Doug Mastriano’s wife: ‘We probably love Israel more than a lot of Jews do’

Rebecca Mastriano responds to questions about husband's support of antisemitic site with remarks mirroring Trump claims that American Jews owe Israel their support, and that Republicans care more about Israel than liberals do
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Asked about his association with a social network that is a haven for antisemitism and for the criticism of his rival’s Jewish day school, the Republican candidate for governor in Pennsylvania briefly had no words.
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    • His wife did. “I would like to make a comment on that real quick,” said Rebecca Mastriano, to applause from supporters in the room. “As a family, we so much love Israel. In fact, I’m going to say we probably love Israel more than a lot of Jews do.”
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    Doug Mastriano and his wife Rebecca Mastriano address the media during a rally in Manheim     Doug Mastriano and his wife Rebecca Mastriano address the media during a rally in Manheim
    Doug Mastriano and his wife Rebecca Mastriano address the media during a rally in Manheim
    (Photo: JTA)
    The exchange, during a press question and answer session at a Doug Mastriano campaign stop on Saturday, offered perhaps the clearest encapsulation yet of a dynamic that has been dominant in the matchup between Mastriano and Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish and favored to win.
    Mastriano, who is backed by Donald Trump and espouses beliefs that some have characterized as Christian nationalism, has attracted many far-right supporters, among them Andrew Torba, the founder of Gab, a social network that is rife with antisemitism and was frequented by the Tree of Life synagogue shooter.
    Rebecca Mastriano’s comment mirrors the sentiment that Trump has expressed in statements about Jews and Israel in 2019 and again earlier this month — that American Jews owe Israel their support, and that Republicans care more about Israel than liberals do — which have earned rebuke outside the Republican party as a perpetuation of an antisemitic dual loyalty trope.
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    דאג מסטריאנו, מתמודד לתפקיד מושל פנסילבניה    דאג מסטריאנו, מתמודד לתפקיד מושל פנסילבניה
    Doug Mastriano with former U.S. President Donald Trump
    (Photo: AFP)
    One of Mastriano’s top advisers, Jenna Ellis — who formerly worked as a lawyer for Trump, promoting the lie that the former president won the 2020 election — was criticized for saying Shapiro is “at best a secular Jew.” Shapiro, who keeps kosher and has referenced Shabbat in campaign ads, has accused Mastriano of courting “white supremacists and racists and antisemites.”
    The question to Mastriano on Saturday came from Nathan Guttman, a journalist who was reporting for the Israeli broadcaster KAN.
    The latest polls show that Shapiro has widened his lead in the race’s final months; one poll has him up by over 20 points.

    Content distributed by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency news service.
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    3.
    Sadly - her statements are not false!
    I am sure that when a non-jew makes the statement it hurts, but one would have to be blind to the Israel Hate coming from some Jews, and not just the Neturi Karta. We have Jewish members in the BDS movement, we have plenty of DNC member Jews willingly turning a blind eye to straight up antisemitic statement from other Democrats, and we have Jews like Shapiro, who know very well that Mastriano's complaint about the school Shapiro gets to send his kids to has nothing to do with it being a Jewish Day school, and everything to do with Shapiro opposing School vouchers while he allows his privileged self to send his kids to private school. It is absolutely fair to call out hypocritical behavior. Poor Pennsylvanians need to be satisfied with the disaster we call public education, but the elite like Shapiro can use private schools, but why waste an opportunity to pretend this was an attack on Jews. Of course, every time people falsely use the "Antisemitic" card against someone, they take away from the very real and dangerous antisemitism that is truly out there.
    Ben| 11.01.22
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    2.
    No more than the Lapids
    Lihi Lapid said she isn't secretly Christian but she didn't say she is a messianic Jew. She Thinks Yeshu is her Saviour 😆
    Yossi| 11.01.22
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    1.
    They also love to make Jews convert to Jesus!
    This is the ultimate secret behind their love for Israel
    Kim| 11.01.22
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