The Democratic Party's Israel problem runs deeper than Rahm Emanuel says - opinion

Rahm Emanuel, exploring a 2028 US presidential run, recently warned in Tel Aviv that Israel is losing international legitimacy and its traditional support within the Democratic Party. He asserted that Israel's current trajectory with the Palestinians is unsustainable and requires fundamental changes to preserve its alliance with America. The author agrees with Emanuel's core points but contends he only presents half the story.

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He’s right – but he’s also only telling half the story.

The article argues that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Israel is alienating not only Democrats but also Republicans, particularly after the death of Senator Lindsey Graham. It posits that Israel's perceived "hubris, indifference to the world and vulgar populism" are driving this shift. The author rejects the notion that outsiders should not critique Israel, emphasizing the interconnectedness of the global world and how events in one country can have worldwide repercussions, even contributing to past US election losses.

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The problem is what he did not: Israel would have trouble among Democrats no matter what it did, because of a virus that has infected the American Left.

The central argument is that the problem extends beyond specific Israeli policies. A "virus" infecting the American Left, characterized by a "Progressive" faction, views Israel as a symbol of everything they oppose: colonialism, Western civilization, nationalism, and inequality. This ideological fixation leads to Israel being repeatedly invoked in unrelated debates on racial justice, capitalism, gender politics, and academic freedom.

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This ideological fixation around hating Israel, turbocharged by vicious social media campaigns that are well-financed by outside actors, is the reason why, after the Hamas-led massacres on October 7, 2023, universities across the United States saw large-scale protests, encampments, and demands for divestment from Israel – the victim.

This "ideological fixation around hating Israel," amplified by well-financed social media campaigns, is cited as the reason for widespread pro-Palestinian protests and divestment demands on US university campuses following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks. The author clarifies that criticizing Israel or questioning Zionism is not inherently antisemitic. However, the problem arises when Israel is singled out with unique standards or when its suffering is dismissed, especially when numerous other global injustices, like the plight of the Kurds, receive less attention.

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The problem begins when Israel is singled out by standards applied to no other country – and when its own suffering is dismissed.