Activist: Jan Schakowsky Is A “Good Friend” of Israel

Sari Weintraub — June 28, 2010 – 10:18 am | Congress | Election 2010 | Israel Comments (1) Add a comment

Activist Steve Sheffey published a new article in The Huffington Post in support of Representative Jan Schakowsky’s (D-IL) reelection bid against Tea Party-backed challenger Joel Pollak. In the piece, Sheffey explains why Schakowsky is a strong friend of Israel. Sheffey cited Schakowsky’s “perfect” record on Israel; among her accomplishments are the following:

• She co-sponsored a resolution calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Gilad Shalit to mark the fourth anniversary of his kidnapping.
• She co-sponsored the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment act, the toughest Iran sanctions ever passed.
• She voted to authorize assistance to Israel for their Iron Dome missile defense shield.
• She signed the Poe-Peters letter in support of Israel’s right to self-defense after the Gaza flotilla incident.
• She signed the Jackson-Pence letter in support of strict sanctions against Iran and has co-sponsored several other pieces of legislation against Iran.
• She voted for a December 2010 bill to send foreign aid to Israel

Sheffey went on to say:

Does Pollack have a problem with Jan’s record on Israel? I hope not, but I’m certain he would have voted against the foreign aid bill that Jan voted for and that AIPAC lobbied hard for in December 2010. Every Republican voted no. Other issues come and go, but foreign aid to Israel remains a cornerstone of the pro-Israel agenda. Ask Pollack whether he would have been the only Republican to vote yes or what specifically in the bill he felt outweighed the necessity—for the United States—of aid to Israel.

Pollack says he’ll be good on Israel. If we take him at his word, then Israel should not be an issue in this election, given that he’s running against a Jewish incumbent with a perfect record on Israel. Pollack’s problem—a problem shared by many Republicans in Illinois—is that he can’t win without making Israel an issue because his radical right positions on other issues and his vocal support for the Tea Party Movement make him anathema to most Jewish voters.

Pollack may not realize it, but the Tea Party Movement is bad news for Jews.

Sheffey concluded:

I’m a Jan Fan because she’s pro-Israel and because she fights for the other causes I believe in. If the Republican Party and the Tea Party speak for you, then vote for Joel Pollack. But if you care about Israel, don’t let anyone bully you into thinking that Jan Schakowsky is anything but a good friend of Israel.        

 

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