Jewish Democrats must not abandon Israel after their midterm victory - opinion

Dear Jewish Democrats,

This is a war of self-defense for the survival of the world’s only Jewish state and for the survival of the Jewish people worldwide. It’s a war we didn’t start – I’m astonished I need to repeat this. It’s a war we, encouraged by you and American governments, dodged for years as our enemies kept arming themselves. And it’s a war that continues, not because of Israel’s government, but because of evil neighbors seeking our destruction… and yours.

Please don’t be fooled. Ours is a particularly dastardly enemy. They live that Jewish joke defining chutzpah as killing your parents, then pleading for mercy as orphans. They’ve turned their ability to start the fight, act barbarically, cheer it, hide behind their women and children amid the counterattack, then cosplay as the world’s innocent Jesus-like victims, into today’s greatest con game.

That doesn’t make Israel perfect. Nor does it compel you to change your domestic politics or even like Israel’s next leader. But it does mean, if you care about us here in Israel – and I know most of you do – that you must remember the threats we face daily, while constantly reminding newly-empowered Democrats of that unhappy reality too.

Whatever you think of Trump and his conduct of the war, Iran remains a lethal threat to America, to you, to the West. We, along with the long-suffering Iranian people, would be so much better off if that regime collapsed – and if American and Israeli power got credit for finishing the job.

Whatever you think of the Jewish terrorists and the outgoing government’s unconscionable failure to stop them, Palestinian terrorism is more lethal, systemic, and popular among Palestinians than Jewish hooliganism is among Israelis.

Admittedly, my blunt reminder rejects the blame-Israel-first narrative pushed in the media, on social media, and by a growing minority of your rabbis, teachers, and community leaders – whom I confront in this month’s Commentary cover story.

And it won’t make you popular in the intellectual, social, ideological, and political centers of blue state America you revere and built. But just as my kids and their friends are on the front lines defending you and Western civilization – we need your help on that critical front explaining why America and the new Democratic Congress must not abandon Israel.

True, Israelis should ponder how the previous government alienated so many of you. But ask “how much was avoidable” – like the violent settlers – and “how much was unavoidable” – given our need to defend ourselves amid a vicious campaign demonizing us.

But now, as you wield power, maybe you need some introspection – and a reset. You’ve built your political identities around an axis of liberalism and social justice. Since 2016, you’ve revolved around anti-Trump politics, cementing in certainty your all-or-nothing political identity.

Most of you couldn’t even acknowledge Trump’s achievements in advancing peace through the Abraham Accords or fulfilling promises Democrats made but never kept – by moving the US embassy to Jerusalem. And many of you still can’t admit that if Kamala Harris had been elected, some hostages would probably still be languishing in Gaza.

Most inexcusably, so many of you voted for avowed enemies of you, of us, like Zohran Mamdani and Abdul El-Sayed, enthusiastically.

If you at least agonized, denounced their obsessive anti-Zionist form of antisemitism, then said, “nevertheless I fear Trump’s threat more,” there’s something to debate. But your gusto is chilling, as 60% of Michigan Jews supported someone who fanatically hates them and their great homeland reclamation project.

We Israelis will survive. Will you? How sustainable is a Jewish community that cannot recognize brazen adversaries who don’t bother hiding their bigotry? And what country ever succeeded after degenerating into rank Jew-hatred?

So beware. Don’t be too cocky. American politics keeps whiplashing. Since 2000, party dominance has flipped 10 times – with six different reversals since 2012.

If the Squad-squared runs the Washington agenda, intimidating the spineless centrists like Charles Schumer currently leading the party, it could help Republicans triumph in 2028 – note the quadrennially ping-ponging from Barack Obama to Trump to Joe Biden back to Trump.

But if the 160 Congressional moderates win the brewing Democratic civil war, this 2026 election may be realigning.

So, please, grow a spine. Stand up for yourselves, your people, Israel. If you emerge as muscular moderates and sane Democratic centrists, you may win future elections by governing America effectively and constructively, not demagogically and vengefully.