Hillary Clinton and President Obama. (Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)
Politico reports: “Hillary Clinton is privately signaling to wealthy Jewish donors that — no matter the result of the Iranian nuclear negotiations — she will be a better friend to Israel than President Barack Obama. But, even as donors increasingly push Clinton on the subject in private, they have emerged with sometimes widely varying interpretations about whether she would support a prospective deal, according to interviews with more than 10 influential donors and fundraising operatives.” It is amusing that the general assumption in private among Democrats is that Obama has been very bad for Israel (not that it changes liberal Jews’ voting patterns).
It’s also typical Clinton. She speaks in word clouds, never defining her views with precision and letting everyone take what they want from her verbal froth. She is not about to cross Obama, not with left-wing doves pecking at her heels in the Democratic primary. And yet, the imminent Iran deal is likely to be so obviously awful that she risks doing damage to her general-election prospects. Moreover, there is the matter of her own dismal record.
In fact, she is no better friend to Israel than Obama, as we have seen over the past seven years. Rather than be brushed off by platitudes and doubletalk, pro-Israel Democrats should demand answers to specific questions — lots of them:
Was it a mistake to elevate the issue of settlements so publicly and forcefully?
Do you regret condemning the permitting of housing in Jerusalem neighborhoods?
Why did you never publicly condemn Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for failure to hold democratic elections? For rampant corruption in the Palestinian Authority?
Why did you not give Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu credit for the 10-month housing freeze or hold the Palestinians accountable when they refused to stay at the bargaining table?
Was it a mistake to oppose congressional sanctions against Iran?
Is peace possible so long as the Palestinians refuse to give up the right of return? Is it a mistake then to blame Israel for a failure in the peace process?
If someone in your administration referred to the Israeli prime minister as “chickens—,” would you find out who that person is and fire him?
The prime minister explained his commitment to a two-state solution after the recent Israeli election and the administration refused to take him at his word. Was this fair?
Did this president violate the “no daylight” rule that has characterized U.S.-Israeli relations in administrations of both parties?
Did you counsel the president against the “1967 borders” speech? Why did you and the president use “1967 borders” rather than “1949 armistice lines“?
Was it right to spring the “1967 borders” speech on the prime minister at the last moment after promising nothing of consequence would be said?
Was Secretary of State John Kerry wrong to speculate that the United States could not shield Israel from boycotts if Israel did not make peace with the Palestinians?
Do you have objections to the anti-BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) language in the Trade Promotion Authority legislation? Has the administration suggested some type of BDS efforts are legitimate?
Is a deal that leaves Iran with 5,000 centrifuges a good deal?
Should we tolerate Iranian violation of its obligations under the Joint Plan of Action?
Would an Iran deal that limits anywhere/anytime inspections be a good deal?
Would a deal that allows Fordow to remain intact be a good deal?
Would a deal that does not fully disclose all possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear program be a good deal?
Would a deal that, in essence, gives Iran a signing bonus by releasing tens of billions up front be a good deal?
Should the administration have agreed to take intercontinental ballistic missiles and support for terrorism off the table?
Did the administration fail to check Iranian aggression in the region? Why?
Why are Sunni allies unnerved and publicly contemptuous of the Obama administration’s Middle East policy?
Do you consider J Street a pro-Israel organization? Would you or high-ranking officials speak to that group?
If Democrats who profess to care about Israel don’t ask those questions or don’t get satisfactory answers, they should not support Clinton. If they do, they can drop the pretense of being pro-Israel.


Jennifer Rubin writes the Right Turn blog for The Post, offering reported opinion from a conservative perspective.