and all our work with Palestinians to support human rights and an end to the conflict just because Rabin wasn't a flawless idle after five decades of conflict?” he tweeted. “Rabin's legacy was that of a warrior with skeletons cum peacemaker who paid with his life for it. It's one to which all Israelis should aspire, and one which guides the work of Peace Now in fighting with Palestinians in the courts and the streets for an end to occupation.” Think about those last words: “fighting with Palestinians in the courts and the streets for an end to occupation.” That doesn’t exactly sound like a supporter of Netanyahu or President Trump. And yet, such an organization is too pro-Israel for Ocasio-Cortez and her progressive supporters. This entire episode shows the ugly truth about the far left’s visceral hatred of Israel. Consider the following: Rabin sought peace with the Palestinians more earnestly than any other Israeli leader. He was the first Israeli prime minister to recognize the PLO as the legitimate representative of the Palestinians. He shook the blood-stained hands of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, the terrorist responsible for so much pain and suffering in Israel. In so doing, Rabin agreed to the Oslo Accords, which launched the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Rabin also ceded Israeli sovereignty in parts of the West Bank and signed a peace treaty with Jordan. Rabin literally gave his life for the cause of peace. An Israeli extremist who opposed the Oslo Accords assassinated him in November 1995. Notably, Arafat mourned Rabin’s death and even visited Israel to express his condolences to the prime minister’s widow. Arafat also banned dissemination of news about rejoicing over Rabin's death in Gaza. Maybe Rabin’s policies were wise; maybe they weren’t. Regardless, if Rabin is not good enough for progressives, then no Israeli leader is. And that’s the point. There’s nothing Ocasio-Cortez can do in connection to Israel — besides demonizing the Jewish state and advocating its total submission to Palestinian demands — that can ever satisfy the overlapping anti-Israel and progressive mobs. The reason why is simple: They would prefer to see a state of Palestine replace Israel on the map. No matter what Israel does, it will never be enough to please those whose goal is to eliminate the Jewish state. Ocasio-Cortez sided with the haters, the ignoramuses, the anti-Semites. But that’s OK, because in 2018, when Ocasio-Cortez was asked about her position on Israel, she responded that she “absolutely” believes Israel has a right to exist. This doesn’t give Israelis much confidence. Ocasio-Cortez simply doesn’t think the Jewish state should be destroyed. Here’s a good rule to remember: When someone is asked about his or her position on Israel and immediately needs to clarify that Israel has a right to exist, chances are he or she is extremely anti-Israel and supports policies that threaten Israel's existence. Naturally, Ocasio-Cortez has pushed legislation to cut American aid to Israel and questioned the merits of the historic alliance. Some people may argue that a congresswoman canceling an event due to online pressure is not a big deal. Here’s the problem: If Ocasio-Cortez truly represents the future of the Democratic Party, as many commentators argue, then widespread bipartisan support for Israel may soon become a relic of the past. Prime Minister Rabin famously said that one makes peace with enemies, not friends. If only Ocasio-Cortez and her fellow anti-Israel progressives agreed. Order Newt's Latest Book: https://www.gingrich360.com/trump-and-the-american-future

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