Obama Inc. had been spending so much time in the J Street bubble, egged on to greater shows of hostility, that it really believed that American Jews would respond positively to his stealth attack at the UN. And when Obama was called on it, he doubled down, launching an even more vicious attack openly.
That was a big mistake. Democratic elected officials who are Jewish are not at all thrilled with the Kerry tantrum.
Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel (NY) appeared on MSNBC Tuesday morning to opine on the United Nations' admonishment of the State of Israel. He said Israel relies upon the United States to block these type of resolutions and called it a mistake that we didn't do it this time, regardless if you are for or against new settlements.
He thought it was ridiculous for the U.N. to censure Israel, with the acquiescence of the U.S., while people are dying in Syria and genocide is being committed in South Sudan.
Engel called the resolution a "parting shot out the door" by President Obama.
Elliot Engel isn't a great example because he's the rare Jewish Dem in Congress who, unlike Nadler or Schumer, is actually pro-Israel. That's what Engel said on ultra-lefty MSNBC. He was blunter on FOX.
Rep. Eliot Engel, D-NY., accused Kerry on beating up on Israel while laying off the Palestinians.
“The two state solution is the only way to get peace but what Secretary Kerry did was just beat up on Israel in a disproportionate way [and] sort of gloss over the terrorism that the Palestinians have used throughout these years,” Engel, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said on Fox and Friends Thursday.
Engel also said he would be prepared to work with President-elect Trump on strengthening the U.S. relationship with Israel in the future.
“I think support for Israel in Congress is bipartisan and should remain bipartisan and if President Trump is working with us on Israel, I’m perfectly happy to work with the President of the United States,” he said.
While most Dems did not go as far as Engel, there was general condemnation of the UN resolution. Which effectively places them at odds with Obama Inc.
Senator Schumer, who opposed the Iran Deal, but then swung left to back Keith Ellison, swung back again with surprisingly harsh criticism of Kerry.
Mr. Schumer released a statement shortly afterward, saying it seemed as though the secretary of state had “forgotten the history of the settlements in Gaza, where the Israeli government forced settlers to withdraw from all settlements and the Palestinians responded by sending rockets into Israel.”
“While he may not have intended it, I fear Secretary Kerry, in his speech and action at the [United Nations], has emboldened extremists on both sides,” the senator said.
That's striking coming from the leader of the Senate Dems. Even many Jewish Democrats are rejecting Kerry's attack on Israel.