Eyeless in Gaza

Eyeless in Gaza
Jaroslava Halper

We in the US have a new litmus test for Democratic candidates running for congressional and other offices. The old abortion litmus test was replaced by an anti-Israeli if not outright antisemitic stance.

Most Democratic candidates, many of them Jewish are abandoning Israel. AIPAC, a lobby working to enhance relations between USA and Israel, became toxic and evil as it has been equated with supporting Israeli “genocide” in Gaza. Candidates receiving some financial support from AIPAC started quickly evaporating, especially during the present midterm election cycle. Even many candidates not being associated with AIPAC but until recently in favor of aiding Israel by the US already withdrew or are withdrawing their support of Israel at alarming speed. In addition, obvious antisemitism is creeping among candidates.

Particularly alarming is that this attitude is spreading like wildfire among Jewish candidates who were until recently staunch pro-Israel advocates. Elissa Slotkin, a Senator from Michigan currently running for reelection is distancing herself from Israel. Recently Slotkin voted in favor of two resolutions both calling in favor of preventing Israel from two purchases, one against supplying Israel with bulldozer, the second against purchase bombs by Israel. This represents a sharp 180o turning point from her previous votes. Rahm Emmanuel is another public figure turning his back on Israel. The recent publication of several of his op-eds in WSJ is an indication that for his presidential run in 2028 to be successful he needs to attract more conservative votes as well. On the other hand his recent opposition to US aid provided to Israel implies that he is aware of his need to keep Democratic votes as well. And these are just two Jewish candidates among quite a few others forsaking Israel by signing a Faustian bargain. Whether they feel they need to be elected to go back to support Israel or whether they just threw Israel under the bus to be elected no matter the price they have to pay. I do not know but I know I cannot see myself to vote for any of them. I find the opportunism, self-humiliation and lack of courage repulsive. And obviously this is not limited to Jewish candidates.

Graham Platner, the Democratic candidate for Senate seat in Maine has been endorsed as a “progressive” by several Senators, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Chuck Schumer, and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. Platner has been known for not only homophobic and misogynistic utterances but also for having tattooed a neo-Nazi symbol on his chest and expressing pro-Hamas sympathies. He has a good chance of winning the contest. As this is not ominous enough it gets worse. As reported by the Platner candidacy was discussed at a recent Washington D.C. meeting of the Jewish Democratic Council where many participants advocated for support of Platner by the Council. They argued that it has to be done for the sake of Democratic unity and inclusion of voices they “do not agree with”. All this for the purpose of having a chance to achieve Democratic majority in the Senate. And for the benefit of the party that disavowed Jews and let antisemitism grow within its midst.

If anything, individual Democrats, and that applies to Jews and non-Jews alike, should make a conscious decision to vote for candidates who are moderate and decent human beings, not necessarily adhering to a party line. If the Council decides to be really more inclusive rather than to support Platner they should back a decent and moderate Senator like Republican Susan Collins. Perhaps the Democratic Party would learn something. It is worth mentioning that Chuck Schumer, who call himself a shomer, a protector of Jewish people, is in danger of being swallowed by the same mob he is empowering.

Another Democrat, Abdul El-Sayed based in Michigan is backed by a leftist virulent antisemite Hasan Piker and quickly picked up endorsement by Senator Bernie Sanders. It is distressing and nefarious to read Frank Bruni’s op-ed piece commenting how essential it is to vote for both Platner and El-Sayed because their election would help Democrats prevail in the Senate. It seems that diminishing the principles of the Democratic Party, degrading democracy and supporting neo-Nazi and antisemitic ideas in the country does not trouble Bruni.

And mentioning Frank Bruni’s op-ed on the need of united Democratic front facing GOP brings me to the NYT most recent, Nicholas Kristof’s so called opinion piece “The Silence That Meets the Rape of Palestinians” published in NYT on May 11, 2026, claiming that systematic rape of Palestinian prisoners occurs in Israeli jails and that Israel trains dogs to rape people (a notion completely discredited by experts on dog behavior). Kristof’s evidence and “proof” is based on information provided by an NGO based in Europe that is affiliated with Hamas. He asserts that he conducted extensive talks with many witnesses (he mentions 14 Palestinians claiming being raped by Israeli guards). It is likely some rapes were committed, but they were not widespread and associated with torture, mutilation and murder, and an intended (but failed) attempt at the October 7 massacre by Hamas. Interestingly, NYT refused to publish an extensively researched and documented report, “Sexual Terror Unveiled: The Untold Atrocities of October 7 and Against Hostages in Captivity,” with international law expert Dr. Cochav Elkayam-Levy as the main investigator and author. Was the piece by Kristof that appeared a day before the publication of the Israeli report a pre-emptive strike? The descent of the esteemed Gray Lady into an aging grey prostitute is sad and disturbing.

Jews who throw their support behind the Democratic Party that lost its soul should remember or at least be reminded what happened to those German Jews who believed that they would be exempted from antisemitism and later from Nazi persecution either by assimilation or later by joining the Nazi party. Neither helped just like throwing themselves at the mercy of the Democratic Party will not help US Jews sticking their heads in the sand.

One must question and worry, how did we get to this still rapidly increasing level of antisemitism? After all, the war in Gaza is over, it is clear that genocide in Gaza did not happen (though this is still disputed by supporters of Hamas) and it is in the open that Gazans continue to be oppressed cruelly by Hamas and not by Israel. Don’t these candidates realize that Hamas started the Jew-hatred campaign years ago and mastered it as described in “Digital Intifada” by Warren Kinsella. The calls for destruction of Israel and global intifada are actually multiplying and becoming louder and more violent among Hamas supporters who organize such demonstrations on a daily basis around the world, and with pleasure in metropolitan areas with high Jewish population (e.g., in London and New York). Americans, such as Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes, Candace Owen and Hasan Piker are eager participants in this witch hunt. As a result, antisemitic acts and attacks on Jews and Jewish institutions are increasing here and in other countries. There are people, including anti-Zionist Jews who feel liberated to express freely antisemitism and anti-Zionism and happily join Hamas in their provocations.

There are still others and even several Democratic Sentators acutely aware of the danger threatening not only the Democratic Party but civic life in the US. For example, Josh Gottheimer, the Democratic Representative from New Jersey, accused his party of averting eyes and mind from increasing antisemitism, and the legitimization of extremism in the Democratic Party. He and John Fetterman, the Democratic Senator from Pennsylvania, warned their party that its silence on antisemitism and other extreme streaks proliferating within it in order to gain more support among certain voters while being critical of GOP is inexcusable, immoral and will eventually backfire. We should only hope so. But we may not find out until after the midterms or until a major antisemitic attack happens in the US. My hope is that we will not have to declare Hamas’ victory now or in the future.