Earlier this month, former Obama chief of staff, U.S. House member and Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel visited Israel under the pretense of being “a friend of Israel.” As such, he gave a speech that spun a series of lies, half-truths and fantasies, putatively attempting to convince Israelis to reject their current leadership and pursue a long-failed strategy for peace. However, as a potential U.S. presidential contender in 2028, Emanuel’s real goal was to score points with moderate American Democrats.

In his speech at Tel Aviv University, Emanuel blamed Israel for making itself a pariah, rather than the antisemitic hatred, lies and vitriol of the global anti-Israel movement, including members and supporters of his party. In other words, the Jews themselves are to blame for their persecution—an argument commonly used by antisemites. Specifically, he accused Israel of mismanaging control of disputed territories and those of their hostile neighbors.

Emanuel also asserted that the U.S. gives Israel “unconditional support,” which he claims is in danger of being withdrawn. He forgets he was part of an Obama Administration that betrayed Israel by permitting a strident resolution condemning the Jewish state at the UN Security Council. He also apparently forgets that the Biden Administration withheld arms from Israel during the recent Gaza War. In fact, U.S. support for Israel almost always comes with strings attached, under both Democratic and Republican administrations. To suggest otherwise is simply a smoke-screen.

Furthermore, Emanuel outrageously equates the slogan “From the River to the Sea” to the movement for “Greater Israel.” Whereas the former is a rabid rallying cry for genocide and the destruction of the Jewish state, the latter refers to the desire of a small minority of Jews and Israelis to annex the biblical Jewish heartland of Judea and Samaria (the “West Bank”).

But perhaps Emanuel’s greatest folly is believing the conflict has everything to do with “territory”—and nothing to do with the Arab obsession of destroying Israel. Emanuel argues that if only today’s 21 Arab states could add just one more—Palestine— they would all unite in welcoming Israel into a 23-state regional kumbaya accord.

This may well appeal to the shrinking base of American Democrats who still support Israel, but it’s more like laughable utopian fiction to battle-weary Israelis.

Emanuel blames the victim—Israel. He told his audience of Israelis, “You have turned from being known for your technological prowess to being considered primarily a territorial pariah.” He blamed Israel’s increasing isolation on its policies in the disputed territories of Judea and Samaria, and the Gaza Strip, saying Israel’s “government is complicit in the horrors now being inflicted on innocent families in the West Bank,” and accusing Israel of denying aid to Gaza.

Actually, whereas the Palestinian Authority encourages acts of violence against Jews, Israel prosecutes Jewish law breakers aggressively. In fact, just two weeks ago, the Jerusalem Post reported that recent enforcement efforts by Israeli security forces led to a 25% reduction in violence against Palestinians. Furthermore, attacks by Palestinian terrorists are more than 60 times more frequent than incidents of settler violence.

The assertion that Israel denies vital aid to Palestinians in Gaza is also a lie. In fact, Gaza has received more than triple the aid requirements set by the World Food Program. Moreover, nations at war virtually never assume responsibility for feeding enemy populations—not in WWII, the Korean War, Vietnam War or Gulf War—making Emanuel’s accusation the more insulting.

Blaming Jews for alleged misbehavior, especially when they are defending themselves, is an ages-old strategy for shaming and discrediting the Jewish people. Instead of Emanuel supporting haters like Zohran Mamdani, Hasan Piker and his own party’s “progressive” caucus, he would be more helpful to his friend, Israel, by calling these enemies what they are—liars and hypocrites.

Emanuel falsely asserts U.S. support is unconditional. U.S. support for Israel has always been conditional on serving America’s interests. In fact, whenever Israel does something any U.S. administration believes contravenes American interests, the U.S. punishes it or threatens consequences.

In 2016, for example, the U.S. abstained from UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which condemned Israel for building settlements in Judea and Samaria, allowing the resolution to pass, because the Obama Administration mistakenly believed settlements prevented a two-state solution. In May 2024, during the Gaza War, President Biden froze weapons shipments to Israel because he didn’t want the IDF to enter Rafah.

In almost every case, America’s withheld support for Israel when its citizens were under relentless attack didn’t help, but actually harmed the Jewish state. Moreover, Emanuel ignores the fact that Israel is America’s strongest, most useful ally in the Middle East, and arguably its most valuable ally globally.

Emanuel compares defensive Israel with genocidal attackers. For Israel, control of territory in Lebanon, Gaza, Syria, and Judea and Samaria is strictly an issue of security—preventing adjacent lands from being used by terrorists to attack Israeli civilians—not a reflection of imperialistic aspirations. Those who criticize Israel for disproportionate control of “foreign lands” have the luxury of vast oceans between them and murderous jihadis.

As for Emanuel’s accusation that Israel wishes to assert sovereignty over Judea and Samaria as a moral and spiritual imperative toward a “Greater Israel,” this is the movement of a tiny Israeli minority. It certainly bears no comparison to the wish of ultra-leftists to destroy Israel and remove all Jews “from the river to the sea.”

Emanuel’s “23 state solution” is no more credible than the two-state solution. It ignores the decades’-old Arab desire to destroy Israel. His dream faces the overwhelming obstacle—not from Israel, where he might find at least a modicum of support—but from 500 million Arabs, especially the Palestinians.

Indeed, the Palestinians have never given up their quest to conquer all of “Palestine,” which is why they’ve rejected multiple statehood offers made by Israel and the U.S. As President Clinton noted regarding past peace efforts, “Hamas did not care about a homeland for the Palestinians. They wanted to kill Israelis.”

Please make the point when speaking with family, friends, colleagues—or in letters to the editor—that Emanuel’s speech was not really “friendly,” nor meant for Israelis. Rather, it was a disingenuous campaign speech that scolded Israel, designed to appeal to the dwindling number of Democrats who still support the Jewish state.

If you agree we need to spread this truth, please use your email browser to forward this Hotline issue to fellow lovers of Israel—and encourage them to join us by subscribing to the Hotline at no charge.

Best regards,
Jason Shvili, Contributing Editor
Facts and Logic About the Middle East (FLAME)

P.S. As you know, we at FLAME are constantly fighting to defeat our enemies’ slanders against Israel. But I hope you agree that it’s just as important for us lovers of Israel to spread the word about the amazing triumphs of Zionism. I believe that in addition to defending Israel from media and politicians’ lies, we need also to help the world understand Israel’s righteous cause and its power for good—we need as well to trumpet Israel’s miraculous achievements. God knows, Americans will never learn about Israel’s good deeds in mainstream media, like the New York Times, CNN or NPR! I believe we need to stand tall because of who the Jewish people are . . . be proud of what Israel does for the world. For this reason, I hope you’ll approve of FLAME’s new hasbarah—our explanatory message called “How Zionism’s Miracle Benefits Us All.” With your agreement and support, FLAME will soon begin running this message as a paid editorial ad in major mainstream newspapers nationwide. This ad tells the truth about Zionism’s unmatched power to create economic prosperity, global security, world health and democratic freedoms. It also explains why the enemies of Zionism are not just foes of Israel, they are also the enemies of human progress. Please review this convincing, fact-based editorial, which FLAME is about to publish to millions—in leading social media, as well as in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronicle, Denver Post and Los Angeles Times. This piece will also be sent to all members of Congress, the President and Vice President. If you agree that this kind of public relations effort on Israel’s behalf is critical, I urge you to support us with a donation.