Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., May 19, 2008 Iyyar 14, 5768 | | Israel Time: 12:03 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 23:03 10/03/2007
Members of the Tribe / Mixed feelings about Iran
By Amiram Barkat

The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) plenum, which convened last week in Washington, rejected a last-minute proposal to launch a public campaign against Iran's nuclear armament program. The proposal called for mass demonstrations using the slogan "Stop Iran" and for the start of a divestment campaign aimed at companies doing business in Iran. In a highly unusual development, Israeli diplomats appeared at the discussions and lobbied for the resolution's approval, but, as noted, their attempt failed.

The JCPA explained afterward that the resolution was voted down for technical reasons, not because of its content. However, it seems indisputable that the issue of Iran's nuclear armament was not the most popular item on the agenda of the JCPA's plenum: The genocide in Darfur was the top-priority international item on that agenda. In the case of Darfur, a divestment resolution was passed by a large majority.

The mood at the JCPA conference gives some indication of public opinion on the "Jewish street" in America. The fact is that there has been no massive Jewish mobilization to date for the struggle against a nuclear Iran. The largest mass demonstration, in which tens of thousands of American Jews participated, was held in protest of the genocide in Darfur. Israeli leaders like former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and even historians like Benny Morris have declared that Israel is facing the prospect of a second Holocaust; however, Jewish activists in the United States prefer to deal with the genocide of another nation that is taking place right before our eyes.
Advertisement
David M. Elcott, who was recently appointed executive director of Israel Policy Forum, believes that American Jews are simply smarter than Israeli politicians. He says that Netanyahu's apocalyptic rhetoric is not acceptable from the standpoint of Jewish theology; the Jews, he notes, have always spoken of hope, and the language of despair is foreign to Jewish tradition. In an unforgettable speech that he delivered of the United Jewish Community's General Assembly in Los Angeles last November, Netanyahu kept repeating the same point - namely, that it is as if we are in 1938, but instead of Germany, the threat is an Iran that is trying to arm itself with weapons of mass destruction.

In Elcott's view, the analogy Netanyahu made between Iran and Nazi Germany has a flip side: It draws an analogy between Israel and European Jewry on the eve of World War II. As Elcott sees it, saying that the Jews in Israel are in the same situation as the Jews of Warsaw or Berlin in 1940 "undermines the Zionist vision of an independent State of Israel."

IPF was founded in 1993, during the period of the Oslo Accords, and was active later in the decade against the background of then-prime minister Ehud Barak's frustration with the hawkish stance of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) lobbying organization, and its frosty attitude toward the Middle East peace process. The organization's most significant achievement in recent years was the Senate's approval of a bill that enabled granting aid to the Palestinians despite the Palestinian Authority's Hamas-led government.

Today IPF is pushing for the approval of $86 million in aid for the training of the security forces of PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), so far without much success. Even IPF executives, such as its president, Seymour D. Reich, a veteran Jewish leader, admit that their organization is still not a counterbalance to the powerful AIPAC on Capitol Hill. Regarding the Iranian issue, IPF's leaders believe that the option of direct talks with the Iranians has not yet been exhausted. Reich says that, in IPF's view, all the organizations that are shouting "The sky is falling" because of Iran are passing up the opportunity to encourage Washington to establish contact with that country.

The background to IPF's position on the Iranian issue is the trauma of the war in Iraq, which close to 80 percent of America's Jews oppose. According to Elcott, the American public wants a dialogue with the Muslim world, not another war. The nightmare scenario that frightens IPF's leaders is not a nuclear-equipped Iran, but rather an American military imbroglio in Iran. IPF is of the opinion that, if Jewish organizations in the U.S. are perceived as being responsible for America's decision to embark on such a military adventure, the consequences could be grave for the status of Jews in the American public.

IPF's analysis helps one understand the American Jewish public's mixed feelings regarding Iran. Given the choice between an internal threat and a threat aimed at Israel, many of America's Jews prefer to sit on the fence. It is much simpler and much easier to struggle for the victims of genocide in Darfur.
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Nothing to fear
Nancy Pelosi in Israel: I trust all presidential candidates in regard to Israel.
Bonfire drama
Mount Meron grave of famed rabbi at center of ownership row.
  1.   Head in the sand 11:24  |  Mike 09/03/07
  2.   American Jews can influence events in Dafur 12:07  |  Ilan 09/03/07
  3.   on struthious behavior... 12:25  |  Akiva Patysh, Tzioni 09/03/07
  4.   IFP and AIPAC 12:48  |  Wolfram 09/03/07
  5.   assuaging guilt, Wolfram? 13:14  |  Akiva Patysh, Tzioni 09/03/07
  6.   Iran`s nukes - just Israeli propaganda 13:38  |  Boycott 09/03/07
  7.   Do we or dont we? 13:51  |  Ronnie Wolman 09/03/07
  8.   The Existential Threat 14:16  |  Stevie Two Shoes 09/03/07
  9.   Jewish People and Jewish State in Darfur 15:13  |  Brian Freund 09/03/07
  10.   To Boycott 15:17  |  Daniel 09/03/07
  11.   NOT TRUE AT ALL 15:22  |  Stephen Connor 09/03/07
  12.   it is a sad statement about Israel when U.S. Jews can not support 15:23  |  sol 09/03/07
  13.   Brian Freund: What?????? 15:24  |  Ronnie Wolman 09/03/07
  14.   Bravo JCPA! 15:27  |  CHGODMK 09/03/07
  15.   Iran,Darfur and American Jewish Organisations 15:30  |  Yaakov Sullivan 09/03/07
  16.   Ronnie Wolman re: Brian Freund 15:39  |  CHGODMK 09/03/07
  17.   "Yaakov" Sullivan 15:46  |  CHGODMK 09/03/07
  18.   Darfur, Israel, Etc 15:58  |  USJew 09/03/07
  19.   Megilat Esther 16:05  |  Benlolo 09/03/07
  20.   Iran and Darfur 16:08  |  Geoff 09/03/07
  21.   People of Darfur need money (to survive). PALS use aid money 16:12  |  Vittorio 09/03/07
  22.   #12 Sol 16:15  |  Rebekah S 09/03/07
  23.   Sullivan, have you come back to contaminate this site with your 16:20  |  Nadav 09/03/07
  24.   American Jewis haven`t learned the lesson of history 16:24  |  Yonatan 09/03/07
  25.   CHGODMK: the Perspecrive of my post 16:31  |  Ronnie Wolman 09/03/07
  26.   Yonatan in Kefar-Sava 16:39  |  CHGODMK 09/03/07
  27.   Hi Ronnie 16:40  |  Brian Freund 09/03/07
  28.   Support that dhimmi Olmert? 16:47  |  Jon 09/03/07
  29.   #23 Nadav 17:00  |  Yonatan 09/03/07
  30.   #23 Nadav is that really you or an 17:06  |  Racon-tour 09/03/07
  31.   Taunting the American Jews to lose their mind??. 17:33  |  Simon 09/03/07
  32.   Yaakov Sullivan 17:44  |  ODP 09/03/07
  33.   Brian Freund 17:46  |  Benlolo 09/03/07
  34.   200,000 murdered in Darfur 17:49  |  Marilyn 09/03/07
  35.   I call upon the Sudanese people to unite 17:58  |  Esau Sullivan 09/03/07
  36.   Wolfram 18:03  |  P. J. Casey 09/03/07
  37.   Save Darfur Scenerio/Israel To The Rescue 18:08  |  Nick 09/03/07
  38.   Brian Freund: Quick Picks 18:28  |  Ronnie Wolman 09/03/07
  39.   Israel should relocate in the FOUR CORNERS 18:47  |  albert amato 09/03/07
  40.   #26 CHGODMK 19:14  |  Yonatan 09/03/07
  41.   Shedding Light 19:26  |  Joan Stuchner 09/03/07
  42.   Not Me! 19:33  |  Yosemite 09/03/07
  43.   No USA Troops To Darfur! 19:50  |  Tony Anthony 09/03/07
  44.   To Ronnie Again 19:51  |  Brian Freund 09/03/07
  45.   P.J. Casey 19:52  |  Benlolo 09/03/07
  46.   Self-determination Nadav #23 20:03  |  Stanley 09/03/07
  47.   Reply to Brian #9, 27 20:04  |  Noam 09/03/07
  48.   Racon-tour, it is really me, Nadav from Jerusalem. You know, .... 20:16  |  Nadav 09/03/07
  49.   Noam...Thank You 20:16  |  Brian Freund 09/03/07
  50.   Brian Freund: Sorry Brian I am all for it 20:38  |  Ronnie Wolman 09/03/07
  51.   Sick and tired of Rosner`s Israel-centric universe 20:42  |  Joe 09/03/07
  52.   Benlolo 20:54  |  P. J. Casey 09/03/07
  53.   Ronnie and Noam 21:02  |  Brian Freund 09/03/07
  54.   Racon-tour on nadav on me #48 21:34  |  Yaakov Sullivan 09/03/07
  55.   pathetic american and canadian jews 21:53  |  lee 09/03/07
  56.   We are too assimilated 21:54  |  Devin 09/03/07
  57.   My, my, family troubles??? 22:37  |  ballistic 09/03/07
  58.   simple and easy? 22:44  |  Benny 09/03/07
  59.   Joe #51, did you realize your reading an Israeli newspaper ? 22:45  |  bbl 09/03/07
  60.   Bush and Iran 22:49  |  DanielGree 09/03/07
  61.   One is happening, the other is conjecture 22:53  |  natan 09/03/07
  62.   Wolfram`s very poor understanding of American Jewery 23:01  |  bbl 09/03/07
  63.   #51 Yusuf - Liberated Judea - Are you serious? 23:10  |  natan 09/03/07
  64.   take it easy lee #55 23:10  |  bbl 09/03/07
  65.   If there will be series of attacks from Iran Israel can defuse it 23:24  |  e.m 09/03/07
  66.   Germany and Iran are not Equal 23:29  |  Brad 09/03/07
  67.   to ballestic # 57 the difference between jewish family troubles 23:34  |  terrornator 09/03/07
  68.   # 6 Boycott - How can you be so sure? 23:36  |  ChanahS 09/03/07
  69.   #67 Hey terrornator; aw come on man 23:49  |  ballistic 09/03/07
  70.   # 51 Joe in Ramallah 23:53  |  ChanahS 09/03/07
  71.   THERE IS AN ACTUAL GENOCIDE HAPPENING! 00:04  |  G. 10/03/07
  72.   Strategically stupid for American Jews to get involved 00:25  |  David 10/03/07
  73.   I know Haaretz is an Israeli paper 01:57  |  Joe 10/03/07
  74.   Yonatan #40 02:44  |  CHGODMK 10/03/07
  75.   James Sullivan 02:46  |  CHGODMK 10/03/07
  76.   to ballestic,the truth hurts dont it girl,its not a matter of me 03:34  |  terrornator 10/03/07
  77.   Many American Jews would die for Israel, Darfur is right focus 04:38  |  Aaron 10/03/07
  78.   Simon31: Iraq will be a free stable democracy; so will Iran 04:44  |  Aaron 10/03/07
  79.   #76 Hey Terrornator; what that truth you stated? 04:48  |  ballistic 10/03/07
  80.   #54 Yaakov Sullivan 04:53  |  Racon-tour 10/03/07
  81.   Ronnie Wolman 05:35  |  CHGODMK 10/03/07
  82.   Ronnie Wolman 05:35  |  CHGODMK 10/03/07
  83.   Kind of restores one`s faith in mankind 06:22  |  Colin Wright 10/03/07
  84.   THE IPF IS GUTLESS 06:29  |  US Citizen 10/03/07
  85.   The IPF is a Little Late for the Jihad Party in Sudan 10:05  |  Klaudia 10/03/07
  86.   #74 CHGODMK 10:16  |  Yonatan 10/03/07
  87.   #83 Colin Wright reminfs me 10:24  |  Yonatan 10/03/07
  88.   HOME IS WHERE TE HEART IS 11:04  |  MARCO 10/03/07
  89.   If you will not terrify them l will terrify you.Jer 1:17 11:10  |  Simon 10/03/07
  90.   DARFUR: ZIONISM`S DOUBLE RACISM 11:12  |  Judd 10/03/07
  91.   australian observer 11:39  |  les 10/03/07
  92.   2 points for you Colin #83 11:56  |  bbl 10/03/07
  93.   Judd # 90 13:36  |  ChanahS 10/03/07
  94.   CHGODMK: I like Yaakov Sullivan 14:21  |  Ronnie Wolman 10/03/07
  95.   Well, Sallivan # 54, should Israeli Jews have the 14:24  |  Anat 10/03/07
  96.   Ronnie Wolman about Sullivan 15:40  |  Geulah 10/03/07
  97.   #57 did you get all that playing DIRTY SCHULTZ POKER 16:04  |  paul harris 10/03/07
  98.   Sullivan, unlike others who complain, I can assure you that no... 16:11  |  Nadav 10/03/07
  99.   Ronnie Wolman re sulli 16:15  |  Gabe1 10/03/07
  100.   CHGODMK #82 and Ronnie 16:20  |  Gabe1 10/03/07
  101.   Judd 16:24  |  Sarah 10/03/07
  102.   Klaudia 16:28  |  Sarah 10/03/07
  103.   #98 Nadav 17:37  |  Racon-tour 10/03/07
  104.   #90 Judd - hatred stemming from ignorance 17:46  |  Yonatan 10/03/07
  105.   darfur 17:47  |  renita 10/03/07
  106.   Geulah: The Sullivan Show 17:59  |  Ronnie Wolman 10/03/07
  107.   Gabe I disagree 18:01  |  Ronnie Wolman 10/03/07
  108.   Gabe I disagree 18:01  |  Ronnie Wolman 10/03/07
  109.   Yaakov Sullivan and Neutra Karta 18:03  |  Ronnie Wolman 10/03/07
  110.   darfool 18:07  |  renita 10/03/07
  111.   darfool 18:15  |  renita 10/03/07
  112.   darfool 18:15  |  renita 10/03/07
  113.   #57 Hey Paul; I will admit there will be 18:23  |  ballistic 10/03/07
  114.   darfool 18:28  |  renita 10/03/07
  115.   34 Maryllin 19:01  |  Jose Marcio Brazil 10/03/07
  116.   Nadav on self-determinism for Jews 19:05  |  Stanley 10/03/07
  117.   Ban them all... 19:19  |  Ronnie Wolman 10/03/07
  118.   Stanley, I am sorry, I have missed your post. And as for your ... 19:50  |  Nadav 10/03/07
  119.   DEFENSIVE ZIONIST 20:11  |  To Yonatan from JUDD 10/03/07
  120.   IPF is not Israel`s friend 21:00  |  Ilan 10/03/07
  121.   Some America Jews have events of 1953 in mind 21:03  |  newageblues 10/03/07
  122.   Darfur is right now! 22:10  |  Joe 10/03/07
  123.   Ronnie Wolman re CHGODMK and Sullivan 22:50  |  Psalm 10/03/07
  124.   TRUE JEWISH SPIRIT INDEED! 23:18  |  Psalm 10/03/07
  125.   #106 BALLISTIC GETS HER KNOWLEDGE AT THE POKER TABLE 23:29  |  paul harris 10/03/07
  126.   Israel can act to make sanctions stronger 23:53  |  newageblues 10/03/07
  127.   #117 is right, Arabs are AWOL from Darfur genocide fight 00:03  |  newageblues 11/03/07
  128.   Joe # 114: KUDOS! Well said! 00:13  |  Psalm 11/03/07
  129.   I can`t still believe there is still any argument over this! 00:19  |  Gili 11/03/07
  130.   #6 - and what are those `purposes` ? Pray tell ! 00:26  |  redmike 11/03/07
  131.   RONNIE WOLMAN #196 00:26  |  GABE1 11/03/07
  132.   #115 Nadav Stanley #113 00:46  |  Racon-tour 11/03/07
  133.   The US Tiger became a cub 02:00  |  Gabi Aronovitch 11/03/07
  134.   Put your money where your mouth is! 02:38  |  brother 11/03/07
  135.   Why American Jews ignore Israel 03:40  |  Daniel 11/03/07
  136.   Gabe: Free Speech 03:42  |  Ronnie Wolman 11/03/07
  137.   Klaudia - Who Afraid of the Big Bad Ahmedinejad 03:46  |  Stephen E.Connor 11/03/07
  138.   Gabe 1 - re: Sulli 03:55  |  Stephen Connor 11/03/07
  139.   Mixed feelings??? 03:59  |  johnnymac 11/03/07
  140.   Racon-tour - #132 Silly Boy 04:07  |  Stephen Connor 11/03/07
  141.   Ronnie Wolman 05:43  |  Gabe1 11/03/07
  142.   Jews vs Israel/AIPAC 06:01  |  Jeff 11/03/07
  143.   Stephen Connor # 137 Amadjihadi is only a PUPPET 06:50  |  Klaudia 11/03/07
  144.   Cowards 08:26  |  Tod Zuckerman 11/03/07
  145.   What existential threat? 09:17  |  Wolfram 11/03/07
  146.   What existential threat? (cont.) 09:37  |  Wolfram 11/03/07
  147.   I AM PROUD OF USA JEWS 11:11  |  alonitzafoni 11/03/07
  148.   WHO IS ANTI-SEMITIC?? 02:32  |  RON WALDRON 24/05/07
  149.   Iran does not have nuclear weapons! 11:35  |  Virginia 19/05/08
 Read & React
Amir Oren: Toward a re-occupation of Gaza
Responses: 8
Bin Laden: All Muslims must help end Gaza siege
Responses: 36
Israel to give quiet nod to Egypt-brokered truce deal with Hamas
Responses: 25
Obama urges settler policy change, recognition of Israel
Responses: 55
Google co-founder: My family left Russia because of anti-Semitism
Responses: 33
MKs seek to strike Arabic as an official language of Israel
Responses: 28


More Headlines
07:16 Israel rules out releasing Palestinians for 2 soldiers kidnapped by Hezbollah
03:39 Israel to agree unofficially to Egypt cease-fire deal; skeptical Barak to discuss plan with Mubarak Monday
06:56 New evidence against PM might lead to even more charges
03:35 Bin Laden: All Muslims must help end Gaza siege
11:24 IDF: Iran-trained militant arrested in Gaza raid last month
11:37 Jerusalem police probe possible gang rape of disabled woman
10:54 Poland's chief rabbi says kaddish for savior of Jewish children in Holocaust
05:53 MKs: Make Hebrew the only official language
02:08 Disengagement Authority: Gov't spent NIS 6 billion on settler evacuees
23:50 Obama: Mideast peace deal likely if sides show compromise
06:40 SPNI report: One quarter of nesting birds are in danger
01:21 Herzliya buries local resident Ran Mesika, murdered in U.S.
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
Dead Sea Products
Buy Dead Sea mineral skin care and beauty products. Coupon code Haaretz for 10% off.
Istudy
Learn Hebrew in 3 months
The Terraces
Your Ultimate Coastal Address On Nitza Boulevard, North Netanya
Together Celebrating Israel's 60th
The Jewish Agency and You - together making history
Pardes Institute Summer Sessions
http://www.pardes.org.il/
Free the Palestinians from:
Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy
Fattal Hotel Chain
Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel
Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
Real Estate in Israel
Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved