Letter: Harris vs Trump for Israel

Bruce Ticker wrote his September 27 article, claiming both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump would be risky for Israel, but ended with a statement that Trump would be much worse. (“Column: Trump or Harris? Either Choice is Risky for Israel” Boulder Jewish News Sept. 26, 2024)

Just a few facts. The Biden-Harris administration has not been the best friend to Israel, to put it mildly. They have employed numerous anti-Israel advisers and have supported Israel’s enemies financially. They gave Iran $10 billion dollars after October 7. This week they have pledged $336 million to Gaza where Hamas will surely use it for more terrorism. They violated the Taylor Force Act which was instituted to prevent aid to the Palestinian Authority until it stops rewarding terrorists financially when they kill Jews.(The PA is still killing Jews). They came out against Jews praying on the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site.Though they supported Israel after October 7 in some words and deeds, they have sometimes withdrawn or delayed weapons and withheld intel, all of which would have helped Israel put an end to the war. They removed the Iran-backed Houthis from the terrorist list. Now this terrorist group is anttacking Israel as well as shipping in the Red Sea.

Kamala continues the Biden tradition of choosing anti-Israel advisors. She said she’s open to considering an arms embargo to Israel. She claimed the pro-Hamas anti-Israel protesters in the U.S. “are showing what the human emotion should be.” She has sympathized with Palestinian suffering but, with the exception of talking about October 7, she has rarely said a word about Israeli suffering since then and in fact has repeated Hamas propaganda. She refuses to support an Israeli victory in their war of self-defense.

Trump, on the other hand, has a proven record of friendliness toward Israel and Jews. He paved the way for the Abraham Accords which brought a historic peace between Israel and several Arab countries. He moved the embassy to Jerusalem, Israel’s capital. He cut funding to the PA because of their pay for slay policy. He had numerous pro-Israel advisors, and he strongly supported Israel. He defunded UNRWA and other anti-Israel groups. Trump signed an executive order on antisemitism that protects Jewish college students. There should be no question that he is the better friend to Israel and Jews.

I was shocked by Ticker’s last paragraph in which he made wildly inflammatory accusations, claiming Trump supporters could impose “ a blood bath on American Jews” and suggesting that Trump might “instigate pogroms here.” What? Nothing Trump has said or done suggests this would be true. Especially after two attempts on Trump’s life and intel about an Iranian plot to kill him, this kind of language is both irresponsible and dangerous.

Mimi Ito
Boulder, CO