New York – US casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson, a strong Israel supporter and backer of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, offered in 2013 to pay $1 billion for Iron Dome anti-missile batteries for Israel, Politico reported on Thursday.
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In a profile Politico wrote on US President Barack Obama’s chief of staff Denis McDonough, Nevada Senator Harry Reid, then the senate majority leader, called Obama shortly after Congress passed a funding bill for the Iron Dome and relayed Adelson’s offer – “so committed was he to safeguarding the Jewish state “ – to finance the batteries.
“Obama was thrown off his guard momentarily,” the story reported. “‘What?!’ he asked Reid. When the president regained his footing, he told the leader to thank Adelson but that he didn’t think private financing of munitions would set a good precedent.”
Adelson, who publishes the pro-Netanyahu Israel Hayom daily, reportedly spent $100 million in the 2012 US presidential campaign in a failed attempt to defeat Obama.
He is also a huge contributor to Israel and Jewish causes. According to an article last month in the Jewish Journal, Adelson is slated to announce the establishment of a foundation that will allocate $200 million annually, half to Israel and Jewish causes, and the other half to medical charities.
all at time when yeshivas are struggling this guy is wasting so much money on politics.
“Adelson, who publishes the pro-Netanyahu Israel Hayom daily, reportedly spent $100 million in the 2012 US presidential campaign in a failed attempt to defeat Obama.”
These Zionist Cutzpnaiks have no shame. But with all his wealth he couldn’t defeat Obama.
Comes to prove again and again that a President of this great country America is stronger and way more powerful than a billionaire and for sure more powerful than Azes Ponim Netanyahu who had the Chutzpah to come here and lecture America against a sitting president.But in the end,he failed miserably.
To #1 … You obviously have no compassion for anything to do with Israel or Jews. Adelson, according to you, is “wasting” money on politics when he is giving money to Israel and Jewish causes and medical charities.
An #2 commenter is simply a self hating hater of anything to do with Israel.
Think of all the wealthy Jews who give nothing to anything Jewish and here we have Adelson supporting our causes.
Mi Kimacha Yisroel. Putting safety first
I can’t begin to imagine the zchus of saving hundreds of lives. I sure will not criticize what someone does with his money. Like the recent TV commercail, maybe you would make a better rich person.
It is interesting to note how the frum velt has gone into hating anyone who is not frum. Adelson may not be shomrei mitzvos in the manner of the ultra frummies, but he is certainly a supporter of a free and peaceful Israel.
BTW, when did it become fashionable to slam other Jews who are not religious, especially if they are not reform rabbis who are anti-orthodox?
I don’t understand why Adelson didn’t make his contribution directly to the Israeli government rather than communicating his intention through the US Senate majority leader and the administration. Was that simply a matter of courtesy or is there some law limiting contributions over a certain amount to foreign governments without authorization from the US?