What do the Midterm Elections Say about the Jewish Vote?

Nov. 17 2014

In the recent elections, Democratic candidates garnered a somewhat smaller-than-usual percentage of Jewish votes. One interpretation of these results not only distorts them drastically but reflects an increasingly misguided mindset about the necessary affinity between Jews and liberalism. Seth Mandel writes:

Just as Darron Smith [in the Huffington Post] thinks blacks who don’t vote for Democrats are in some way voting against their “blackness,” and Ann Friedman [in New York Magazine] can write that Republican women aren’t “truly pro-woman,” the idea undergirding [Emma] Green’s conclusion [in the Atlantic] is that liberalism is political Judaism. That’s insulting to those who take their Jewish faith seriously, and . . . it’s also, crucially, wrong. There has been no major swing of the Jewish vote away from Democrats, and there likely won’t be. But incremental gains [of Jewish votes] by the GOP are not evidence of Jews being less Jewish; they’re exactly the opposite. . . . [Green’s] analysis is just one more example that modern liberalism requires its adherents to sacrifice all other aspects of their identity for The Cause.

Read more at Commentary

More about: American politics, Jewish vote, Liberalism

What’s Behind Hamas’s Threat to Stall the Release of Hostages, and How Israel Should Respond

Feb. 12 2025

Hamas declared yesterday that it won’t release more hostages “until further notice.” Given the timing and wording of the announcement—several days before the release was supposed to take place, and speaking of a delay rather than a halt—Ron Ben-Yishai concludes that it is a negotiating tactic, aimed at “creating a temporary crisis to gain leverage.” Therefore, writes Ben-Yishai, “Hamas may reverse its decision by Saturday.” He adds:

Israel cannot afford to concede to Hamas’s demands beyond what is already outlined in the agreement, as doing so would invite continuous extortion throughout the negotiation process, further delaying hostage releases.

The group sees the public outrage and growing calls for action following the release of hostages in severe medical condition as an opportunity to extract more concessions. These demands include not only a rapid start to negotiations on the next phase of the deal and an end to the war but also smaller, immediate benefits, particularly improved conditions for displaced Gazans.

Beyond these tactical objectives, Hamas has another goal—one that Israelis do not always recognize: inflicting psychological pain on the Israeli public. The group benefits from, and perhaps even draws strength from, the anguish and emotional distress in Israel, as well as the testimonies of freed hostages detailing the abuse they endured. Hamas wants these stories to be heard—not only to pressure the Israeli government but also because, in the eyes of its supporters, Israel’s suffering is its ultimate victory.

Read more at Ynet

More about: Gaza War 2023, Hamas, Israeli Security