Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
July 23, 2024
In what is no doubt a preview of life under the Kamala Harris regime, the sitting Vice President of the United States, announced she is boycotting the address to a joint session of Congress to be delivered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday July 24. The nation of Israel, as well as the Jewish citizens of the United States must stand up and take notice of this obvious affront and snub by Harris.
During a joint session of Congress, just as when the president delivers his State of the Union address, sitting behind the president or whomever is speaking, are the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Vice President, who is also the President of the United States Senate. Foreign leaders - allies - and other dignitaries invited to speak before a joint session of Congress should be afforded the respect they deserve - not every foreign leader is offered such an invitation.
For Netanyahu, this will be his fourth address before the joint session, breaking the tie with the late, former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill. Churchill, it should be noted, had honorary American citizenship conferred upon him on April 9, 1963, by President John F. Kennedy, the first foreign national so honored. Of the only eight men and women to be awarded honorary citizen status, a mere two - Churchill and Mother Teresa, enjoyed the honor while still living. (https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/62058/8-honorary-citizens-united-states) (https://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/three_column_table/HonoraryCitizens_US.htm)
Is this the nature of the relationship with the only Jewish nation on the planet, and one of the great allies of the United States, that Israel can expect should Harris ascend to the White House? At best, the relationships between Israel and Harris, Joe Biden, and Barack Obama can be described as rocky and tense. It seems now, the triumvirate of American leaders will have disrespected the Israeli Prime Minister with their various snubs.
In the months since the horrific Hamas invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, where the Islamic militant terrorist organization slaughtered more than 1,200 innocent Israelis, including the rape of women and children, including burning babies to death in front of their parents, and then murdering the parents, Vice President Harris has spoken favorably towards college campus protesters supporting the evils of Hamas.
Campus denizens set up tent cities, blocked Jewish students from accessing academic buildings or campus at all in some cases such as Columbia University and UCLA. Regular chants of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free; go back to Poland; send the Jews back to the ovens; death to Israel;” and even “death to America,” among other antisemitic chants and tropes designed to intimidate, threaten, harass - verbally and physically, Jewish students on more than 80 college campuses across the United States have made Jewish life on campus virtually interminably unpleasant, to say the very least.
Some media reports noted that Harris encouraged Biden to take a “tougher stance” on Israel as the war against Israel progressed. Harris expressed specific concern over whether or not the women in Gaza had sanitary pads, and if Israel was providing enough food and water to Gaza. There is a serious double standard where Israel is concerned. Why is Israel required to provide food and other supplies to their enemies while a war is in effect? Why is Israel always told to tamp down, or temper their defense or response to attacks they have suffered?
Harris has not come out calling for Israel to do whatever is necessary to defend its homeland, while even Biden has once or twice. Harris did not call for the cessation of antisemitic, anti-Zionist, anti-Israel activities on the myriad campuses. “They are showing exactly what the human emotion should be, as a response to Gaza. There are things some of the protesters are saying that I reject, so I don’t mean to wholesale endorse their points. But we have to navigate it. I understand the emotion behind it,” said Harris in an interview with The Nation. Harris has also not condemned Hamas for pirating upwards of 90 percent of the food and supplies being trucked into Gaza by Israel. In fact, most “legacy” news reports use Hamas or Al Jazeera statistics without verification.
In her stead, retiring Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) will serve as Senate President Pro-Tem. As he is retiring and Jewish, there will be no political fallout. Before Cardin’s acceptance, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), who is not retiring, although she should, also declined the seat, as she, like Harris, is boycotting Netanyahu’s address. With friends like Harris and Murray, who needs enemies?
At a time when Biden-Harris have waived sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, provided the lead endorser of state terror more than $16 billion, allowing them increased capabilities of producing nuclear weaponry, no Jew in America, hell, no clear thinking American of any background should cast a vote for Harris-TBA.
The clear choice is Donald Trump. He kept his promises during his first term, including moving the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, as has long been promised by presidents from both sides of the aisle for decades. Trump has been a stalwart supporter of Israel and he understands the mutually beneficial relationship the two nations have, as evidenced by the successful Abraham Accords. For peace in the Middle East, for peace on college campuses, and for peace of mind, Trump will keep his word and Make America Great Again.
Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN.
No comments:
Post a Comment