Why Israel and liberal American Jews are drifting apart
Category World | Saturday, March 20th, 2010
Israel
Right after it happened, Israel’s ambassador to the United States described Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “insult” to Vice President Joe Biden as the worst crisis to hit relations between the two countries in three decades. A week later, the blowup had largely blown over. Both sides realized what they usually realize when irritated with each other, which is that it serves the interests of neither to quarrel in public. Netanyahu, who is no fool, would be a big one if he antagonized his country’s most powerful ally, especially while calling for a posse to hunt down Iran’s nuclear program. President Obama, who was already unpopular in Israel, needs Jewish support to win re-election. All parties regret expressing their true feelings.