Friend or foe?

In “Attack on Democrats will be costly to Israel” (July 16), Yaakov Katz conveniently forgets that the partisan attacks on Israel started with Democratic president Barack Obama, who was openly antagonistic to Israel and to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel has been under attack by the BDS movement led by progressive leftists, unfortunately consisting of many liberal Jews probably belonging to the Democratic Party – definitely not the Republican Party.

The answer to Katz’s column cannot be better expressed than by the article appearing on the same front page “Huckabee: US is best served with Netanyahu as leader.”

AVRAHAM FRIEDMAN Ganei Modi’in

Yaakov Katz rightly observes that support for Israel is declining in the American Democratic Party, as it drifts leftward onto the shoals of anti-Israel fanaticism and antisemitism. However, it is a mistake to attribute any part of this shift to Israeli support for the most pro-Israel presidential administration in recent history.

The far Left’s hostile preoccupation with Israel precedes Donald Trump, as Communists, socialists, and liberals of some stripes have been enemies of Israel for decades. One can look back far into the 20th century at the Israel-related positions and policies of this ilk and find a sea of anti-Israel rhetoric and actions.

It is important for Jewish American voters to face this reality directly, not to be reticent or afraid to vote for supporters of Israel, and to oppose those who pillory Israel illegitimately. If bipartisan American support for Israel is a lost cause, we need to face that reality unflinchingly.

Israel is entitled to support its allies and oppose its foes. If the American Democratic Party has become a home for some of those foes, Israel’s relationship with the party has to reflect that. Failing to acknowledge reality never works out well in the long run.

DANIEL H. TRIGOBOFF, PH.D.

Williamsville, New York