Leslie Cockburn, the Democratic nominee for the 5th Congressional District of Virginia, has been labeled an anti-Semite by her Republican opponents, The New York Times reports.
According to the newspaper, members of the Republican Party of Virginia branded Cockburn as anti-Semitic because of a book written by her and her husband, titled "Dangerous Liaison: The Inside Story of the U.S.-Israeli Covert Relationship,” which a review in NYT itself described back then as “largely dedicated to Israel-bashing for its own sake."
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In an attempt to resolve the situation, Cockburn held a meeting with about 40 Jewish leaders in Charlottesville in order to address the matter and explain herself.
"None of us think she’s anti-Semitic. That’s not even an issue. It’s more where are you about Israel. There’s a lot of negativity toward Israel from the political left right now and people who call themselves progressive. And some of that anti-Israel sentiment crosses into anti-Semitism, but not in her case," Sherry Kraft, one of the organizers of the meeting, said.
During an interview with the newspaper, Cockburn herself described accusations against her as a "totally phony issue," pointing out that the book in question was published 27 years ago.
A number of Twitter users concurred with the politician, arguing that her work has nothing to do with anti-Semitism.
Some disagreed, however, blasting Cockburn for her stance on Israel.