Rubio to Democrats: Don’t Boycott Netanyahu Speech
“Don’t do this to an ally.”
Some Democrats are planning to boycott Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress next month because they view John Boehner’s invitation to Netanyahu as an insult to Obama.
Senator Marco Rubio spoke out on Thursday, urging Democrats not to boycott the speech.
The Washington Free Beacon reported:
Rubio Urges Democrats to Not Boycott Netanyahu
Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) strongly urged his Democratic colleagues to stand with Israel during his floor speech Thursday, stating they should not boycott Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s March 3 address to Congress.
“Don’t do this to a people that are in the crosshairs of multiple terrorist groups with the capability of attacking them,” Rubio said. “Don’t do this to a nation whose civilians are terrorized by thousands of rockets launched against them at a moment’s notice. Don’t do this to a country that’s facing down the threat of a nuclear weapon annihilating them off the face of the Earth. Don’t do this to a people that are being stigmatized all over the world, even as we speak, who are being oppressed. Don’t do this to a country that in forum after forum has become the subject of de-legitimatization as people argue that somehow Israel’s right to exist is not real.”
Here’s the video:
Rubio’s sentiment has been echoed by Nobel Peace Prize winner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel.
Josh Feldman of Mediaite:
Elie Wiesel Asks Congress, WH to ‘Put Aside the Politics,’ Attend Netanyahu Speech
Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner, is publicly supporting Benjamin Netanyahu‘s address to Congress and has a full-page newspaper ad out asking Congress––as well as the White House––to do the same.
Wiesel writes about the “catastrophic danger of a nuclear Iran” and how he fully intends to be present when Netanyahu speaks. He says, “President Obama, Vice President Biden, distinguished members of Congress, I ask you –– As one who has seen the enemies of the Jewish people make good on threats to exterminate us, how can I remain silent?”
He asks them to “put aside the politics” and hear Netanyahu as he speaks.
Many notable Republicans have used Twitter to show their support:
I am inviting all Senators today to join in a bi-partisan welcome to Israel's PM as he addresses a joint session of Congress in early March.
— JohnCornyn (@JohnCornyn) February 12, 2015
Proud to sign a resolution welcoming Israeli PM @netanyahu to Congress>>>
http://t.co/UlK4XtdePF
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) February 13, 2015
Thank you! RT @netanyahu I intend to speak in the U.S. Congress because Congress might have an important role on a nuclear deal with Iran.
— Sarah Palin (@SarahPalinUSA) February 11, 2015
Looking forward to hearing from @IsraeliPM @Netanyahu on March 3rd about the serious threat radical Islam poses: https://t.co/AT5DWZBwep
— Speaker John Boehner (@SpeakerBoehner) January 27, 2015
Featured image via YouTube.
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Comments
Israel is the only democratic nation in the Middle East, and our only true ally in that volatile region. Every Senator and Representative should attend this speech, even if the way it came about was a violation of protocol*.
*Which it wasn’t.
…Recent years have degraded the coinage so to speak, but Turkey has previously been known as a democracy, at least as much as say, Spain or Greece. Perhaps it’s not considered part of the Middle East?
I think that even with all its flaws, Lebanon is, out of a lack of a king or a dictator? I mean, I hadn’t bothered to a reality check for this oft-made statement about Israel, but now that I think about it, it’s a little less true than it appears at first glance. Having said that Israel is very much an American ally and should actually be treated as such…
I believe he’s referring to “liberal democracy”, “liberal” here referring to classical liberalism, i.e. respect for individual rights, not contemporary American liberalism. Lebanon has been the closest to Israel in terms of achieving a liberal democracy in the Middle East, but there are strong sectarian divides, and the particular regime of rule of law you are subject to depends on your religious affiliation. Turkey, to the extent it is a part of the Middle East despite its attempts to join the EU, used to be headed in the right direction. However, recently it has moved significantly away from being a liberal democracy, with governmental crackdowns on free press, free speech, and free assembly.
Israel remains the only country that meets all the criteria for a liberal democracy in the Middle East.
Perhaps it’s not considered part of the Middle East?
Well, a century ago, Turkey was referred to as the “sick old man of Europe”.
I hope they do boycott him. It would be consistent with their actual beliefs and demonstrate what cowards they are to their supporters, and maybe the American Jew will get to know just who it is that will not lift a finger when the next holocaust begins.
American Jews are (for the most part) progressives first and Jews second. A long way behind, second. I wonder if they’ll immigrate to Israel when the muslims begin bombing and shooting up Synagogs like they are in Europe.