Auburn men’s basketball head coach Bruce Pearl is on a mission on and off the court.
Pearl, a proud Jewish-American and advocate for Israel, took to Twitter today to voice his concerns over the Biden administration’s policies in the Middle East.
It saddens and disappoints me to watch the Biden administration policies in the Middle East weaken and threaten Israel. Peace through appeasement doesn't work! Make friends, know your enemies! Thank you Mr Secretary for this accurate summary. https://t.co/m5cFdZ0xgi
— Bruce Pearl (@coachbrucepearl) August 14, 2023
“Thank you Mr. Secretary for this accurate summary,” Pearl said, referencing an article by former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Pompeo’s article cautioned: “It’s crucial that America recognize that the surest path to peace is through the robust defense of U.S. national interests, not wishful thinking or the sacrificing of our values.”
Pompeo said despite Biden’s proclaimed strong relationship with Israel and its leaders, he’s done the opposite. He points to the administration’s decisions to label areas of Jerusalem as “occupied territories” and fund organizations with alleged anti-Semitic content as examples.
Last August, Pearl took Auburn’s basketball team on an immersive trip to Israel.
He said the journey was a sports trip as well as an educational experience. Players visited places of significant historical and religious importance, like the Western Wall and the Jordan River – where some were even baptized.
Last day in Jerusalem, made it count 😎#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/z0GFTlTc5q
— Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) August 3, 2022
Today’s tweet isn’t Pearl’s first foray into politics.
In April, speaking from the chamber of the Alabama State Senate as lawmakers honored the 75th anniversary of Israel and reaffirmed the relationship between Alabama and Israel, Pearl encouraged state leaders.
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“I love this country with all of my heart. I love the state of Alabama. I’m a Jewish basketball coach, coaching in the SEC, in the state of Alabama,” Pearl said. “What an amazing country we live in with that opportunity given to me. I go to work every day trying to reward Auburn and the people that love Auburn for that opportunity.”
“Over the last five years, Auburn men’s basketball has won more games than anyone in the SEC, and I’d like to be able to say next summer that that’s the case over the last six years,” he told The Jerusalem Post after returning from the team trip last year.
Grayson Everett is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
