JNS
by Rachel Medoff
November 4, 2014

Whatever the results of the Nov. 4 midterm elections, Israel will no doubt continue trying to persuade both parties about the seriousness of Iran’s threats of genocide. Yet the Israelis now find themselves being berated for courting both parties—and the criticism is coming from a U.S. official who, ironically, once argued that intervening against genocide would hurt her party in that year’s midterm elections.

Just two days before the midterm races, National Security Adviser Susan Rice reportedly said the reason she has still not met with Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Ron Dermer—who was appointed 16 months ago—is that “he’s too busy traveling to Sheldon Adelson’s events in Las Vegas.” According to the Israeli daily Haaretz, Dermer’s action “served to prove to Obama’s aides” that Dermer is “a sympathizer with the red, Republican side.”

The reference was to Dermer’s speech at a Republican Jewish Coalition event in March. For the past year, Israeli officials, including Dermer, have been trying to persuade Democrats and Republicans alike that Iran’s threats of genocide against Israel are serious and that Teheran should not be permitted to continue building nuclear weapons. Presumably, if the National Jewish Democratic Council decided to invite Dermer, he would speak to them too. Maintaining friendly relations with both parties has been a cornerstone of Israeli and Zionist policy going back to the days before Israel even existed…..

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