In welcome news to the Jewish community and supporters of Israel around the world, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker agreed to join Senator Bob Mendendez in support of the Taylor Force Act, which would prevent US aid from going to the Palestinian Authority (PA) as long as it continues giving financial stipends to the families of terrorists who injure or murder Jews and Americans. The bill passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in August and has been attached to the FY18 Foreign Operations bill to ensure its swift passage in the full Senate as early as December.
The legislation is named in honor of Taylor Force, a Vanderbilt University student and US military veteran who was brutally slaughtered by a Palestinian terrorist in Tel Aviv in March 2016. During the Committee vote, despite Senator Menendez’s urging and the Vaad’s plea, Senator Booker did not support the legislation. However, following the addition of an amendment that safeguarded direct funding for Palestinian humanitarian causes unrelated to the PA (such as hospitals), Senator Booker has now joined in support.
Rabbi Aaron Kotler of The Lakewood Vaad relates his appreciation at hearing that Senator Booker will support the bill. He recounts the personal efforts he and other Vaad members made to secure Senator Booker’s support. “In addition to being morally abhorrent, these stipends are a major motivator for Palestinian people to commit murder,” says Rabbi Kotler. “We thank Senator Booker for his open thinking on this issue; and look forward to working with him to protect Israel and Western interests around the globe.”
I’m glad Cory finally came on board and voted for this bill. However, I’m upset that it took Congress so long to get moving on this issue. Where was Congress when American Jews were killed by terrorists? Not to take anything away from the tragedy of Taylor’s death, but did his life mean more to Congress than dozens of Jewish lives? I wonder.
Nothing to laud here. He is a Muslim Leaving liberal
I smell a 2020 run coming. Lost all respect for booker due to his vote on the obamas iran deal. I thought he had a higher moral standard. But proved to be no different than the rest of the swamp. It was a shame cuz this man had a real future. Just an old dirty politician playing his cards right.