“We are here to say that you can no longer simply count on our vote just because Jews traditionally have voted Democratic. We are here to say you must earn our vote. We want to continue to support Democratic candidates, but you need to know that if you abandon Israel in order to garner the support of anti-Israel extremists within the Democratic Party, it will be difficult for us to support Democrats who are on the ballot this November. Pro-Israel voters have alternatives to simply staying home. None of us can or will vote for any candidate who supports cutting military support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas. So please, do the right thing. Do not abandon Israel and its time of great need. And we will not abandon you.”

The statement was intended to be circulated among prominent pro-Israel Democrats and sent to the White House in a public release. Its goal was to make it clear that if domestic political considerations—the so-called two state solution, meaning Michigan and Minnesota—were influencing the administration’s change of attitude toward Israel, there would be a domestic political price to pay for such a change.

Joe’s tragic death won’t end his campaign to keep support for Israel a bipartisan issue. Joe believed in this to the depths of his being. And those of us who were working with him to send this message will continue this campaign in his memory.