The Scourge That Is Anti-Israel US Politicians

The Jerusalem Post is compelled to address the increasingly prevalent, yet often factually dubious, rhetoric targeting Israel within American political discourse. We observe a disturbing trend where candidates, particularly Democrats, feel pressured to denounce support for Israel, advocate for divestment from Israeli bonds, and call for the elimination of U.S. foreign aid to the Jewish state. This phenomenon, as highlighted by Sherwin Pomerantz, seems to have become a prerequisite for electoral success, even among Jewish candidates seeking to prove their political bona fides.

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It seems that if one wants to run for elected office in the US and is a Democrat or even, in some rare cases, a Republican, it is now necessary to denounce any support from AIPAC, recommend that if state retirement funds are invested in Israel, they should be divested, and that federal foreign aid to Israel should be eliminated as well.

Pomerantz’s piece meticulously dissects the misstatements made by Drew Warshaw, a candidate for New York State Comptroller. Warshaw’s op-ed in The Forward, which calls for New York to divest from Israel bonds, is presented as a prime example of this flawed argumentation. The article points out that Warshaw incorrectly claims these bonds finance Netanyahu’s wars, when in reality, they are crucial for funding general government expenditures, including vital infrastructure development in sectors like hi-tech and green-tech.

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I’m a Jewish candidate for New York comptroller. Our state must divest from Israel bonds.

Furthermore, the article contextualizes the financial figures presented by Warshaw, revealing them to be misleading. The $368 million in Israel bonds held by New York’s retirement fund represents a mere 0.12% of the state's total $297.8 billion fund. Even if this amount were entirely allocated to defense, it would constitute a negligible 0.8% of Israel's $45.8 billion defense budget. This perspective is crucial for understanding the disproportionate attention given to such a small financial stake, which Warshaw attempts to frame as a significant issue.

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The New York state and local retirement fund owns $368 million in Israel bonds... and most New Yorkers have no idea that their tax-funded pension fund, as invested by (current) State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, helps finance Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wars.

From our perspective at The Jerusalem Post, this narrative is not just about financial figures; it’s about a broader attempt to delegitimize Israel. The misrepresentation of casualty figures in Gaza, attributed to the Gaza Health Ministry, and the inflammatory language used to describe Israeli actions, are part of a concerted effort to shape public opinion. We believe it is imperative to counter these narratives with accurate information and a clear understanding of the realities on the ground, distinguishing between legitimate political debate and the propagation of falsehoods that serve to undermine a democratic ally.

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However, Israel bonds are used by the State of Israel to fund general government expenditures, including national infrastructure development, economic initiatives, and strengthening the country’s economy, not to finance Israel’s wars.