Earlier this month, we posted about an article by the Guardian’s Chris McGreal which attacked AIPAC for opposing a Democrat (Lee Summers) who was set to become Pennsylvania’s first Black female member of Congress:
More than 240 Jewish American voters in Pittsburgh have signed a letter denouncing the US’s largest pro-Israel group [AIPAC] for backing extremist Republican election candidates while spending millions of dollars to oppose a Democrat [Lee Summers] who would be Pennsylvania’s first Black female member of Congress.
Despite opposition from pro-Israel groups, Summers won the election.
Yesterday, he published an article at the Guardian (“Hakeem Jeffries’ likely elevation set to please US pro-Israel groups”, Nov. 29) attacking AIPAC for supporting a Democratic Congressman (Hakeem Jeffries) who, if he wins the race for House Minority Leader today, will be the first Black person to lead a major political party in Congress.
Hakeem Jeffries might be about to make history but some critics fear that on one issue, at least, he will be on the wrong side of it. The progressive New York congressman widely expected to lead the Democrats in the US House of Representatives will be the first person of color to head either party in the chamber.
The reason for McGreal’s selective support for increased racial minority representation in the House of Representatives is clear: Summers is an opponent of Israel, whilst Jeffries is a strong supporter of the Jewish state – thus placing Jeffries, who represents New York’s 8th Congressional district (encompassing parts of Brooklyn and Queens), on “the wrong side” of history.
📽️ A message from @RepJeffries @RepEspaillat and @RitchieTorres in Israel:
"It's so wonderful to express our support for the special relationship between the United States and Israel."
🇺🇸🇮🇱 #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/9cnhAXmWcm
— AIPAC (@AIPAC) February 22, 2022
Jeffries’ likely victory in the leadership contest would see him succeed Nancy Pelosi, the outgoing House Speaker, who similarly has a strong pro-Israel record, as top House Democrat – illustrating the limited influence of far-left members of Congress, such as Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, to push the party in a more anti-Israel direction, a fact that clearly disturbs the Guardian journalist.
McGreal is arguably the outlet’s worst journalist in light of his flagrant lack of professionalism when covering Israel and its supporters, and his use of antisemitic tropes.
You seem to conflate opposition to Israeli policies as antisemitic. Opposition to the policies of any country are acceptable democratic values, and do not imply opposition to the ethnic or religious or cultural values of the people of the country.
I used the word “antisemitic” once, in reference to language used by Mr. McGreal previously which evoked antisemitic tropes about ‘Jewish power’.