Michelle Bachmann Tells the Truth
Michelle Bachmann Tells the Truth

In realpolitik, there are alliances to form and choices to be made. People choose for whom to vote and with whom to stand. Jews in America should compare two alternatives before making their decision.

Choice 1: Supporting those who may not be Jewish, but stand staunchly with Israel:

A striking example is Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, who said in 2012: “I have been a long time supporter of Israel. The first time I went to Israel was the day I graduated from high school. I spent a summer working on Kibbutz Be’eri near Beer Sheva in 1974. I’ve been 4 times in Israel – 3 times as a Member of Congress.

"I loved Israel – from the moment I first landed. I was delighted to go back as a Member of Congress, and see all the changes. To see how it has developed - it is nothing short of a miracle! To see a rose bloom in the desert. In 60 years, Israel has achieved first world, or nearly first world, status. I am honored to be in a position where I can help Israel. I have a tremendous love for Israel, and great admiration for the Israeli people. I am a Christian, but I consider my heritage Jewish, because it is the foundation, the roots of my faith as a Christian.”

Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, who said in an interview this week: “What has been shocking has been seeing and observing Jewish organizations, who, it appears, have made it their priority to support the political priority and the political ambitions of the president over the best interests of Israel. They sold out Israel.”

She continued in this vein and criticized major Democratic donors, many of them Jewish, who turned to party congressional leaders urging them not to advance new Iran sanctions legislation. “This is clearly against Israel’s best interest,” she said.

Choice 2: Supporting the liberal American Jewish community which issues countless press releases on the Middle East – and rarely do those releases strengthen Israel’s hand.

Take, for example: The Israel Policy Forum (IPF), which recently said “We recognize that achieving a two-state solution will require a territorial compromise that provides for a Palestinian state without jeopardizing Israel’s security. That is why we applaud your understanding that one must be ‘willing to make painful compromises to achieve this historic peace.’”

Or, the American Jewish Committee, which in 2004 met with Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat’s national security adviser, Gibril Rajoub, and publicly urged Israel to use the “road map” to get to “peace.”

David Harris, President of AJC wrote a Huffington Post op-ed last year entitled “Give The Peace Process A Chance”, where he said the organization supported a 2-state solution and opposed the right of Jews to live anywhere in the Land of Israel.

How about the ADL, which says those who oppose a 2-state solution encourage Anti-Semitism, and constantly takes uber-liberal positions.  

There can be no question at all that Choice 1 is in Israel’s best interest. 

Unfortunately, for way too many Jews, the Democratic Party is more important than the State of Israel. The time has come to say this more emphatically: it is simply terrible that, for liberal Jews, liberal values are more important than the State of Israel.

Thank you, Michelle Bachmann, for telling the truth.