Bernie Sanders' Deputy Press Secretary Questions Loyalty of American Jews While Defending Omar

Belén Sisa, the Deputy Press Secretary for Bernie Sanders' 2020 election bid, had to issue an apology yesterday after questioning the loyalty of American Jews while defending Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar from accusations of anti-Semitism in a Facebook thread. From Politico:


A Jew from Sisa's home state of Arizona pointed out the history of the "dual allegiance" slur in the Facebook thread — from the hangings of Jews in ancient Persia to the 1492 purge of Jews in Spain to Nazi Germany.


Sisa’s response: “This is a serious question: do you not think that the American government and American Jewish community has a dual allegiance to the state of Israel? I’m asking not to rule out the history of this issue, but in the context in which this was said by Ilhan.”


Another person on her Facebook then asked: “do you think Bernie Sanders has dual loyalty?” Sisa replied: “I think I would probably have to ask him? But his comments make me believe other wise as he has been very blunt on where he stands.” She then shared links to articles on Sanders’ recent reaction to Omar’s comments.


It must be remembered that in excusing Omar's behavior last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi argued, “I don’t think that the congresswoman is perhaps appreciative of the full weight of how it was heard by other people, although I don’t believe it was intended in any anti-Semitic way.” Well,  not only did Omar know exactly what she was saying but Sisa understood what she meant "in the context in which this was said by Ilhan."


Indeed, the extent of this is revealed in how Sisa responded to the question of Sanders' dual loyalty. In order for Sanders not to be perceived to have dual loyalty to Israel from a member of his own staff it is necessary for him to denounce Israel. This isn't to say that Sanders isn't sincere in his views. I have no doubt that he is. But for those who support Sanders, Omar, AOC and a host of other leftists, Jews must prove their loyalty to America by denouncing Israel. This is a most dangerous state of affairs.


Israel is an ally of the United States in the same way that Canada, Great Britain, Mexico, Japan and a host of other countries are. There is nothing wrong with Americans, Jewish or not, in admiring Israel in this way. And as the world's only Jewish state, there is also nothing incompatible about American Jews admiring Israel and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.


But there will be always be those who question the loyalty of Jews. When that someone is a member of Congress who sit on the House Foreign Relations Committee, these views can have consequences. One of the consequences is for Democrats to deny Congresswoman Omar means what she says in the face of those who understood what she said all too well. It is the sort of environment in which anti-Semitism can flourish and grow like the cancer that it is.