The troubling case of Amer Ghalib: Trump's Kuwait pick raises red flags - opinion

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By Steven Burg

Sometimes, the most revealing moments come not from what someone says but from what they refuse to say.

Last week, we witnessed such a moment when Amer Ghalib, President Donald Trump’s nominee for US ambassador to Kuwait, couldn’t bring himself to answer a simple question. Four times, Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) asked him: “Do you accept President Trump’s view that Israel is and should be the national home of the Jewish people?” Four times, Ghalib dodged the question.

A glaring double standard

As I watched this exchange, I couldn’t help but think about the glaring double standard at play. There are dozens of explicitly Muslim countries where Islam is woven into the very fabric of governance; there are many Christian states, and England has its established church. Yet somehow, when it comes to Israel, the world’s only Jewish state, affirming its Jewish character becomes impossible for Mr. Ghalib.

Let’s call this what it is: hypocrisy of the highest order.

When Muslim states center their identity in Islam, it’s respected as cultural heritage. When Christian countries maintain church involvement in state affairs, it’s tradition. But Israel’s Jewish identity? That’s portrayed as problematic, discriminatory, or worse.

Amer Ghalib, the mayor of Hamtramck, arrives to the rally where Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump is expected to hold a campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, US, November 4, 2024. (credit: CARLOS OSORIO/REUTERS)

A potential US ambassador who can’t acknowledge Israel as the Jewish homeland reveals a troubling mindset incompatible with representing American interests in the Middle East.

Several red flags

This refusal is just one red flag among many when it comes to Ghalib. He has reportedly denied Hamas’s sexual violence during the October 7 attacks, describing these documented atrocities as “a campaign of lies and deception.” This alone should disqualify him.

Then there’s the bizarre spectacle of a nominee for Kuwait ambassador praising Saddam Hussein, who invaded Kuwait, as a “martyr.” When confronted, Ghalib claimed it was said “in a moment of anger” and that Hussein’s “only positive thing” was keeping Iran in check. Imagine explaining that reasoning to Kuwaitis who lived through the invasion.

Ghalib’s record includes referring to the Muslim Brotherhood as “an inspiration” and reportedly expressing support for Houthi attacks on commercial shipping. He has defended “liking” social media posts comparing Jews to monkeys as a “bad habit” of acknowledging all comments. And as mayor of Hamtramck, he presided over the city becoming the first in America to adopt Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions policies targeting Israel.

What’s particularly striking is how this nomination has united senators across the political spectrum in opposition. Ted Cruz, one of President Trump’s strongest supporters, bluntly stated that Ghalib’s “long-standing position is directly contrary to that of the president” and that he would not support the nomination.

Transcending politics

I understand the political calculus here. Ghalib’s endorsement of President Trump helped secure critical support in Michigan’s Arab-American communities during the election. Politics is politics. Yet diplomatic appointments must transcend campaign considerations.

America’s ambassadors represent our values abroad. They embody our commitments to our allies and our stance against extremism. They speak for all Americans, not just particular constituencies.

The Senate should reject this nomination, and President Trump should select someone who can credibly represent the United States in Kuwait: someone who can acknowledge Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, who unequivocally condemns terrorism, and who hasn’t praised the dictator who once invaded the country where he seeks to serve.

I’ve spent my career fighting against double standards applied to Israel and the Jewish people. The idea that Israel’s Jewish character is uniquely problematic while religious identity is accepted elsewhere is wrong and dangerous. It undermines the fundamental legitimacy of the Jewish state and gives cover to those who seek to isolate Israel.

America deserves better than an ambassador who embodies this double standard. Kuwait deserves better. And yes, President Trump deserves better representation abroad than Mr. Ghalib would provide.

The question isn’t complicated: If dozens of Muslim states are acceptable, if Christian state churches are traditional, then why is one Jewish state too many for Mr. Ghalib to acknowledge? His dodging and silence speak volumes.

The writer is CEO of Aish, a global Jewish educational institute and movement. He also serves on the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency and is a former eastern director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, where he oversaw the Museum of Tolerance in New York City and contributed to the center’s fight against antisemitism.

tjvnews.com

The troubling case of Amer Ghalib: Trump’s Kuwait pick raises red flags – opinion

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