It's the age-old question. Who can claim to speak for American Jews on Israel?
World Jewish Congress head Ron Lauder seems to think he's found the answer. It's him.
In full-page ads in The Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, Lauder claims that "Jews around the world are concerned today" in part because of what he calls the "dramatic deterioration of diplomatic relations between the United States and Israel."
Yes, American Jews are concerned today. They are concerned about the lack of an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the threat that poses to Israel's survival as a democracy and the home of the Jewish people - as well as to American interests.
And in their concern, they - unlike Mr. Lauder - support the President. According to a poll J Street commissioned just three weeks ago, the President's approval rating remains at 62% among American Jews, 15 points higher than his popularity in the general population. Furthermore, over 71% of American Jews support pressing both parties to make the hard compromises necessary for peace.
A second poll conducted by the American Jewish Committee reinforces these conclusions, showing approval of the President's handling of US-Israel relations to be at 55 percent among American Jews.
Lauder can proclaim that there is broad American Jewish support for his positions, but the facts are clear: strong majorities actually support the President, despite attacks from some American Jewish organizations and leaders.
Most troubling in today's ads was the conclusion, in which Lauder pleas for the President to end the recent diplomatic tension with Israel and move on to tackling the so-called "real challenges" faced by Israel and the United States.
The ongoing unresolved conflict between Israel and its neighbors and the failure to achieve a two-state solution do represent a "real challenge" for Israel, one that even Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has called a greater threat to Israel than an Iranian nuclear bomb.
That the ongoing conflict, and Israeli or Palestinian actions that perpetuate it, do not even rise to the level of a "challenge" speaks volumes about Lauder's personal politics and his credibility to speak for the American Jewish community.
Lauder and the World Jewish Congress have every right to run ads in support of their views. But they have no right to claim to speak on behalf of all American Jews.
This article is cross-posted at J Street's blog at JStreet.Org/Blog.
Follow Isaac Luria on Twitter: www.twitter.com/isaacluria
to feel we have to be a rubber stamp for whatever actions Israel wants to take, just because we
have Jews living in the US. We do not rubber stamp the actions of Muslim countries. Or any other
country for that matter. This is only an issue for pandering politicians who find they can get a few
extra votes by proclaiming America to be a "Judeo-Christian Nation". If I remember correctly, we
are supposed to have separation of church and state. Where did I read that, oh yeah, the US
Constitution, maybe.
I would support and encourage the President to get a lot tougher with Israel and force a peace deal.
http://snippits-and-slappits.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html
I am a proud Zionist. I have friends and family in Israel and have visited the country and plan to do so again in the fall. I was the leader of my Israel Advocacy organization on campus. I worked within the Jewish community for two years and am about to go get a masters in Conflict Resolution in hopes to help create peace between the Israelis and Palestinians.
I am an American Jew who proudly voted for Obama and would so again tomorrow. I belong to both AIPAC and JStreet although neither really speak for my views. I love Israel (more than Israelis, if I'm being honest) and see Bibi and the right wing coalition as doing much to harm the country I love. I don't support the settlements and religious extremists that are violent against both Jews and Muslims in Israel.
And furthermore, while I know some Jews like you, I know a heck of a lot more like me. We love Israel and because we love Israel, we don't want to see her destroyed from within.
You wish you could love Israel more then me ! :-)
But i liked what you wrote ,
Big hug and Shabbat shalom from Israel ;-)
B.
Also, could it be that when Ehud Barak, referring to the Palestinian issue, calls it a greater threat to Israel than an Iranian nuclear bomb, he is also suggesting Iran does not have a bomb, and has disavowed ever wanting to build one?