Israelis who follow U.S. politics are alarmed by the primary defeat of New York Congressman Joe Crowley, who has been a strong supporter and close friend of the Jewish state for the 19-years he has served in the House, by a political novice who charged Israel with “massacring” Palestinians trying to infiltrate its border. Although President Trump mocked Crowley’s loss, chiding him for “getting his ass kicked,” Israelis and American ex-pats who are concerned with maintaining strong bipartisan support on Capitol Hill for the Jewish state are concerned that 28-year old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a self-described socialist Democrat, is known for little else than her support for Bernie Sanders and her criticism of Israel. Now the Democratic candidate for the House seat in a district that includes parts of Queens and the Bronx, Ocasio-Cortez is the odds-on favorite given the overwhelming numbers of Democrats registered to vote in the general election. Pro-Israel pundits fear that the surprise win – and the strength of the victory – sends a message to a new generation of the party’s candidates that open hostility toward Israel is not a liability. For Palestinians, the results are encouragement that their cause is not “untouchable” within the context of American politics.
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