Boris Johnson performed a momentous service for Britain’s 300,000 Jews: He smashed a burgeoning anti-Semitic movement.
Of course, English Jews helped Johnson lead Conservatives and Brexit advocates to an overwhelming victory in parliamentary elections just more than a week ago. The specter of Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn replacing Johnson as prime minister terrified the Jewish community.
On this side of the pond, some Jews fear that the Democratic Party could follow suit one day. It is doubtful this will happen, but the possibility nonetheless exists.
Corbyn presides over a party that empowered anti-Semites and Israel-bashers since he was elected its leader four years ago. One poll showed that 86 percent of British Jews feared a Labour government, according to the Democratic Majority for Israel. Plus, 13 Labour MP’s quit the party because of the party’s antics.
No longer. Corbyn announced he will step down as Labour leader. What Labour does after that is unknown. Anti-Semitism in Labour was among at least three factors that propelled Johnson to victory, the others being Corbyn’s hyper-socialist agenda and the ongoing struggle over Brexit, the prospect of leaving the European Union.
What happened in Britain underscores two kinds of circumstances that can arise even in a democracy. First, a war against any minority group can develop among those with power. Second, the people can end such a war.
Advocates for the Palestinians have achieved relatively minor clout in Congress and they have sought to make further gains.
Chief among them are Representatives Ilhan Omar of Minneapolis and Rashida Tlaib of Detroit, both Muslims who have openly bashed Israel and alluded to the supposed loyalty of American Jews. Tlaib was born in Michigan though her grandmother lives near Ramallah on the West Bank. Omar is a refugee from Somalia.
Wouldn’t they qualify for dual loyalty by virtue of their religion and ethnic backgrounds?
There is a fair number of members of Congress who have been unfairly critical of Israel, but they amount to a very small minority in the Democratic Party. The scale of any threat to the Jewish community in America is nowhere near the level in the Labour Party. Or what was Labour.
Fortunately, Democrats and Republicans share the same position on Israel and most other Jewish issues. Both parties have long supported the Jewish state. It has not been lost on some advocates for domestic concerns that Congress spends generously on Israel but shortchanges the poor and vulnerable in America.
The reason is simple: Only one party presses for anti-poverty programs and its efforts are consistently obstructed by the other party.
Of course, it could still happen here. If the numbers of anti-Israel Democrats in Congress keep rising, then American Jews will be threatened with losing a political haven.
This could be avoided through politics as occurred in Britain. For that matter, Omar and Tlaib must face re-election campaigns every two years. They can even be voted out in their respective primaries, and all would be more comfortable on this side of the pond.
Republished from San Diego Jewish World.