WHY TED CRUZ'S LATEST PRONOUNCEMENT IS RIDICULOUS EVEN BY TED CRUZ STANDARDS

A press release from Ted Cruz:

Did President Obama Just Launch an Economic Boycott of Israel?

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, today questioned the Obama Administration's decision to ban flights to Israel....

He added, "The facts suggest that President Obama has just used a federal regulatory agency to launch an economic boycott on Israel, in order to try to force our ally to comply with his foreign-policy demands." ...

An economic boycott of Israel on the part of the Obama administration? Would that be the same Obama administration that's doing this, as reported by JTA ("The Global Jewish News Source")?

The Obama administration asked Congress to fast-track Israel's request for an additional $225 million for the Iron Dome anti-missile system....

"The Government of Israel has requested $225 million in additional funding for Iron Dome in order to accelerate production of Iron Dome components in Israel and maintain adequate stockpiles," Bernadette Meehan, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council, told JTA in an email.

"The Department of Defense has reviewed and supports this urgent request," she said. "Since the start of Operation Protective Edge, Iron Dome has saved countless Israeli lives."

... A day earlier, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel wrote to leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate asking that the money be appropriated above the $351 million Congress is considering for the system....

In fact, that $225 million for the Iron Dome has been folded into Senate Democrats' immigration bill.

You can criticize the strategy of trying to get an emergency immigration appropriation passed by including Iron Dome funding in it, but the fact remains: the Obama administration and other Democrats are seeking additional funding for Israel's defense shield while Ted Cruz is alleging an economic boycott of Israel on Obama's part.

Which is how you know that Cruz is exceeding even his usual high standard of stupidity, or spreading deliberate disinformation.

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UPDATE: Wow, that was really a harsh economic boycott -- the flight ban has already been lifted. (Has Ted Cruz claimed credit for that yet?)

And during the period that U.S. and other nations' flights to and from Israel were suspended, Israel's El Al raised fares 150%, according to Haaretz. So I guess the ban actually offered some benefits to the Israeli economy, no?