AIPAC condemns Netanyahu's alliance with Otzma Yehudit

"AJC does not normally comment on political parties and candidates during elections," an AJC statement said. "But the views of Otzma Yehudit are reprehensible."

By ALON EINHORN
PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu waves at the crowd at the AIPAC Policy Conference in 2015 (photo credit: REUTERS)
PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu waves at the crowd at the AIPAC Policy Conference in 2015
(photo credit: REUTERS)
The American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) published a statement Friday in support of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), which condemned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's alliance with right-wing parties that united with Otzma Yehudit.
"AJC does not normally comment on political parties and candidates during elections," the AJC statement said. "But the views of Otzma Yehudit are reprehensible."
The statement further said that "it is up to Israel's Central Elections Commission to determine, as it has done in the past, whether Otzma Yehudit can be listed on the ballot on Election Day."
AIPAC, considered one of the most influential lobbies in the corridors of the American administration, said that "the committee has for many years been careful not to meet members of this racist and despicable party."
Jewish organizations in Britain also opposed Otzma Yehudit's intentions to run in the upcoming Knesset elections together with the Bayit Yehudi and the National Union. Paul Charney, chairman of the Jewish Federation, said that although he expected unusual political moves ahead of the elections, "such political deals do not last. Netanyahu must know that cooperation with the wrong people will be his downfall." Cherney added that "the World Zionist Organization believes that the Israeli public will make the right choices in the elections. Any other result will lead to new elections. "
Hannah Weisfeld, chairman of the British organization Yahad, which supports a political solution with the Palestinians, said that "the right-wing union represents values ​​that do not correspond to those who believe in democracy, justice and Jewish values."
Weisfeld said that "all of Israel's partners, including the British government and Jewish communities, must oppose the messianic, racist, and terror-supporting" Otzma Yehudit, "that mistakenly links its dangerous ideology to the Jewish tradition. Those who do not oppose them support racism, homophobia and anti-democratic values."