Pro-Israel Cruz opponent receives $200K from anti-Israel group.

Colin Allred, the Texas Democrat running to unseat Senator Ted Cruz, claims to be a “strong supporter of the State of Israel.” However, his campaign has taken nearly $200,000 in donations from J Street, an anti-Israel group that routinely criticizes Israel for defending itself against Palestinian terrorism.

J Street has established an Allred donation page on its website, which also serves as a forum for attacks on Cruz and his pro-Israel policies. The donations could hurt Allred’s chances of unseating Cruz, who has won praise in Texas for supporting Israel and fighting the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Questionable Record on Israel

Allred’s campaign disputes claims that he is not a “steadfast supporter of Israel.” However, while Allred has pushed to defund universities that back the BDS movement, he has twice voted against congressional measures urging the United States government to condemn Israel boycotts.

Allred also has pushed to restart U.S. aid to the Palestinians, even as the State Department admits that this money is used to pay imprisoned terrorists and incite violence against Jews. Additionally, he expressed support for a Muslim preacher who has described Israel as an “apartheid state.”

Concerns from the Pro-Israel Community

Allred’s record has come under scrutiny from the pro-Israel community, with some accusing him of being a “rubber stamp” for J Street’s anti-Israel positions. The Republican Jewish Coalition’s national political director, Sam Markstein, said, “Colin Allred is no moderate and would be just another Democrat rubber stamp for J Street’s anti-Israel positions.”

It remains to be seen whether Allred’s claims of being a “strong supporter of Israel” will hold up under scrutiny, especially given his campaign’s acceptance of significant donations from an anti-Israel group.