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Uncle Joe

(62,379 posts)
Tue Jul 8, 2025, 11:43 AM Jul 8

Peter Beinart on Zohran Mamdani & Why Democratic Voters Are Increasingly Skeptical of Israel



We speak to Peter Beinart, editor-at-large at _Jewish Currents_, about changing popular opinion in the U.S. toward Israel and Palestine. "I'm not sure there's any political issue in the United States, perhaps other than gay marriage, over the last couple of decades where public opinion has shifted as fast," he says, citing the surprise victory of pro-Palestinian mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani in New York City's Democratic primary as evidence of a shifting political landscape. We also discuss a recent article in The New York Times that criticizes Mamdani, a Ugandan-born Indian Muslim who immigrated to the U.S. as a child, for self-identifying as both Asian and Black/African American on a college application. Beinart, whose own parents are of European Jewish background and were raised in multiracial South Africa, explains how the limitations of formal racial categories often elide the true complexity of racial, ethnic and national identity. "It's not a case that Zohran Mamdani was trying to pull some sleight of hand to try to take advantage of affirmative action. This was a very deep statement about what he believed it was to have grown up in Uganda," he says.

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Peter Beinart on Zohran Mamdani & Why Democratic Voters Are Increasingly Skeptical of Israel (Original Post) Uncle Joe Jul 8 OP
Support for Israel? No, I don't believe THAT is the central issue... Moostache Jul 8 #1
It's precisely the issue. Democrats see that Netanyahu is just a symptom. AloeVera Jul 8 #2

Moostache

(10,701 posts)
1. Support for Israel? No, I don't believe THAT is the central issue...
Tue Jul 8, 2025, 11:51 AM
Jul 8

Support for Netanyahu and his ghoulish behavior, demeanor and actions? I am very sure that he and his act are far more off-putting to he general public and their answers on Israel.

I'd really try to separate them before I made any definitive assignations of support or lack thereof...

Bibi should have paid closer attention - EVERYTHING Trump touches DIES. There are NO exceptions to this rule. He is the most virulent pathogen in human history - worse than Ebola, Cholera, Infuenze, HIV, COVID-19; worse than stage 4 pancreatic cancer, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Small Pox and Tuberculosis. Combined.

AloeVera

(3,290 posts)
2. It's precisely the issue. Democrats see that Netanyahu is just a symptom.
Tue Jul 8, 2025, 12:49 PM
Jul 8

The problem lies with the actions, goals and values of the state of Israel. Israelis keep electing Netanyahu because more and more he represents them. You can't ignore the deeply right-wing shift in Israeli society and the consequent explosion of settlements, confiscations and violence towards Palestinians. Israel has become far bolder in carrying out its long-term goals of annexation and expansion of its territory at the expense of Palestinians. Denying people their human rights and self-determination are not democratic principles. That has resulted in a sea-change of sympathies from Israel (+13 points in 2017) to Palestinians (+43 points today). A 56 point swing is massive.

Lest you conclude all this is due to the Gaza War and Trump's evilness, it's not.

Even in 2023, per Gallup, 49% of Democrats sympathized more with Palestinians, while 38% favoured Israel.

Democrats are no longer a pro-Israel party because the state of Israel itself doesn't uphold the values democrats and liberals stand for. It was just a matter of time before the majority of Democrats came to that conclusion. Israel gave them no other choice.

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