"It is no secret that demographic realities make it increasingly difficult for Israel to remain both a Jewish homeland and a Democratic country, in the absence of a Palestinian state and an agreement.
Like many Americans, But at a relatively young age, when I had just turned 30,
In 2013 Biden did some Jewish pandering at a Jewish heritage event sponsored by the Democratic National Committee. Jennifer Epstein of Politico quoted him at length.
"You make up 11 percent of the seats in the United States Congress. You make up one-third of all Nobel laureates. So many notions that are embraced by this nation that particularly emanate from over 5,000 years of Jewish history, tradition and culture: independence, individualism, fairness, decency, justice, charity...
"You can't talk about the civil rights movement in this country without talking about Jewish freedom riders... You can't talk about the women's movement without talking about Betty Friedan..."
Biden also cited Einstein, Carl Sagan, the Gershwins and Bob Dylan, and ascribed the acceptance of gay marriage to Jewish influence in Hollywood.
"I bet you 85 percent of those changes, whether it's in Hollywood or social media are a consequence of Jewish leaders in the industry. The influence is immense, the influence is immense. And, I might add, it is all to the good."
He then praised the Jewish presence on the Supreme Court as essential to the expansion of rights, naming seven Jewish justices:
"You can't talk about the recognition of ... rights in the Constitution without looking at these incredible jurists that we've had...
"Jewish heritage has shaped who we are all of us, us, me as much or more than any other factor in the last 223 years. And that's a fact."
In that year, 2013, Biden gave a speech to the Israel lobby group AIPAC and struck many pro-Israel themes. Jews can't be safe without Israel, the movement to delegitimize Israel is extremely concerning to him. He bragged about opposition to the Goldstone Report and said not a word about Palestinian human rights or Palestinian sovereignty except to say it was their own fault.
"It was in the strongest terms that we vigorously opposed the Palestinian bid for nonmember observer status in the General Assembly, and we will continue to oppose any effort to establish a state of Palestine through unilateral actions."
His only reference to Jewish settlements was in support of them:
"[T]he only country on the Human Rights Council of the United Nations to vote against the establishment of a fact-finding mission on settlements was the United States of America."
The two-state solution was an afterthought to Biden; and he only had praise for Benjamin Netanyahu.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Israel's own leaders currently understand the imperative of peace. Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Barak, President Peres they've all called for a two-state solution and an absolute secure, democratic and Jewish State of Israel; to live side by side with an independent Palestinian state. But it takes two to tango, and the rest of the Arab world has to get in the game."
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
1
1
