Israeli officials have decided to block U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar from entering their country, a reversal of policy that President Donald Trump seems to have prompted.
Should Israel have taken the high road and given two enemies of Israel visas for this propaganda visit? Probably. It usually does. Allowing foes to enter the country reflects the strong liberal values that make Israel a special place in Middle East.
However, the idea that impeding two anti-Semites and Hamas apologists from entering Israel is an attack on democracy, or the United States, or that such a move is accelerating the corrosion of the Democratic Party’s support for Israel, is absurd.
Sen. Bernie Sanders contends that Israel is showing “enormous disrespect to these elected leaders, to the United States Congress, and to the principles of democracy.”
What principle of democracy states that you have to issue visas for illiberal bigots who actively engage in efforts to harm your citizens? If Republican Steve King were denied an entry visa into Mexico, not a single congressperson would stand up for him, not a single presidential candidate would claim that Mexico had insulted the honor of the United States, not a single Democrat would argue that it reflected poorly on Mexican democracy, and not a single liberal pundit would contend that the Mexican-U.S. relationship was being hurt.
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See Also:
(1) Israel, Omar, and Tlaib: No One Is Above the Law
(2) Barring Omar and Tlaib: Minimal downside for Israel
(3) Smackdown: Joe Biden gets owned over his whining about Israel and the Omar-Tlaib visit
(4) Squad Goals: Israel Tells Omar and Tlaib What to Do With Their B(D)S
(5) The Longest-Lasting Conspiracy Theory
