By accepting a Republican invitation to address the US Congress next
week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not only upset the
White House and the Democrats, he’s also rattled America’s largely
liberal Jewish community.
“Like an increasing number of American Jews, I want to make it clear that Netanyahu does not speak for me,” wrote Rabbi David Teutsch in the Huffington Post last week, adding that he had never spoken out publicly against a sitting Israeli official before but could not ignore the “train wreck” that he considers Netanyahu’s speech on March 3 to be.
“Netanyahu's decision to accept Republican leaders' invitation to address Congress [which did not involve consultations with the White House, thereby “breaching protocol”] has dealt a major blow to the long-time United States-Israel alliance,” said Teutsch, who heads the Philadelphia-based Center for Jewish Ethics. “Taking the Republican side is an attack on President Obama and the Democratic Party.”
Unlike their Israeli and even American counterparts, American Jews are overwhelmingly Democratic, progressive, and steadfast in their support of President Barack Obama. According to a Pew survey published in October 2013, 70 percent of Jews count themselves as Democrats or leaning towards the Democratic Party, while only 22 percent identify as Republican or GOP-leaning.
The survey also revealed that while generally wary of publicly criticising the Jewish State, most US Jews disagree with the current Israeli administration on fundamental Middle Eastern issues, including Iran, Palestinian statehood and ongoing settlement construction.
Only 17 percent of American Jews support the continued construction of settlements in the West Bank – a policy which has thrived under Netanyahu. Just 38 percent said they felt the Israeli government under Netanyahu was making “a sincere effort to establish peace with the Palestinians”.
A poll in November 2014 meanwhile found that among that same demographic, 57 percent approved of Obama's performance as president.
So it comes as little surprise that a move which has pitted the Israeli prime minister against the US president has left many Israeli Jews feeling frustrated.
Read more Americas - US Jews brace for Netanyahu’s ‘ill-advised’ Congress speech - France 24
“Like an increasing number of American Jews, I want to make it clear that Netanyahu does not speak for me,” wrote Rabbi David Teutsch in the Huffington Post last week, adding that he had never spoken out publicly against a sitting Israeli official before but could not ignore the “train wreck” that he considers Netanyahu’s speech on March 3 to be.
“Netanyahu's decision to accept Republican leaders' invitation to address Congress [which did not involve consultations with the White House, thereby “breaching protocol”] has dealt a major blow to the long-time United States-Israel alliance,” said Teutsch, who heads the Philadelphia-based Center for Jewish Ethics. “Taking the Republican side is an attack on President Obama and the Democratic Party.”
Unlike their Israeli and even American counterparts, American Jews are overwhelmingly Democratic, progressive, and steadfast in their support of President Barack Obama. According to a Pew survey published in October 2013, 70 percent of Jews count themselves as Democrats or leaning towards the Democratic Party, while only 22 percent identify as Republican or GOP-leaning.
The survey also revealed that while generally wary of publicly criticising the Jewish State, most US Jews disagree with the current Israeli administration on fundamental Middle Eastern issues, including Iran, Palestinian statehood and ongoing settlement construction.
Only 17 percent of American Jews support the continued construction of settlements in the West Bank – a policy which has thrived under Netanyahu. Just 38 percent said they felt the Israeli government under Netanyahu was making “a sincere effort to establish peace with the Palestinians”.
A poll in November 2014 meanwhile found that among that same demographic, 57 percent approved of Obama's performance as president.
So it comes as little surprise that a move which has pitted the Israeli prime minister against the US president has left many Israeli Jews feeling frustrated.
Read more Americas - US Jews brace for Netanyahu’s ‘ill-advised’ Congress speech - France 24
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