Elections

Hillary Advisers Wanted Her To Avoid Supporting Israel When Talking To Democrats

(FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP/Getty Images)

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Hillary Clinton’s advisers wanted her to avoid mentioning her support for Israel when talking to Democratic primary voters, leaked emails reveal.

When speaking to wealthy donors, however, Clinton appeared to have the green light to support Israel.

As Hillary’s inner circle was crafting her “home base” talking points, longtime aide Jake Sullivan noted that support for Israel was lacking, saying he “Would add a sentence on standing up for our allies and our values, including Israel and other fellow democracies, and confronting terrorists and dictators with strength and cunning.”

“I though this was largely for her TP with public events not fundraisers. Do we need Israel etc for that?” adviser Mandy Grunwald replied.

“We def need the etc. I think good to have Israel too” Sullivan shot back, prompting another adviser — Joel Benenson — to come out against supporting Israel. (RELATED: Democratic Congressman: Israeli Settlers Are ‘Termites’)

“Why would we call out Israel in public events now?” Benenson asked. The only voters elevating [foreign policy] at all are Republican primary voters.”

“To me we deal with this in stride when an if we are asked about [foreign policy]” he continued.

Two other Clinton team members — campaign chair John Podesta and speechwriter Dan Schwerin approved of the Israel-less talking points.

“I think it’s very nice,” Schwerin said about the talking points as a whole.

Podesta suggested a handful of corrections to the talking points, none of which had to do with Israel.

The caution among Clinton’s inner circle to display her support for Israel is indicative of a large divide among liberals. (RELATED: Sanders Supporters Burn American, Israeli Flags While Bill Clinton Speaks)

While Clinton and some establishment Democrats tend to support Israel, the younger, more radical wing of the party fervently does not.

The Democratic National Convention was marked with anti-Israel hostility, including left-wing protesters burning an Israeli flag outside of the convention, prompting the New York Post to publish an editorial titled, “Democrats have an ugly anti-Israel obsession.”

The Post noted that “there’s no mistaking the hostility to Israel both inside and outside the Wells Fargo Center in Philadephia.”

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