A nasty bomb has exploded in conservative circles and big names with huge followings are firing away at one another. It’s hard to keep track of all the crossfire, but once again, it all boils down to the Jews and Israel.
The driving force behind this brouhaha is controversial podcaster Tucker Carlson, who assumes that any Jew who supports Israel must be disloyal to America. Carlson labels himself as “America First,” which makes American Zionists, as he says, “Israel First.”
This is a sinister take, of course. I’m the biggest lover of America and I proudly support and defend Israel. There are millions more like me. Loving and supporting both countries is not mutually exclusive; if anything, the alliance is highly beneficial to both nations.
An Israel that is good for America, though, is a terribly inconvenient message for Carlson and his ilk. The only Israel they talk about is an Israel that forces America into needless wars and sucks up precious resources that can be used in this country. In their twisted version of reality, Israel is not a strategic ally but an albatross around America’s neck.
This anti-Israel streak on the far right has been brewing for years, but we always assumed it was a fringe movement. When Carlson, who has a huge following, invited the racist, pro-Nazi antisemite Nick Fuentes on his show a few weeks ago, the dam broke. Suddenly, the hateful fringe entered the mainstream.
Good luck putting that genie back in the bottle.
Fuentes has a significant following among the young, known as Groypers. When Carlson failed to challenge his odious views, he got support from other prominent right-wing influencers like Candace Owens and Dave Smith. They’re now part of a hateful movement that has become a serious problem for both the GOP and the pro-Israel community.
It’s an encouraging sign, as Dan Senor mentioned Sunday at the Tikvah Jewish Leadership Conference, that mainstream politicians from both parties have not rushed to defend Carlson, and many, like Senator Ted Cruz, have excoriated him. Prominent conservatives like Ben Shapiro and Mark Levin have also taken him to task.
But what is sorely missing in this picture is serious pushback from the Jewish community against the libel that Israel is bad for America.
The truth is quite the opposite.
This has been the case for a long time. As far back as 2012, the prestigious Washington Institute published a piece arguing that “the bilateral relationship [between Israel and the United States] is based on tangible, steadily increasing security and economic interests, not just shared values.”
A comprehensive AIPAC report details the many ways “Israel keeps America safe, strong and prosperous.”
Here are a few highlights:
“America’s alliance with Israel helps keep our nation safe and secure by providing us access to the Jewish state’s extensive intelligence network, cutting-edge defense technology and unparalleled experience in combatting terror threats.”
“The Jewish state is a capable and determined ally on the geographic front lines defending Western values against dangerous groups and nations that are committed to destroying both it and the United States.”
“Israel spends billions of dollars each year in the United States to help build its capabilities, creating American jobs and accelerating our economy.”
“Israeli research and development in the fields that will define the 21st century, including artificial intelligence and quantum computing, strengthen America’s capabilities and help ensure we are leading in the technology race for the future.”
You get the idea. There’s plenty more where that came from. The point is, Israel is a great investment for America and that message needs to get out.
A recent example is Iran, the world’s largest sponsor of terror that despises the Great Satan (America) as much as it despises the Little Satan (Israel). America Firsters have been warning us for years that attacking Iran would endanger thousands of U.S troops and possibly trigger another world war.
Now those Israel-haters have egg on their faces, because President Trump’s decisive 12-hour operation to debilitate Iran’s nuclear facilities had zero U.S. casualties and was clearly in America’s interest. It was a classic case of the mutual value of the U.S/Israel alliance
But with the rise of the anti-Israel far right, we can expect that alliance to come under heavy strain over the coming months and years. The hard reality is that the Carlson/Fuentes/Candace Owens extremist train has left the station, and it will make more and more noise as we near the 2028 presidential election.
These guys mean business. Attacking Jews and Israel is not just an ideology; it has become a highly lucrative endeavor. The more they bash Jews and question their loyalty, the more they grow their followings.
The one thing in our favor is a truth Israel-haters hope never comes out: Supporting Israel actually means putting America first.
