Who is Ilan Goldenberg and Why Was He Appointed as Kamala Harris’ Liaison to the Jewish Community?

Edited by: TJVNews.com

In a strategic move designed to address concerns over her stance on Israel, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has appointed Ilan Goldenberg as her campaign’s liaison to the Jewish community. According to a report in The Washington Free Beacon, this decision comes at a critical time, as Harris faces mounting pressure to clarify her position on U.S.-Israel relations, particularly in light of ongoing tensions in the Middle East and the recent conflict in Gaza.

Ilan Goldenberg is a seasoned foreign policy expert with extensive experience in Middle Eastern affairs. Prior to this role, Goldenberg served as an adviser to Harris on Middle East policy, a position in which he played a significant role in shaping her views on the region. The WFB also reported that his new role as the Jewish community liaison is a continuation of his involvement with Harris’s campaign, but it also signals a broader strategy to engage with and address the concerns of Jewish voters.

This is YET ANOTHER disturbing signal from Kamala.
90% of American Jews stand with Israel.
She appointed Ilan Goldenberg, who is situated firmly among the 10% minority, to serve as her liaison to the Jewish community. https://t.co/17ibEtHKoZ

— Caroline Glick (@CarolineGlick) August 12, 2024

Goldenberg’s background is marked by his association with progressive circles within the Democratic Party. He has a long history of involvement with J Street, an advocacy group that is highly critical of the Israeli government’s policies. J Street has positioned itself as a voice for those who support a two-state solution and advocate for Israel’s enemies.  Indicated in the WFB report was that Goldenberg’s ties to J Street, coupled with his work as a foreign policy adviser to Senator Elizabeth Warren during her 2020 presidential bid, have solidified his reputation as a staunch and vocal critic of the current Israeli government’s policies and the GOP’s approach to U.S.-Israel relations.

Goldenberg’s appointment is seen by many as a calculated move to mollify critics who view Harris as hostile to Israel. His role will involve guiding the Harris campaign on a range of issues related to U.S.-Israel relations, the Gaza conflict, and broader Middle Eastern affairs. However, the WFB report suggested that the choice of Goldenberg, given his history of criticism toward Israeli policies, is likely to raise eyebrows among pro-Israel advocates.

During his time as Harris’s Middle East adviser, Goldenberg reportedly influenced several key decisions that have drawn attention. Harris has been notably vocal in her criticisms of Israel’s actions in Gaza, which she has described as contributing to a “humanitarian catastrophe.”As per the information in the WFB report, she has also been sympathetic to  pro-Hamas protesters in the United States, a stance that has fueled debate within the Jewish community about her true position on Israel.

Harris’s decision not to attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent address to Congress and her comments in support of campus activists who have expressed anti-Israel and, at times, anti-Semitic sentiments have added to the concerns. Noted in the WFB report was that in a July interview with ”The Nation” Harris remarked that these activists were “showing exactly what the human emotion should be, as a response to Gaza,” a statement that further intensified the controversy.

Ladies and gentlemen, Ilan Goldenberg is the Kamala Harris campaign’s new liaison to the US Jewish community.

The Islamic Republic dictatorship in Iran cannot be more pleased with the Kamala Harris administration and its foreign policy advisers. pic.twitter.com/3V4l8mL1wl

— SeKooh (@3KooH) August 12, 2024

As was observed in the WFB report was that Goldenberg’s previous statements, particularly his criticism of President Joe Biden’s pro-Israel stance as “old school” and his advocacy for publicly pressuring Israel to agree to ceasefires, suggest that his appointment might also alienate those who favor a more traditional U.S. approach to supporting Israel.

Elizabeth Warren’s 2020 presidential campaign was marked by a bold and controversial approach to U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, much of which was shaped by her senior adviser, Ilan Goldenberg. As the campaign’s key figure on Middle Eastern affairs, Goldenberg played a crucial role in crafting Warren’s stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, U.S.-Israel relations, and broader regional dynamics, the report in the WFB said.

Throughout her campaign, Elizabeth Warren articulated a vision for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that diverged significantly from the more traditional stances held by previous Democratic candidates. The WFB report pointed out that with Goldenberg by her side, Warren called for an end to what she described as Israel’s “occupation” of Palestinian territories and advocated for the creation of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, living alongside Israel.

Every. Single. Time.
“Ilan Goldenberg, who until April worked for Vice President Kamala Harris … also plays a very enthusiastic role”

Tomorrow, 9th of Av, Jews will mourn their loss of sovereignty caused by people like @ilangoldenberg 2000+ years agohttps://t.co/dpq8vM8WrL

— Margalit Gur-Arie 🇺🇸🕊 (@margalitgurarie) August 12, 2024

Warren’s rhetoric emphasized the need for the United States to act as a neutral mediator rather than an unequivocal ally of Israel. She famously skipped the 2019 American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference, a decision that sent shockwaves through the pro-Israel community. As per the information in the WFB report, Warren justified her decision by asserting that the U.S. could not be an effective ally to both Israel and the Palestinians if it continued to support only one side unconditionally. “For America to be a good ally of Israel and of the Palestinians,” Warren stated, “we need to encourage both parties to get to the negotiating table. And we’re not doing that if we keep standing with one party and saying, ‘We’re on your side.’”

Goldenberg was also a prominent critic of the Trump administration’s Middle East policies, which he viewed as destabilizing and counterproductive. As was reported by the WFB, one of the most significant points of contention was President Trump’s decision to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move that upended decades of American foreign policy.

In a piece for Politico magazine, Goldenberg outlined his concerns about the embassy move. According to the WFB report, he argued that such a decision should only be made in conjunction with a formal U.S. recognition of a Palestinian state, which would demonstrate a commitment to a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Without this, he warned, the embassy relocation could “upend 50 years of American policy, which has held that the issue of Jerusalem can be negotiated only between Israelis and Palestinians.” Noted in the report was that Goldenberg also predicted, albeit incorrectly, that the move could spark violence targeted at American diplomatic facilities across the Middle East.

🚨BREAKING: HARRIS SELECTS FAR-LEFT PRO-KHAMENEI AGENT AS JEWISH OUTREACH DIRECTOR🚨

Ilan Goldenberg has a history of working with NIAC and other lobbies who advocate for the interests of the Islamic Republic. The Jewish community is the LAST thing he is concerned about. https://t.co/NorfZO9JC3 pic.twitter.com/GZ0TvRMKqw

— Shelley G (@ShelleyGldschmt) August 12, 2024

Goldenberg’s apprehension about the embassy move was rooted in a broader critique of Trump’s approach to the region, which he saw as overly simplistic and likely to exacerbate tensions. His concerns extended to Trump’s handling of the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Indicated in the WFB report was that Goldenberg was a staunch defender of the accord, which had been negotiated by the Obama administration with the goal of curbing Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

When Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018, Goldenberg was quick to denounce the move as a grave mistake. He warned that abandoning the deal would effectively invite conflict with Iran, as it would free Tehran from its nuclear obligations under the agreement and make diplomatic resolution far more difficult, the WFB report said. Goldenberg argued that Trump’s alternative—a renewed sanctions regime—was weak and unlikely to pressure Iran back to the negotiating table. Instead, he feared it would lead to increased tensions and potentially military confrontation.

One of the most significant moments in Goldenberg’s career came in the waning days of the Obama administration, a period marked by heightened tensions between the United States and Israel. In December 2016, the Obama administration made a controversial decision to abstain from a United Nations Security Council vote condemning Israel’s settlement activity in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, as was mentioned in the WFB report.  This abstention allowed the resolution to pass, a move that was widely seen as a final rebuke of Israeli policies by the outgoing administration.

In the face of widespread criticism, including from a majority of congressional Democrats, Goldenberg defended the administration’s decision. According to the information in the WFB report, in a January 2017 op-ed for The National Interest, Goldenberg argued that the abstention was “necessary and appropriate,” framing it as a justified response to Israel’s continued settlement expansion, which he viewed as a significant obstacle to peace. It is noteworthy to mention that he praised his former boss, then-President Obama, for making the “right call” in allowing the international community to formally rebuke Israel.

Ilan Goldenberg is Kamala’s new liaison to the Jewish community

in this 2021 interview he explains why Biden only pretended to support Israel against Hamas to get leverage to force it to stop https://t.co/Dt2vgNKYRP

— Daniel Greenfield – “Hang Together or Separately” (@Sultanknish) August 12, 2024

Goldenberg’s defense of the Obama administration’s decision put him at odds with many in his party. The abstention had sparked a bipartisan backlash in Congress, leading to a resolution that repudiated the administration’s actions, supported by 109 Democrats, the report in the WFB noted. Despite the political fallout, Goldenberg maintained that the U.S. needed to hold Israel accountable for its settlement activities, arguing that shielding Israel from international criticism only served to perpetuate the conflict.

Goldenberg’s views on Israeli settlements have remained consistent throughout his career. In a 2020 policy paper, he expanded on his earlier positions, calling for the United States to take a more assertive stance against Israel’s settlement activity. As detailed in the WFB report was that he argued that the U.S. should not only stop shielding Israel from international consequences but also actively work to reverse these activities. This would involve a shift in U.S. policy, moving away from unconditional support for Israel’s actions in Judea and Samaria and toward a more balanced approach that recognizes the rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people.

Goldenberg’s advocacy for these positions has been met with mixed reactions. Supporters praise his commitment to a two-state solution and his willingness to challenge the status quo in U.S.-Israel relations. Critics, however, view his stance as undermining Israel’s security and emboldening its adversaries, particularly in a region fraught with instability and conflict, as was noted in the WFB report.

Goldenberg is not alone in his views within the Harris campaign. He joins a team of advisers who have similarly advocated for a reassessment of U.S. policy in the Middle East, particularly regarding Israel, the WFB report revealed.  Among them is Phil Gordon, Harris’s national security adviser, who has also faced scrutiny for his views on Israel and his alleged ties to an Iranian government influence network, as reported by the Washington Free Beacon. Gordon, like Goldenberg, has been a vocal critic of Israeli policies and an advocate for strengthening diplomatic relations with Iran, a stance that has drawn the attention of congressional investigators.

As the 2024 presidential campaign progresses, Goldenberg’s influence on Harris’s foreign policy will likely remain a focal point of debate, with significant implications for the future of U.S.-Israel relations and the broader Middle East. Whether this approach will ultimately lead to a more peaceful and stable region or exacerbate existing tensions remains to be seen.

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