For some of Obama’s Jewish detractors, words speak louder than actions

Thank you Mr. Shalev for an excellent assessment of the current right wing "kvetch" about Obama. I couldn't have said it better. I am a dual citizen currently living in Israel, and yes, I have mailed in my vote for the President.

I was among the skeptics in 08 who thought that Obama would not be good for Israel. I now realize that it is Netanyahu and the other right wing nuts in Israel as well as the Sheldon Adelsons in the US who are not good for Israel (at least for the ordinary Israelis.)

Don't forget that when Obama spoke at UN about seeking a 2-state settlement based on a return to the 67 border with mutually negotiated land swaps Netanyahu deliberately misstated what he had said..

I am an American Jew who has made his home in Israel for the last 35 years, and I say there has never been a a more loyal and devoted friend to Israel than President Obama. He has supported us against the rabid Ayatollahs of Iran, even while absorbing the endless and unjustified insult and injury from the most intolerable and intolerant right wing nationalsitic xenophobic , anti-democratic government Israel has ever had. Theloud, ignorant and biased minority of shamless Jewish supporters in America who voice their racist hatred for Obama today walk in the same dark shadows of those who hated Martin Luther King. They have forgotten the liberal Jewish heritage in America and have alligned themselves with the most reactionary forces in America today, who reluctantly accept their support with a silent loathing and revulsion.. They adore the likes of Nethayahu and Lieberman and Eli Ishay and hate anythng or anyone who believes in social justice, democracy, peace and co-existence in Israel. Thank God the majority of Jews in America have not succombed to Bibi Nethanyahu's nuances and whispers and still believe in Obama and all the very best in a liberal democratic tolerant society. Most of us have always been with you, Mr. Obama! If only we had a leader in Israel like you today!

Yet his policies toward the entire Arab and Muslim worlds are a total mess. Lybia should have never been attacked to overthrow Khadafi-just look at the results. Mubarack should have been encouraged to retire early and pass on his presidency to one of his sons - just look at the mess in Egypt with the MB. The decision to end campains in Iraq and Afghanistan regardless of conditions on the ground will prove huge mistakes. All of that are the results of Obama's naive unrealsitic world view. America dna the world will pay dearly for this electing this President.

Thank you for this excellent review article. Some right-wing American Jews use Israel as a pretext to vote for right-wing social and economic policies. It's not always conscious, but rather emotional: see the world in black-and-white. For a long time support for Israel in the US was politically bipartisan, but now the Republican Jewish Democratic Committee constantly plays the Israel card. Percentage-wise, they are making no headway: US Jews still support Obama and Democrats at 60-70% or more. Remember, when Obama spoke at AIPAC in 2008 before the election, he got a standing ovation.

I agree with the writer. It is as if you can take the Pesach song "Dayenu" ("it is enough") and put a "not" on it for all that Obama has done. Yes, the bar has been raised on Obama compared to past Presidents. It is "not enough" that he has sanctioned Iran, it is "not enough" that he increased defense cooperation, it is "not enough" that he tried to bring Bibi and Abbas to the table. The detractors will keep saying "not enough", yet sing the praises of a man who says that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is "unsolvable", thus relegating Israel to an endless conflict. (Rpmney cloaks his public speech with support of a 2-state solution, but in private said this was not possible.) I'd rather go with someone with a vision of Peace, and that is Obama.