U.S. Jews offer cautious support for Netanyahu government

[shaayecanaan]

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1075561.html

The head of one of the most influential local Jewish Federation branches in the United States, who declined to be named, admitted that the appointment of Avigdor Lieberman is "not good" in terms of public relations.

(snip)

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY): "The people of Israel have the right to elect any government they like, and no other country, including the U.S., has the right to criticize them or to make negative remarks when Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East."

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(my comments follow)

Interesting logic. The US has no right to criticise the appointment of a fascist if that fascist is democratically elected.

I wonder if the same logic applies to Hamas, who were democratically elected. Or Hitler, for that matter.

If a US Secretary of State held the view that Jews should be required to swear an oath of loyalty to the United States, would Israel be entitled to criticise that? No doubt someone will point out that Secretaries of State are not elected. Thats the kind of pointless pedantry you tend to expect on this board.

[rwheeler31]

1. Do these people think at all beyond their narrow concerns?

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. He's my Congressman. He's ridiculous.

Take nothing he says seriously.

[shaayecanaan]

4. Just read his Wikipedia page...a real quality pick...

"Engel received an "A" on the Drum Major Institute's 2005 Congressional Scorecard on middle-class issues.

Eliot Engel was a strong supporter of a massive military campaign against Iraq in 2002, refusing to meet with and ultimately rebuffing constituents who asked him to vote against the measure. On October 10, 2002, he was among the 81 House Democrats who voted in favor of authorizing the invasion of Iraq. As the war dragged on, his position changed. He now responds to questions about his support for the war by saying that had he known then what he now knows, he would have acted differently.

Engel has struck up an alliance the controversial Christians United for Israel (CUFI), which was founded by the Reverend John Hagee and has spoken at their Washington-Israel Summit in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, Engel's scheduled participation at the CUFI Summit on July 22 was questioned by members of his constituency."

Luckily he can rely on his late-70s pornstar moustache to give him credibility.

[GoesTo11]

3. Criticize or don't, but think for yourself.

[regnaD kciN]

5. No, we have no right to tell the Israeli people who to choose as their leader...

...just as we have no obligation to issue said leader a blank check out of our tax dollars if we don't approve of them or their approach.

[LeftishBrit]

6. They do indeed have the right to elect any government they like

But that doesn't mean no one has the right to criticize them. We should have the right to criticize any government whatsoever, first and foremost our own.

'I wonder if the same logic applies to Hamas, who were democratically elected.'

Good point.

'If a US Secretary of State held the view that Jews should be required to swear an oath of loyalty to the United States, would Israel be entitled to criticise that?'

Indeed. Though let's point out that neither of our countries are beyond criticism in similar respects. Britain has had openly racist politicians in high places (not as far as I remember Foreign Secretary); e.g. Norman Tebbit, who wanted British Asians to pass the 'cricket test' of supporting England against their ancestral country in cricket matches. America had the racist Jesse Helms as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee for several years; and yes, it did attract negative comment outside America.

'No doubt someone will point out that Secretaries of State are not elected.'

Not relevant, as they are appointed by an elected president and have to be confirmed by elected officials. And in a parliamentary system the Foreign Secretary must be an elected member of parliament.

Oh well, let's hope that Lieberman ends up in jail. It appears to be a distinct possibility.

[geek tragedy]

7. Engel is a ZOA Israel-Firster who will undermine

Obama the first time he thinks he can get away with it.