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The Michigan primary farce

Arab Americans can vote their anger all they want, but the American people still overwhelmingly support Israel.

Protesters with Palestinian flags on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Oct. 15, 2023. Credit: Catherine D. Miller/Shutterstock.
Protesters with Palestinian flags on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Oct. 15, 2023. Credit: Catherine D. Miller/Shutterstock.
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Joseph Frager
Dr. Joseph Frager is a lifelong activist and physician. He is chairman of Israel advocacy for the Rabbinical Alliance of America, chairman of the executive committee of American Friends of Ateret Cohanim and executive vice president of the Israel Heritage Foundation.

In a Gallup poll published on Jan. 5, 80% percent of respondents said the U.S. is doing the “right amount” or “not enough” to support Israel in its war against Hamas. Both 40% of Democrats and 40% of Republicans said that America was “not doing enough.” A record-high number said that support for Israel is “lacking.”

Nonetheless, the media is trying to convince us that Michigan somehow runs America. After the Feb. 27 Michigan primary, the media decided that because 101,000 Arab Americans voted “uncommitted” rather than for President Joe Biden, America hates Israel as much as those voters. Perhaps we should remind the pundits that there are over 331 million Americans.

Michigan is indeed an important swing state. But according to polls taken before the primary, former President Donald Trump leads Biden by 2% in the state. This has nothing to do with a small group of “uncommitted” protest voters. It is driven by much larger political and economic factors.

The truth is that the “uncommitted” vote was just a threat and an expression of bitter anti-Israel hate.

Trump was the first Republican to win Michigan since 1988. With or without the “uncommitted” movement, he will likely win Michigan. Given that Americans in general overwhelmingly support Israel, trying to appease the Arab Americans of Michigan will only hurt Biden everywhere else. The “uncommitted” voters want to cut off their noses to spite their faces.

Israel must be allowed to win its war against Hamas. There is no such a thing as half a victory. Thankfully, the American people have not wavered in their support for Israel despite violent protests by Hamas supporters and the Michigan primary farce.

Americans know full well that if Hamas is not totally defeated, it will eventually try to repeat Oct. 7 not only in Israel but in America too. The U.S. has labeled Hamas a terrorist organization and terrorism must be uprooted wherever it might be. Americans overwhelmingly agree.

The opinions and facts presented in this article are those of the author, and neither JNS nor its partners assume any responsibility for them.
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