This clip from CNN (via Mondoweiss) is interesting. Highlighting the undoubted anger in America over recent Israeli actions, it’s a small but significant debate over the amount of money Washington gives the Jewish state every year. Let’s have an open and public debate about the rights and wrongs of this or should Israel just be protected from such discussions?
Youtube poster Media Matters Action Network says that CNN’s Wolf Blitzer was “surprised” by Jack Cafferty’s viewer criticisms of Israel, and this is the case. Cafferty takes an atypically-sober tone, cautiously criticizing the Israel-US special relationship, suggesting that we should “start cutting back on the approximately 2.5 billion in aid we give to Israel every year”¦.” and quoting Maureen Dowd saying that the White House is “appalled by Israel’s self-absorption.” Then he polls viewers. The letters Cafferty reads are critical of Israel, 6-1. The 1 is repulsive: “We should be helping Israel occupy as much Arab land as possible.” “You got a lot of emails?” Blitzer asks. “And most of it was anti-Israel, you would say?”
Cafferty then says this was a helluva way to treat Biden, the 1600 new settlements. Blitzer agrees: “I think a lot of people were very, very upset about it, including by the way in Israel.” The former JPost reporter, playing the role of Israel apologist, to the end.