I rarely, if ever, publicly share my political views, and I never take a political position on behalf of the Jewish Federation of Northeastern NY. I do, of course, regularly share that Jewish Federation and I are unapologetic Zionists, but I refuse to accept that this is a political statement.
Last year, Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) took a very firm position opposing judicial reform in Israel. Prior to October 7, Israel was on the verge of civil war over this issue, with Israelis pretty closely divided, and JFNA was taking a position? Clearly, JFNA leadership felt that judicial reform was an existential threat to Israel, and they had to take a position as unapologetic Zionists.
Last night, JFNA did it again. It issued a statement opposing President Biden’s decision to pause weapons transfers to Israel. Please see the full text of the statement below. The left wing supports Biden’s decision; the center and right do not—another contested issue with another existential threat?
I find it interesting that on judicial reform, JFNA sided with the center-left and with Biden’s decision center-right.
My opinion?
Nice try.
Jewish Federations of North America released the following statement regarding President Biden’s decision to pause weapons transfers to Israel:
Israel is fighting an existential war against a terror army that has entrenched itself in a civilian population. Hamas and its backers are as much enemies of America as they are of Israel. Israel has always and will always take enormous care in its military actions to protect the civilian population, but the only way to stop the killing of innocent people in Gaza is to defeat Hamas.
The Jewish community has great appreciation for President Biden’s support for the State of Israel since October 7th. Just last month, he signed into law one of strongest security aid packages in recent memory, which passed both chambers of Congress with extraordinary bipartisan support, to shore up support for Israel in her just fight to eliminate Hamas.
But in threatening to withhold military aid from Israel, President Biden is wrong.
Daylight between the U.S. and Israel on military matters emboldens Hamas and other Iran-backed forces in the region, encourages their delay tactics, and endangers the hostages by weakening Israel’s negotiating hand at a critical juncture.
His comments regarding civilians and humanitarian aid only serve to reinforce the false narratives anti-Israel and antisemitic extremists are violently spreading in campus protests. These outcomes go against the laudable aspirations President Biden enunciated this week, that "There is no place on any campus in America, any place in America, for antisemitism or hate speech or threats to violence of any kind, whether against Jews or anyone else."
Even the strongest of allies sometimes disagree, but their mutual support should never waver.