Former Sen. Chuck Hagel was nominated by President Obama for defense secretary.
- In 2006, Hagel said 'the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here'
- Ari Fleischer: The support for Israel isn't because of 'intimidation,' but merit
- Polls show most Americans view Israel favorably, but don't support Iran or Palestinians
- Fleischer: Israel is a steady friend of the U.S. and a tolerant democracy
Editor's note: Ari
Fleischer, a CNN contributor, was White House press secretary in the
George W. Bush administration from 2001 to 2003 and is the president of
Ari Fleischer Sports Communications Inc. He is a paid consultant and
board member for the Republican Jewish Coalition, which opposes the
Hagel nomination. Follow him on Twitter: @AriFleischer
(CNN) -- "The political reality is ... that the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here." -- Senator Chuck Hagel, 2006
As a result of those
words and his voting record, former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel's
nomination has turned a decades-long, bipartisan confirmation process
for secretary of defense into an acrimonious one.
While some leading
figures such as the Anti-Defamation League's Abe Foxman and the Simon
Wiesenthal Center's Rabbi Abraham Cooper say Hagel's words are
borderline anti-Semitism, I'm less worried about anti-Semitism and more
worried about the judgment of a potential defense secretary who thinks
Israel has won support because of "intimidation," not merit.
Ari Fleischer
Israel is widely
supported by the American people because Israel deserves to be
supported. Israel is a lonely democratic ally and a steady friend of the
United States in a dangerous and tumultuous region. Their people are
like the American people -- free, independent, capitalistic and
tolerant.
A Gallup poll taken
last year showed 71% of the American people view Israel favorably while
only 19% view the Palestinian Authority favorably and just 10% view
Iran favorably.
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In a Pew Research Center study
last month, 50% of adults said they sympathize more with Israel in its
dispute than with the Palestinians. Just 10% sympathize more with the
Palestinians, while about as many (13%) volunteered that they sympathize
with neither side.
Contrary to Hagel's
logic, Israel doesn't enjoy widespread American support because anyone
-- from any faith -- intimidated someone else; Israel earned the support
of the American people because of its people's values.
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