

Steve Rothman

The battle between sitting Democratic congressmen Steve Rothman and Bill Pascrell for the redrawn 9th District in New Jersey has become a battle royal for the Israel lobby. A Passaic, N.J. newspaper reported last week that leaders of Orthodox Jewish synagogues in the city “are urging their congregants to switch parties from Republican to Democrat so they can vote for Rep. Steve Rothman in the June 5 primary” — because Rothman is stronger on Israel.

The letter led Aref Assaf, president of American Arab Forum, to write in the New Jersey Star-Ledger’s site:

As total and blind support for Israel becomes the only reason for choosing Rothman, voters who do not view the elections in this prism will need to take notice. Loyalty to a foreign flag is not loyalty to America’s.

Adam Kredo reported the charge first, and he jumps in: