Israel Refuses Entry to Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib

[DonRocks]

I sense that this could be something of a big deal, and may not be forgotten easily; still, the entire relationship between Israel and the United States has always seemed to be one between two strange bedfellows.

"A Toxic Rift Opens between Democrats and Israel after the Nation Refuses Entry to Two Members of Congress" by Matt Viser and Rachael Bade on washingtonpost.com

[Count Bobulescu]

Here's hoping the biggest loser in this is Bibi. It's a measure of his electoral concern. Now he looks craven, stupid, and even more vulnerable. 

The group funding the trip, has funded similar for D's in the past, without incident. There's also talk on the hill about reprimands for both ambassadors, 

[DaveO]

18 hours ago, DonRocks said:

I sense that this could be something of a big deal, and may not be forgotten easily; still, the entire relationship between Israel and the United States has always seemed to be one between two strange bedfellows.

"A Toxic Rift Opens between Democrats and Israel after the Nation Refuses Entry to Two Members of Congress" by Matt Viser and Rachael Bade on washingtonpost.com

I consider this a volatile and potentially contentious topic.  Trump caused it.   Israel had passed a law banning visitors who supported BDS, but it has since made exceptions.   The two members of Congress were in that "excepted" group, free to travel to Israel.   Trump tweeted his opposition, and was clear he didn't want them going to Israel.  Netanyahu caved and agreed. 

Temperatures rose.....A LOT.   AIPAC and Marco Rubio, among others disagreed.  Israel backed off to allow Representative Tlaib visit, in part to see her grandmother, and Rep Tlaib decided not to visit.  She is struggling with that decision.   (I think that summarizes where it stands--today.  But things move fast and they could change.)

Right now the Democrats are struggling with this situation.  The GOP is with tRump and rock solid for Israel now.  There are contingents among Democrats that would cut aid to Israel and contingents within the Dems that support it strongly.  This will test the party.

I'm sure tRump loves this.  He is in complete cahoots with Bibi Netanyahu, and supports him with regard to his fragile state as PM in Israel.  He repeats himself endlessly about his support for Israel and is direct calling the Dems horrible (anti-Israel) on this issue.  

Meanwhile, lest we forget 12 American Jews have been shot dead in an American Synagogue since he has become President, something that hadn't occurred since 1977.   Currently many synagogues (possibly a majority) have some kind of security.   That is something that was never present in the past.  NEVER.   There was a "spike" of awareness/security following 9/11 but this is a relative sea change. 

Besides the people shot dead, the number of threats and violence against American Jews have roughly doubled since the end of the Obama administration.  American Jews are among the targets of tRump's supporters.  It is not a myth. 

I count myself among the targets.

I could go on about this topic but it is extremely volatile and it was created solely by tRump.