Image Credit: Twitter Screenshot 
As Putin geared up to take Ukraine, Democrat and Republican congress members were busy partying in Israel on an all-expenses-paid AIPAC-affiliated junket to affirm their “unwavering support” for America’s “great ally” — even though Israeli officials have made it abundantly clear they will not be participating in any war over Ukraine, lest it jeopardize Israel’s close relationship with Russia.
Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, and it always will be.
I’m here this week, leading dozens of House Republicans on a trip to reaffirm America’s unwavering support for Israel.
pic.twitter.com/DNkrKwuV2X
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) February 21, 2022
I had a warm meeting in Jerusalem this evening with @LeaderHoyer & his delegation of @HouseDemocrats.
I thanked them for their friendship and for working to strengthen the U.S.-Israel alliance.
pic.twitter.com/WfgBSl0prv
— Naftali Bennett בנט (@naftalibennett) February 22, 2022
I had an excellent meeting today with the @HouseGOP delegation led by @GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy in our ancient capital of Jerusalem.
Together, we can further strengthen the U.S.-Israel alliance.
— Naftali Bennett בנט (@naftalibennett) February 21, 2022
Today on AIEF missions, @HouseDemocrats and @HouseGOP met with Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs @yairlapid in Jerusalem.
— AIPAC (@AIPAC) February 21, 2022
Members of Congress from @HouseGOP and @HouseDemocrats joined together today with @AmbDaniDayan at @yadvashem.
— AIPAC (@AIPAC) February 22, 2022
My return to
— Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (@RepDWStweets) February 21, 2022
Today I had the honor of meeting Democratic and Republican members of Congress at the Knesset in Jerusalem.
I thanked them for their bipartisan support for Israel and told them what I thought about the dangerous Iran deal. pic.twitter.com/ujUmzplgMt
— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) February 21, 2022
Thank you @SpeakerPelosi for continuing in the legacy of your late father, Thomas D’Alesandro Jr., and being an outspoken friend of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. pic.twitter.com/0snfOZaJ66
— Naftali Bennett בנט (@naftalibennett) February 17, 2022
Twenty-seven Republicans and 14 Democrats along with many of their spouses and Kevin McCarthy’s mother took part in the junket this week, according to reports from the Times of Israel and Jewish Insider.
Owen explains why the left can’t stop being racist.
Thirteen Democrats (including Adam Schiff) also went to Israel last week on a junket with Nancy Pelosi.
Florida Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch “double-dipped,” attending “Nancy Pelosi’s trip last week and the AIPAC one” this week, Mondoweiss reported.
Naftali Bennett reportedly pressured “our” congress members to get tougher on Iran.
Nancy Pelosi told pro-Israel billionaire and top Democratic donor Haim Saban at the 2018 Israeli American Council National Conference that if America’s “Capitol crumbled to the ground, the one thing that would remain would be our commitment to our aid” to Israel.
Does this quote from Pelosi sound like a declaration of “allegiance” to you? pic.twitter.com/UGF3FZk2eO
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) March 5, 2019
In contrast, Israel is refusing to get involved with Ukraine despite pressure from the US to help out (Israel also refused to send a single troop to take part in the US war in Iraq despite Netanyahu lobbying for it before Congress).
Ukraine officially asked the Biden admin last spring to be transferred Iron Dome missiles to Ukraine – something that Democratic and Republican lawmakers supporters. But Israel vetoed the transfer, fearing that it would damage its relationship with Russia.https://t.co/5pAQ5dBWKr
— Alexander Lanoszka (@ALanoszka) February 16, 2022
israel is blocking us transfer of iron dome missile defense system to ukraine (has to be approved by both countries) because they don’t want to antagonize russia.
one of closest us allies…least aligned with americans on a core national security issue.
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) February 16, 2022
Israeli officials had to have their arms twisted into even stating they’d side with the US over Russia in the event of a larger conflict.
As the Middle East Eye reported on Monday:
Knesset foreign affairs and defence committee chairman Ram Ben-Barak told the 103 FM radio station that if the US were to place sanctions on Russia, it would put Israel in a “difficult situation”.
However, ultimately, “if we ever have to choose a side, we will choose the US side”, he added, as quoted by Haaretz.
Israeli Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli also told 103 FM on Monday that “there is no question that the special relationship that Israel has with the United States, that this government is working to rehabilitate and rebuild, is not the same relationship that Israel has with Russia”.
“Our heart is in the direction of the United States,” Diaspora Affairs Minister Nachman Shai told Channel 12, adding that Israel was working hard not to “take a clear public position, with the great hope that this crisis will end without fire, without casualties and without a military confrontation”.
[…] Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid offered a more nuanced response to the tensions surrounding Ukraine, saying that Israel needs to be cautious in its approach.
“Traditionally, of course, we go with the Americans,” Lapid told Israel’s Channel 12 on Sunday, but noted that there are also large Jewish communities in Russia and Ukraine. He added that “our border with Syria is, for all intents and purposes, a border with Russia.”
For over six years, Israel has coordinated its air force activity over Syria with Russia, allowing Israel to target Iranian forces stationed in Syria while Moscow controls the airspace.
In an interview with The Jerusalem Post, Lapid said he has to be “more careful than any other foreign minister in the world”.
“I think there is an understanding of this,” he said. “This is where the special relationship [with the US] comes into play. They understand this because they understand us. We have a mutual vocabulary, a language that we share.”
This is our “greatest ally”?