Trump Backs Israel's Position: No Antisemitism or Anti-Israelism Here

Nadene Goldfoot                                      

Steve Bannon, head of Beitbart News, has just been selected to be Donald Trump's Chief Strategist.  He has been working with Trump and Reince Priebus already.  Priebus has been asked to be Trump's Chief of Staff.   They have been working along with Trump's son in law, who is Jewish.  There should be no problem with any anti-Semitism coming from Bannon,  Yet this is the buzz going around because he came from a right-winged newspaper or that he and Trump have rightist views compared to many on the left.  Religious Christian  people on the right seem to be more religious anyway, than people on the left these days and more inclined to back Israel's position as a democratic state with rights, same as the USA,   The Democratic platform under Obama had dropped backing Israel, which they had in the charter previously.  The right does back Israel. 

" He is the executive chairman of Breitbart News, a politically conservative American news, opinion and commentary website noted for its connection to the alt-right."

Bannon has an interesting background.  "He was born on November 27, 1953 in Norfolk, Virginia. He graduated from Virginia Tech in 1976 and holds a master's degree in National Security Studies from Georgetown University. In 1983, Bannon received an M.B.A. degree with honors from Harvard Business School.

Bannon was an officer in the United States Navy, serving on the USS Paul F. Foster (DD-964) as a Surface Warfare Officer in the Pacific Fleet and stateside as a special assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations at the Pentagon.

After his military service, Bannon worked at Goldman Sachs as an investment banker in the Mergers & Acquisitions Department.  In 1990, Bannon and several colleagues from Goldman Sachs launched Bannon & Co., a boutique investment bank specializing in media. Through Bannon & Co., Bannon negotiated the sale of Castle Rock Entertainment to Ted Turner. As payment, Bannon & Co. accepted a stake in five television shows, including Seinfeld. Société Générale purchased Bannon & Co. in 1998.

Anti-Semitism accusations about Bannon first came from his 2nd wife,  when they were going through divorce proceedings.  "Bannon married Mary Louise Piccard, his second wife, in April 1995. Their twin daughters were born three days later. Bannon was charged with misdemeanor domestic violence, battery and dissuading a witness in early January 1996, after Piccard accused Bannon of domestic abuse. The charges were later dropped when his now ex-wife did not show up to court. Piccard also claimed that Bannon had made antisemitic remarks, a claim Bannon's spokesperson has denied.  Bannon's association with the alt-right movement along with his alleged anti-Semitic remarks have contributed to accusations of white nationalism from the Southern Poverty Law Center and other advocacy groups, commentators, and Senator Harry Reid."

This looks to me like the New York Times was out to put an end to this new competition from Breitbart News who was promoting the right's outlook.  

"Conceived by Andrew Breitbart during a visit to Israel in summer 2007, with the aim of founding a site "that would be unapologetically pro-freedom and pro-Israel", Breitbart is aligned with the alt-right and Bannon declared the site "the platform for the alt-right" in 2016. The New York Times describes Breitbart News as a "curiosity of the fringe right wing", with "ideologically driven journalists", that is a source of controversy "over material that has been called misogynist, xenophobic and racist", and is now a "potent voice" for Donald Trump's presidential campaign. 

 It has been described by the Anti-Defamation League as "the premier website of the all-right" representing "white nationalists and unabashed anti-Semites and racists.

 I back Israel and am a member of AIPAC.  George Soros, creator of JStreet, has developed a group of Jews who think they know better than Israel while they sit safely in their own living rooms in the USA, and do not back Israel's rights to make their own decisions.  They are on the left.  The shame of it is that so many rabbis belong to J Street.  I hope the Anti Defamation League wasn't swayed by JStreet opinions.  I think the truth here is the fight between left and right political opinions and less about anti-Semitism, something I'm very sensitive about.  .

Why have I heard from leftists that Beitbart is so bad?   "One night in Jerusalem, when we were getting ready for dinner, Andrew turned to me and asked if I would de-partner from the 800-person law firm where I was practicing and become business partner with him.  He said he needed my help to create a media company.  He needed my help to "change the world"...

We were blown away by the spirit, tenacity, and resourcefulness of the Israeli people on that trip.  Andrew could be quite convincing, not to mention inspiring, and I decided right there and then to "throw away" (my Mom's phrase) a perfectly good, successful and safe career in order to start a "new media" company with Andrew Breitbart."

Was it because Breitbart was pro Israel?  The way they acted  about the news source was that they were anti-Semitic!   This was a description of Breitbart I found: “The racist, fascist extreme right is represented footsteps from the Oval Office,” tweeted John Weaver, a Republican political consultant who was John Kasich’s chief strategist. “Be very vigilant America.”                                                                        Andrew Breitbart was an American conservative publisher, commentator for The Washington Times, journalist, author, and television and radio personality on various news programs, who served as an editor for the Drudge Report website. Wikipedia Born: February 1, 1969, Los Angeles, CA, age 47 Died: March 1, 2012, Los Angeles, CA

He  died of heart failure. He was buried in the Jewish plot at the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery. His grave is marked with the inscription "Herein lies a giant." Spouse: Susannah Bean (m. 1997–2012) Education: Tulane University

Andrew would remain proudly Jewish, although not always religiously observant. He would sing Hebrew songs at work, while also teasing his Orthodox Jewish colleagues for keeping a kosher diet. Breitbart later said of his profession: “I’m glad I’ve become a journalist because I’d like to fight on behalf of the Israeli people... And the Israeli people, I adore and I love”Accusing Breitbart News for being anti-Semitic is surprising.  "Andrew Breitbart was born in Los Angeles, California, on February 1, 1969.  He was the adopted son of Gerald and Arlene Breitbart, a restaurant owner and banker respectively, and grew up in the affluent suburb of Brentwood, Los Angeles. He was raised Jewish; his adoptive mother had converted to Judaism when marrying his adoptive father.  He attended Hebrew school and had a bar mitzvah. He said that his birth certificate indicated his biological father was a folk singer.

Update 8/21/17:  http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/234238?utm_source=activetrail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nl

Bannon: Mahmoud Abbas is a terrorist, I'd never meet with him

Ousted WH strategist Steve Bannon reportedly lobbied hard for Jerusalem embassy move, tougher line against PA - but was opposed by Kushner.

Resource:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breitbart_News
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Bannon
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/14/steve-bannon-who-is-the-donald-trumps-chief-strategist-and-why-i/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Breitbart
Update: 11/24/16 10:17am http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Netanyahu-Israeli-technology-and-anti-terror-capabilities-can-bring-peace-473427