Even though not a single speaker passed the “Praise Israel Watch” challenge, the group still plans to donate 1,189 trees in Israel in memory of the 1,189 victims killed on Oct. 7.
The Republican Jewish Coalition said speakers at the Democratic National Convention, held this past week in Chicago, had failed to support and celebrate Israel.
CEO Matt Brooks described the RJC’s “Praise Israel Watch,” which had urged anyone addressing audiences to advocate for Israel in exchange for the planting of 1,800 trees in their name, in a statement on Friday, the day after the convention’s conclusion.
According to the group, no one succeeded.
“Unfortunately, the Democrats acted as if Israel didn’t exist, which is exactly what their pro-Palestinian base wanted,” Brooks said. “Of the 155 Democratic Convention speakers, not a single one, including Kamala Harris, praised Israel from the main stage as the Jewish state fights for its very survival.”
He called the brief mention of Israel and her pledge to uphold its security following the Hamas terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, which has led to 11 months of war in the Gaza Strip and with Iran’s other terror proxies, in her speech on Thursday night “the bare minimum.”
He noted that “she never praised Israel. Instead, she implicitly criticized Israel for the suffering Hamas has caused in Gaza.” He characterized calls by the current vice president and 2024 Democratic presidential candidate for a ceasefire in Gaza as meaning that Hamas would survive, saying “that’s unacceptable.”
Even though no DNC speaker passed the group’s challenge, Brooks announced that the RJC “will still donate to plant 1,189 trees in Israel in memory of the 1,189 victims killed on Oct. 7.”
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