RSS Feed MenuThe current rift between the U.S. and Israel takes me back to the 1988 presidential transition. At the time, the U.S. under President Ronald Reagan moved to open contact with the PLO. From the transition bleachers, the move was understandable. The Reagan Administration was on its way out and could afford to take the heat. Congress was out of session and so congressional pushback would be minimal. American Jews were having a fit over a drive to change Israel’s immigration laws to restrict eligibility under Israel’s Law of Return — a change that was being pushed by the Hassidic Lubavitch sect. In other words, American Jews were feeling less kindly to Israel. Few would complain. U.S. PLO contact was achieved at a low cost.
It is 20+ years and once again U.S.-Israel relations are in the news, and once again a presidential transition has made part of the difference. On Israel, Obama is no Bush 43 just as Bush 41 was no Reagan. By the same measure American Jews appear to have less in common with Israel than they did 20 years ago and this change may be the biggest difference of all.
Let me explain. With the exception of Orthodox Jews, Israel does not resonate among American Jews the way it once did. As American Jews continue to assimilate and acculturate, Israel is looking more Balkan, more Confederate and more alien.
It is difficult to imagine that this combination plays well with either Team Obama or America’s Jews. For starters, the president was raised in Indonesia by a Muslim dad. The parents of the president’s counselor David Axelrod were leftists and Axe’s other clients have included New York’s Carl McCall and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. The race and liberal thing matter both to the President and Axelrod. It is their meal ticket, their passport to fame, fortune and glory.
It is also difficult to picture Obama or Axelrod having the warm and fuzzies for Bibi, settlements and Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman — who just oozes a particular kind of Slavic Style persona and nationalism that can grate on liberal — and for that matter – Western sensibilities. As for Bibi himself, he’s the guy who was running to the congressional GOP back when Bill Clinton was embroiled with Monica. Lest anyone forget, the Clintons have very long memories and Hillary Rodham Clinton is now Secretary of State.
Likewise, don’t expect American Jews to dance the hora for Bibi. His coalition contains the Religious Right on steroids, guys with coats, beards and uzis that make Pat Robertson and the late Jerry Falwell look like groovy Unitarian Ministers.
Now that may play well in certain precincts of Brooklyn and Queens, but most American Jews are not looking at that coalition with a smile, and my sense is that most American Jews are not going to get into a lather over the current imbroglio. They don’t feel like they have a dog in this fight.
And the numbers tell the story. According to Gallup, Israel is more popular among Republicans than Democrats, and that is a big story given that Jews vote overwhelmingly Democratic in national elections.
Statistically, there’s a better chance that the fellow who worships at First Baptist in Jackson, Mississippi will be pro-Israel than the random congregant at Brick Presbyterian on upper Madison Avenue. But, at the same time the congregant at Brick will more likely have a Jewish spouse or in-law.
And that is one of Bibi’s problems — American Jews are stepping back from Israel. After Obama did his diss Israel tour (the Muslim world followed by Buchenwald, while skipping Israel), Bibi followed up by ranting to aides that Axe and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel were self-hating Jews.
Safe to say that Bibi’s outburst didn’t win him any friends back in the U.S. And the idea of lashing out at Emanuel was just retarded. Emanuel volunteered in Israel during the First Gulf War and is a member of an Orthodox congregation. Axelrod, for his part, signed Emanuel’s ketubah (wedding contract in Hebrew) as a witness.
So where does that leave Obama and Bibi? Right now AIPAC, ADL and House GOP Whip Eric Cantor are leading the charge. In that sense there are no surprises. Their pushback is expected.
The question is whether there will be a letter circulated among the Senate and House membership rebuffing the president?
Interestingly, according to Ben Smith of Politico, most pro-Israel Dems in Congress are staying quiet. Can you say the Dog that Didn’t Bark?
blowtorch_bob // Mar 16, 2010 at 1:38 pm
“Today, American Jews appear to have less in common with Israel than in the past…”
That’s because many of the new Jewish immigrants to Israel are from the Balkan regions and have little in common with American Jews. In many cases, Palestinians are being bulldozed out of their homes to make room for these freaks which, of course, is the source of the tension in the middle east.
Also I’ve heard many of these “new Israelis” have little patience with the formal Jewish religion, tend to view Palestinians are a sort of sub-specis, and in some circles (taking a page from the Nazi playbook) talk in terms of “exterminating” them.
mlloyd // Mar 16, 2010 at 2:48 pm
You know, this isn’t all about the psychology of today’s Jews and the personality conflict between Netanyahu and everyone in the US.
Gen. David Petraeus: “The enduring hostilities between Israel and some of its neighbors present distinct challenges to our ability to advance our interests in the AOR. Israeli-Palestinian tensions often flare into violence and large-scale armed confrontations. The conflict foments anti-American sentiment, due to a perception of U.S. favoritism for Israel. Arab anger over the Palestinian question limits the strength and depth of U.S. partnerships with governments and peoples in the AOR and weakens the legitimacy of moderate regimes in the Arab world. Meanwhile, al-Qaeda and other militant groups exploit that anger to mobilize support. The conflict also gives Iran influence in the Arab world through its clients, Lebanese Hizballah and Hamas.”
http://armed-services.senate.gov/statemnt/2010/03%20March/Petraeus%2003-16-10.pdf
Now, we can agree or disagree with that, agree but think that it’s worth the blowback, or whatever. Just because one (well-respected and talented) guy said something doesn’t mean that the debate is at an end.
But it’s genuinely misleading, I think, to frame this issue in terms of the “the race and liberal thing” in the brains of some US leaders and advisers. There’s a lot more going on here. There are serious national security implications here.
right_on // Mar 16, 2010 at 6:56 pm
The sooner Americans abandon Israel, both Jew and Gentile, the sooner a just peace for Jew and Gentile can be reached.
Danny_K // Mar 16, 2010 at 7:12 pm
Israel has changed too. Bill Clinton had Rabin, the Labor party, and the peace movement in Israel to work with. All three appear to be gone for good.
SpartacusIsNotDead // Mar 17, 2010 at 12:36 am
Lloyd Green wrote: “The race and liberal thing matter both to the President and Axelrod. It is their meal ticket, their passport to fame, fortune and glory.”
Well, what was Bush 41’s rationale for being way tougher on Israel than Obama. Was Bush 41 a closet Muslim and long-lost descendant of an African slave?
If anything, the religion of Christian conservatives was the reason Bush 43 didn’t take a stronger stand against Israel. Their view that Jews will be converted to Christianity and that Jesus will return to Israel is absolutely instrumental in their geopolitical views.
As the commenter above wrote, there’s a lot more going on here. It’s too bad Mr. Green is too dull to understand this.
SpartacusIsNotDead // Mar 17, 2010 at 12:36 am
What right-on said @ #3.
jabbermule // Mar 17, 2010 at 11:10 am
“Also I’ve heard many of these “new Israelis” have little patience with the formal Jewish religion, tend to view Palestinians are a sort of sub-specis, and in some circles (taking a page from the Nazi playbook) talk in terms of “exterminating” them.”
Here’s a new one: Jews = Nazis…the anti-Semitic left is in rare form today.
Independent // Mar 17, 2010 at 12:06 pm
jabbermule, in other threads at FF, the far Left trolls are questioning the notion that anything they’ve said here recently could be construed as anti-Semitic. But the whole “let’s exterminate the Palestinians” rant is the ultimate Jew hating rhetoric.
What happened to the farLeft’s championing of Hate Crime legislation?
Oh yeah, they expected a waiver on that one –it’s only for any far Right bigots that they muster up.
Tools. What utter tools.
ottovbvs // Mar 17, 2010 at 2:15 pm
Independent // Mar 17, 2010 at 12:06 pm
“jabbermule, in other threads at FF, the far Left trolls are questioning the notion that anything they’ve said here recently could be construed as anti-Semitic. But the whole “let’s exterminate the Palestinians” rant is the ultimate Jew hating rhetoric.”
…..Except the “exterminate the Palestinians” rhetoric by certain sections of the Israeli polity is part of the public record!…this whole commentary seems on the money to me or why otherwise haven’t we been hearing a lot of pushback from the GOP leadership……at the end of the day they’re not really prepared to go out on a limb defending what most Americans perceived as a bit of an insult to the US from an ally that is increasingly taking us for granted……given that we are their ONLY ally not a wise course perhaps
LFC // Mar 17, 2010 at 4:16 pm
blowtorch said… Also I’ve heard many of these “new Israelis” have little patience with the formal Jewish religion, tend to view Palestinians are a sort of sub-specis, and in some circles (taking a page from the Nazi playbook) talk in terms of “exterminating” them.
Outside of a handful of fanatics, I think the differing views in Israel can be ascribed to two different ways of trying to get to the same place, and that’s security for Israelis.
The one path, which is currently abandoned for a number of reasons, is to negotiate a two state solution. The other is to expand Israel in to a defensible shape (with control over Jerusalem) and impose a two state solution. I don’t believe that any serious percentage of Israelis are advocating the extermination of the Palestinians. (I wouldn’t be willing to reverse that statement, though.)
The question is, how do the two approaches impact America’s needs? Petraeus says that they are having a negative impact. He’s no blabbering media talking head so even if you don’t ultimately agree with him, his is an opinion to at least be taken seriously.
Unlike some knee jerk opinion pieces I’ve read, blind support of Israel’s decisions is not required if they don’t align with our interests, and disagreeing with some of these decisions is not anti-semitic.
ottovbvs // Mar 17, 2010 at 5:13 pm
LFC // Mar 17, 2010 at 4:16 pm
“I don’t believe that any serious percentage of Israelis are advocating the extermination of the Palestinians.”
…….Probably not, but members of parties that are members of Netanyahu’s current ruling coalition have made these statements…..otherwise I don’t disagree with your summary……I have a couple of old friends in Israel I keep in touch with and believe me there are large tracts of Israeli public opinion that are getting very nervous about the country’s increasing diplomatic isolation.
blowtorch_bob // Mar 17, 2010 at 5:43 pm
ottovbvs
“…Probably not, but members of parties that are members of Netanyahu’s current ruling coalition have made these statements….”
You’ve made a good point. If I may go one point further this is an eerie semblance to Nazi Germany where, let’s face it, the average German wasn’t all that anti-Semitic -as opposed to the elites in the Nazi party who controlled the levers of power and were fanatical in their hatred of Jews.
In fact, there was far more anti-Semitism in a place like France than Germany. And there was far more anti-Semitic in Eastern Europe in place like Latvia and Ukraine. I’ve heard the Jewish populations in Russia feared the local population far more than the advancing German armies during the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941/42 and they had good reason.
trajan // Mar 18, 2010 at 12:53 am
ottovbvs
“…Probably not, but members of parties that are members of Netanyahu’s current ruling coalition have made these statements….”
Names please.
Independent // Mar 18, 2010 at 10:12 am
Wow, the mirror still won’t reflect for these anti-Israel liberals their anti-Semitic face. Maybe it’s all the Obami smoke that’s obscuring their true reflections?
First, we have people openly asking for the US to abandon Israel to the murderous, terrorizing genocidal Palestinians. Then we have people here saying that Israel is like Nazi Germany… seeking the extermination of the Palestinians.
When asked for proof of such inversions of the truth, we get the flaccid admission that maybe a majority of Israelis don’t support it but some in the ruling govt do… ask for names and only the crickets chirp.
I think you guys are confusing the Daily Kos talking points for Hugo Chavez and Mahmoud Abbas or the older ones prepared for Yasir Arafat and Hafez al-Assad and Muammar al-Qaddafi.
After all the Jewish people went through in the Holocaust and what they endure with American indifference to the terrorism around them, to turn a phrase like “Nazi extermination” back on them is immoral. Shame on you.
blowtorch_bob // Mar 18, 2010 at 11:49 am
Independent
All we are saying is that if Israel can be a little more reasonable in the treatment of its neighbors (putting up illegal settlements) they may get a little respect. Do onto others as they do onto to you. Or something like that.
Independent // Mar 18, 2010 at 11:52 pm
Blowtorch, I seriously doubt a shameless statement like your’s is about anything like “a little respect”.
“Also I’ve heard many of these “new Israelis” have little patience with the formal Jewish religion, tend to view Palestinians are a sort of sub-specis, and in some circles (taking a page from the Nazi playbook) talk in terms of “exterminating” them.”
You should be ashamed of yourself for uttering such vile words –good God man, have you no decency?