Progressives’ Hatred for Israel Was Never about Netanyahu

The woke left’s deep hostility toward Israel was never about Netanyahu or his policies; it was about a deep-seated hatred for, and illogical obsession with, the world’s only Jewish state. By Aaron Kliegman For the last 12 years, anti-Israel zealots on the American left have said they merely oppose the Jewish state’s prime minister, not the Jewish state itself. But with that same prime minister, Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu, freshly ousted from office, it’ll be intriguing to see how progressives now try to hide their visceral hatred for Israel. Will the left just recycle the same talking point and say Netanyahu’s successor, Naftali Bennett, is the problem? Or will they get creative? Time will tell. What we know for sure is America’s “Never-Bibi” crowd has been about as passionate as its “Never-Trump” crowd. Indeed, Sen. Bernie Sanders has been one of the most vocal leaders of the anti-Netanyahu mob. He’s blatantly called the Israeli leader a “racist.” He’s erroneously accused "Israel's Netanyahu government" of giving non-Jewish citizens "second-class status." And he’s warned against equating antisemitism with “legitimate criticism of the right-wing, Netanyahu government in Israel" while defending Rep. Ilhan Omar's blatantly antisemitic remarks. Sanders is hardly alone. Beto O’Rourke has similarly called Netanyahu a racist. One of Barack Obama’s chief advisers, Ben Rhodes, suggested the Israeli leader is “corrupt and cruel” and has spent the last several days celebrating his ouster. Sen. Elizabeth Warren recently demanded that Israelis “join together to begin the difficult task of rooting out corruption and reinstating the rule of law” by ousting Netanyahu. In so doing, she joined other prominent Democrats who have called publicly for him to lose in Israel’s elections. So much for all that tough talk against foreign meddling in democracy. But then again, when it comes to Israel, applying double standards is the norm. Demonizing Netanyahu has effectively become left-wing doctrine. But now that Netanyahu has been relegated to leader of the opposition, surely the progressive left’s targeting of Israel should soften, right? Don’t hold your breath: The woke left’s deep hostility toward Israel was never about Netanyahu or his policies; it was about a deep-seated hatred for, and illogical obsession with, the world’s only Jewish state. Consider for a moment what just happened in Israel. On Sunday, a new Israeli coalition government assumed power, ending Netanyahu’s rule in a peaceful, democratic transfer of power. How often do we see that in the Middle East at all, let alone consistently? Only in Israel. As for the Palestinians, well, that’s a different story. Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, is in the 17th year of what was supposed to be a four-year elected term. Meanwhile, the other Palestinian “government,” Hamas, is a US-designated terrorist group whose founding charter calls for the murder of Jews. Yet the woke left accuses Israel of authoritarianism. Beyond the democratic process, also consider the makeup of Israel’s new government. It’s comprised of left-wing, right-wing, and centrist parties. It includes an openly gay health minister, a Black minister for immigration and absorption, and more women than ever. And a crucial part of the coalition is an Arab Islamist party. Yet the woke left accuses Israel of apartheid. But Netanyahu is no longer there. So, surely the next time Hamas bombards Israeli civilians with thousands of rockets, progressives will defend Israel rather than condemn the Jewish state for defending itself. Because they only opposed Netanyahu’s “racist policies,” not Israel’s existence as a powerful, Jewish state. Right? Progressives will be in for a rude awakening when they realize with this new government that Israelis across the political spectrum oppose the Iran nuclear deal and major concessions to the Palestinians upfront. Israel’s thinking here is as simple as it is audacious: They wish to survive and prosper. To the progressive left, this isn’t OK because it manifests as an “imbalance of power,” to quote Sen. Warren, between Israel and the Palestinians. If only the Jews could be weak and defenseless like they once were. Here it’s important to note: Netanyahu wasn’t in power for 12 straight years because he was some corrupt, anti-Palestinian authoritarian; he lasted so long because he was objectively a great prime minister for Israel. The country’s economy boomed during his tenure, roughly doubling. He was remarkably successful at bolstering Israel's diplomatic status, renewing or establishing ties with dozens of countries (including Arab ones). And on matters of security — from Palestinian terrorism to Iranian imperialism — he made Israelis safer and weakened their enemies, all while avoiding any all-out wars. In short, Netanyahu made Israel safer and wealthier. And people wonder why he won so many elections. But Israel is bigger than one man, even “King Bibi.” It’s probably best for Israeli democracy that he leaves power — at least for now. However, don’t expect progressive Democrats and journalists to be any less hostile toward Israel. Their opposition to Netanyahu was always about something deeper: a genuine hatred for the Jewish state, which refuses to allow the Jewish people to remain weak and defenseless. Newt hosts monthly virtual events in which he discusses news of the day and why it matters to you and your community. These Newt Live events are your opportunity to communicate directly with Newt. We hope you will join us next time and let Newt answer your questions and provide his insight on the issues that concern you most. JOIN TODAY to be a part of this special event and receive a BONUS GIFT. Click here to join Newt’s Inner Circle. More from Aaron Kliegman:

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