Barney Frank: “Let me say as a member myself of the American Jewish community, I understand there are people who may think that I am…”

“Let me say as a member myself of the American Jewish community, I understand there are people who may think that I am Jewish. I represent a significant number of Jewish people. I believe that people in the American Jewish community do understand that. Yes, those of us who are Jewish are emotionally attached to Israel. I was 5 years old when World War II ended, so I was not conscious myself of the Holocaust as it was happening; but obviously I was raised by parents who lived through it and uncles and aunts and others. And the horror of the Holocaust and then the shock of living through this and knowing what was happening to people just because they shared that with you, that is deeply searing. So we have this emotional commitment. Over and above that, I believe that the American Jewish community is proud of Israel, proud of its democracy, proud of its economic achievement. We are proud of the Israel that is, not of the Israel that becomes the tool of other people's domestic politics. So I really believe in speaking out this way I am speaking a position that I think is largely supported by Israel's truest defenders, both Jewish and non-Jewish. We are for an Israel that represents the best in the Jewish traditions as we see it. We support Israel as Americans which carries out those values that America expresses support for in the world and that has been cooperative.…”