The US-Israel crisis is far from over

US proclamations of support for Israel are welcome, but sadly there's no proof of any change in policy toward the Jewish state.


Isi Leibler
Opinion/JPost
20 May '10

We are currently being subjected to a chorus of proclamations by government spokesmen, American Jewish leaders and Obama administration representatives reassuring us that Israeli-US relations are back on track. Ironically, these frenetic denials that any problem exists merely highlight the severity of the crisis.

Having recently gained direct insight into the American political scene and met a wide cross-section of American Jewish leaders and opinion makers, it is frustrating to observe how in response to a few friendly strokes and reassuring words, we still grasp straws to avoid facing unpleasant realities and accept at face value meaningless incantations that all is well.

The truth is that there is no tangible evidence that the US has diverted from its policy of “engaging” or appeasing Islam by distancing itself from us.

It is however reassuring that contrary to the predictions of President Barack Obama’s Jewish advisers, American Jewish protest at grassroots levels has emerged, deploring the bias and hostility displayed toward the Netanyahu government.

This contrasted with Jewish leaders most of whom privately expressed dismay with Obama breaching his pre-election commitments relating to Israel but refused to publicly reprimand their president. It was somewhat bizarre to hear traditionally highly vocal American Jewish leaders rationalizing their inaction on the grounds that protests would have been counterproductive and that it was preferable to operate quietly behind the scenes.

In fact, aside from Abe Foxman of the ADL, a curtain of silence initially enveloped the shocked Jewish establishment. Only weeks later did a number of high-profile Democratic supporters like Alan Dershowitz and former New York mayor Ed Koch publicly express their protest. Subsequently World Jewish Congress president Ronald Lauder, Elie Wiesel and, most recently on Jerusalem Day, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations also gave vent to their feelings in full-page newspaper advertisements.

It was only then that the administration grasped the extent of the backlash against Obama’s Middle East policies and realized that the Democratic Party was in danger of losing the support of committed Jewish voters and donors.

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