Which Party Is Best For The Jews?

Over the centuries Jews have been by turns admitted, ejected, humiliated, and even annihilated by the peoples among whom they have lived.

They have had to develop sensitive antennae so they can detect trouble ahead.

So all over America, Jews must be wondering about whether they still belong in the Democratic Party. Because the rejection of Joe Lieberman by Democratic voters in the Senate primary in Connecticut is not a good sign.

Joe Lieberman was a good liberal Democrat, conforming on all the issues except one: The War in Iraq. And for that he was rejected by his party.

It makes sense that Joe Lieberman would support the president on Iraq. Whatever the strategic reasons for the US efforts in the Middle East, supporting Israel has to be right up there close to the top.

Now Democrats are saying: screw it.

And the opinion polls confirm it. A poll for the Los Angeles Times shows that support for Israel is much stronger among Republicans than among Democrats. Asked whether the US should continue to align with Israel:

Judgment on Israel’s Actions Reps Inds Dems Continue with Israel 64 46 39 More neutral posture 29 49 54 Side with Arabs 1 2 2

Asked for their judgment of Israel’s actions in responding to Hezbollah’s rocket attacks, voters responded like this:

Align with Israel? Reps Inds Dems Justified and not too harsh 64 37 29 Justified but too harsh 11 15 20 Unjustified 17 33 36 Israel acted properly 64 37 29 Israel did not act properly 28 48 56

I don’t know about you, but if I were a Jewish American I would be thinking about the harsh words on the American left about “neo-cons,” a veiled reference to Jewish conservatives, and I would be thinking about the rejection of observant Jew Joe Lieberman in the Democratic primary. I would be wondering about changing my party affiliation.

I wouldn’t actually do anything yet, you understand. I would just be thinking about it.