The Israeli Member of Congress:

I had previously and partially written about this, but it merits its own post and an extension.

Members of Congress routinely make trips to Israel at the behest of the Israel lobby. The tiny nation is one of the most politically visited nations - a testament to the lobbying influence of the Israel lobby (AIPAC).

Of course, these trips are nothing more than propaganda events where Congresspersons and their staff are shuttled from the Western Wall to the “Security Wall” [where they are told how great it is] to a helicopter tour that ostensibly showcases Israel’s tiny border and why it needs to colonize more Palestinian land in order to have defensible borders. The suffering of the Palestinians: denial of water, checkpoints, land left, destroying of corps, home demolitions, abuse by occupying Israelis [soldiers and settlers] are out of sight and out of mind. A good deal of Congressional members may be able to see through the blatant propaganda, but toe the line anyway for fear of offending pro-Israel donors and losing reelection.

But while most members of Congress are just toeing the political line because of the power of the Israel lobby, there are some genuine believers. Not ever supporter of Israel is, of course, just a supporter because of the lobby. Some ferociously love Israel which is their main if not sole country of loyalty despite their American nationality and service in Congress.

Rep. Steve Israel of New York is one. And he recently demonstrated just how fanatical he is in supporting Israel:

Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y) says he wants the United States to reassess its relationship with Turkey, in the wake of that country’s recent harsh criticism of Israel over the Gaza war and other matters and its exclusion of Israel from a NATO military exercise.

“Turkey really worries me,” said Israel in an interview with JTA Tuesday after returning from a three-day trip to the Jewish state last week. “They’ve shown thoroughly irresponsible behavior.”

Israel said he would be sending a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton demanding a reassessment of the relationship in light of Turkey’s recent actions.

Think about their logic: Turkey may be a strategic ally and an energy corridor that boosts NATO’s second largest military [to the U.S.], but the U.S. should solely decide its relations with Turkey based on how Turkey treats a foreign nation. The United States should reevaluate relations not because Turkey has done anything to offend America, but because it hurts Israel’s feeling for having the temerity to criticize Israel’s 400-children-killing war in Gaza. Therefore, the U.S. should an Israel-litmus test when dealing with the rest of the world. This is exactly what President George Washington warned about:

A passionate attachment of one nation for another produces a variety of evils. Sympathy for the favorite nation, facilitating the illusion of an imaginary common interest in cases where no real common interest exists, and infusing into one the enmities of the other, betrays the former into a participation in the quarrels and wars of the latter without adequate inducement or justification.

Zionists would prefer to undermine U.S. relations with the entire world, undermining U.S. interests, solely due to their love for Israel. And if that leaves the U.S. nearly friendless: so be it? Ask yourself: whose interest are they looking out for here: the U.S. or Israel? Is this patriotic?

And then they have the temerity to attack anyone who states or suggests they have “dual” loyalty. No it is not true they have dual loyalty. Their only loyalty is to Israel, they have no concern for their own country, and the U.S. should be dragged down with it.

The lobby did not make him say this. Steve Israel just drinks that much Zion Cool-Aid. This guy should be serving in the Knesset since he’s acting like a surrogate of militant Israeli interests instead of approaching such important question with American interest, first and foremost, at heart. Is that too much to ask of members of the U.S. Congress?