Forward: Jewish Republicans Scramble To Stop Donald Trump After ‘Neutral’ on Israel Declaration
Jewish Republicans have never been a constituency Donald Trump could lean on for support. But recent comments made by the New York billionaire and what seems to be his unstoppable race to the Republican nomination, have only made things worse.
Some in the community are sounding alarm bells, calling for action before it is too late to stop Trump’s race to the top, but others in the Jewish Republican camp are cautioning against collectively rejecting Trump.
“If he will be the eventual candidate, you don’t want him to be an enemy,” said Fred Zeidman, a major Jewish Republican donor from Texas who had initially backed Jeb Bush and is now waiting on the sidelines. “The last thing I ever want is to have an enemy in the White House.”
But others believe that Trump’s comments on Israel and his initial refusal to disavow White Supremacist groups pose a real problem for Jewish voters on the Republican side.
“Trump promising he’ll be neutral when it comes to Israel is highly concerning,” said a Jewish Republican activist. “Jewish Republicans,” the activist who asked not to be identified because his organization does not endorse candidates, “are obviously troubled by these comments.”
Several Jewish donors and activists contact by the Forward avoided speaking on record against Trump, even after Republican lawmakers announced they would not vote for Trump if he wins the GOP nomination.
Trump’s ascent has spurred an unusual Jewish political coalition. Pro-Israel Republicans, neo-conservative ideologues, and human rights activists have all been ramping up their criticism of Trump, in public and in private discussions. Some are actively calling for a joint Jewish effort to block Trump from becoming the GOP nominee.
Some, like historian Robert Kagan, who is considered among the fathers of American neoconservatism, have taken bold steps. Kagan, announced in a Washington Post article that Trump’s emergence as the most popular Republican candidate has led him to cross the political line: “For this former Republican, and perhaps for others, the only choice will be to vote for Hillary Clinton,” Kagan wrote. “The party cannot be saved, but the country still can be.”
Dan Senor, a Jewish Republican columnist and former Bush administration official, wouldn’t go as far as throwing his support behind Clinton, but made a clear pledge not to vote for Trump if he becomes his party’s nominee. “I’m not voting for Donald Trump. I’m not voting for him in the primary and I’m not for him in the general,” Senor told Bloomberg Politics.
Others have taken to an activist campaign in attempt to dissuade conservative voters who care about Israel and support a strong American international stature, from accepting the inevitability of a Trump candidacy. The Emergency Committee for Israel, a pro-Israel organization headed by leading neoconservative William Kristol, released on February 28 a video ad titled “Trump Loves Dictators.” The spot is compiled of clips in which Trump speaks positively of ousted leaders Saddam Hussein of Iraq and Mouammar Kadhafi of Libya, as well as Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. “How can Trump make America great when he’s kissing up to anti-American dictators?” the ad concludes. Kristol, in a press release, said: “If you’re pro-Israel, you shouldn’t be pro-Trump. Apologists for dictators aren’t reliable friends of the Jewish state.”
Trump’s February 17 refusal, during an interview on MSNBC, to take sides in the Israeli – Palestinian conflict raised eyebrows among many Jewish Republicans. “Let me be sort of a neutral guy,” Trump said, explaining that only this stance could make him acceptable on both sides as an honest broker. The comment, a clear deviation from the automatic siding with Israel which has become the standard among candidates, was viewed by Trump’s rivals as an opportunity to attack the frontrunner. During the February 25 Republican debate, Trump tried to defend his stand, stating he was “totally pro-Israel” and explaining the need to make sure none of the sides see him as biased against them.
But for some Jewish Republicans, Trump’s explanations did little to put to rest their lingering doubts regarding his position on Israel. “He can’t just paper over these comments by saying he’s pro-Israel,” a Jewish Republican activist said a day after the debate. “Donald Trump failed that test last night. He’s words were very troubling.”
Jay Lefkowitz, a Jewish Republican who served on both Bush administrations, called a choice between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in November would be “very depressing.” From the perspective of Israel,Lefkowitz added, “based on Clinton’s record and Trump’s statements, I would have serious concerns about both candidates.”
