The 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz was just highlighted and given special attention around the globe. Unfortunately, the lessons of the Holocaust have not sunk in. American Jews have a right to be frightened by the turn of events and the blatant acts of anti-Semitism that have increased exponentially. To make matters worse, much of the rhetoric that is feeding the present-day anti-Semitism is coming from the left. The Democratic Party, whether it wants to admit it or not, is being held hostage by Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib.
The Democratic debate held this past week in New Hampshire made it patently clear that the new Democratic Party has broken away from the traditional Democratic Party of yesteryear.
Mr. Tom Steyer said he would reverse President Trump’s decision to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Mr. Steyer, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren said they would put strong conditions on any military aid to Israel. Ms. Warren said, “Today, the continued expansion of Israeli settlements and the increasing normalization of proposals for Israel to annex parts or all of the West Bank are the most immediate dangers to the two-state solution.”
Elizabeth Warren went a lot further at a separate function on February 6, when she nodded along, smiled and said “Yeah” as a questioner slandered AIPAC as an “unholy alliance” of “Islamophobes,” “anti-Semites,” and “white nationalists” that perpetuates bigotry. Without blinking, Warren then agreed to boycott this year’s AIPAC Conference.
Elizabeth Warren had attended at least four AIPAC events in the past. It is bewildering and frightening how fast the political world can change. It can literally change overnight. This is what scares American Jews.
Unfortunately, the Jewish people have been down this road before. It started in Biblical times when “A new King arose over Egypt, who did not know of Joseph,” and continued in modern times, with the rise of Hitler in Germany.
I am sure there is a great deal of soul-searching going on in the Democratic Party today, but the lurch to the radical left and towards anti-Israel sentiments is a recipe for disaster. American Jews have good reason to be afraid.
Joseph M. Frager is a physician and lifelong activist.