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Last update - 05:31 09/05/2008 Jews bend over backward to stay neutral in U.S. vote By Anshel Pfeffer Tags: Jews, Barack Obama, Israel  "During Bibi's last visit to the United States, Jewish leaders were continuously coming up to him and telling him how worried they are about Obama getting elected," said an aide to opposition leader, Benjamin Netanyahu. He refused though to go on record or name any of the concerned grandees. Everyone knows the rules. The American Jewish leadership cannot allow itself to be seen taking any particular side in a political contest. They have to be capable of working both sides of Congress and enjoy good relations with whatever administration is sitting in the White House. When the head of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Malcolm Hoenlein, slipped up in a Jerusalem press conference, and expressed concern about the atmosphere around Obama's campaign, he was roundly criticized by other Jewish American leaders and tried to deny he had ever said such a thing. Advertisement Sigh of relief A similar logic applies to Jewish leaders in other western democracies. London emerged this week from a mayoral elections in which the local Jewish community studiously tried to stay above the fray. Their true loyalties have not been hard to divine. As Shabbat came in last Friday in London, and the win of the Conservative Party candidate, Boris Johnson, was officially announced, it's easy to imagine the collective sigh of relief being heaved in Hendon and Golders Green. After eight years of almost open warfare with the Jewish establishment, Ken Livingstone was leaving office. Nevertheless, despite repeated condemnations by major Jewish organizations of Livingstone's statements and positions, his counter-accusations that the Board of Deputies were running a "McCarthyite" witch hunt against him and the fact that his challenger, Johnson, certainly went out his way to court Jewish voters and present a pro-Israel agenda, in the elections, no significant Jewish figure of authority suggested openly that the community as a whole had a duty to punish Livingstone. It can, of course, be argued that there is no analogy between the American presidential campaign and the mayoral contest in London; while Obama has been assiduously courting the Jewish community, repeating his constant, if nuanced, support for Israel and distancing himself from supporters with anti-Semitic leanings, Livingstone was quite the opposite, welcoming an Islamic cleric who called for suicide bombings and failing to apologize for his own utterances that could easily be construed as being anti-Jewish. But then, of course, American politics and local electioneering in Britain are different, words that could easily condemn a campaign in the U.S. go down quite well in some of the boroughs of East London. The Jewish policy though stays the same, also in other countries. While Angela Merkel, Silvio Berlusconi and Nicolas Sarkozy were inarguably more open to the Jewish community and pro-Israel then there opponents, the official policy of not taking sides remained. Telling silence There are of course multiple reasons for this artificial neutrality. The Jews are never cut from one political cloth; many of Obama's closest advisors and backers are Jewish, and even Livingstone had a Jewish deputy in the London Assembly. The potential damage of the endorsement of one particular candidate by a Jewish community, in internal unity, in relations with other communities and in the ability to work with the government if the opposite candidate is elected is huge. But to escape all suspicion of political partisanship, Jewish leaders, normally loquacious on the main of issues of state, head for the opposite extreme when an election is on, gritting their teeth and sitting on their hands until the votes are counted. But what is presented as wise statesmanship and clever political maneuvering is basically the modern version of the Jewish fear of anti-Semitism, a minority's feeling of insecurity. The Jewish communities of North America and Western Europe like to present themselves as well-integrated, successful parts of the general society, proud defenders of Israel with no dual-loyalty complex. But they still draw the line at taking open political stances. Instead they continue to prefer the use of time-hallowed practices such as back channels, discreet lobbying and the connections of wealthy Jewish donors. Perhaps, decades ago, these quiet machinations could go on undetected, but in today's media environment, it all emerges sooner or later. Recent scandals on both sides of the Atlantic involving Jewish lobbyists, fund-raisers and power brokers at the highest levels of government should show the limitations of the traditional methods. It's very fashionable to talk nowadays of "soft power," of how the Jewish people can use its collective political, financial, cultural and moral clout in the interests of the tribe. But such a scenario of the Elders of Zion, so beloved of the anti-Semites, is impossible. Just take for an example two of the world's richest Jews, Sheldon Adelson and George Soros, both using their money to finance radically different causes. Jews are a much too diverse, and disparate people to vote uniformly for the same candidates or parties and major national Jewish organizations can't endorse one side. But the other alternative of keeping mum during elections, and not voicing what should be legitimate concerns over a candidate's personality and policy, is simply evading responsibility. More Jewish World news and features Bookmark to del.icio.us   A top priority Barack Obama: We will keep Israel's security a priority. Tale of a key Cartoon film on Nakba describes Jews as 'enemies of homeland'.   1.   U.S.vote 05:26  |  Shmuelshachor 09/05/08   2.   Good peice of Hypocracy 06:41  |  Joe Blow 09/05/08   3.   Shmuelshachor@#1 06:42  |  Akiva P 09/05/08   4.   Shmuelshachor 07:03  |  Jesse 09/05/08   5.   Obama - a better future 07:12  |  Lou 09/05/08   6.   Jews and Obama 07:31  |  Victor on behalf of 09/05/08   7.   Stop bending! 08:02  |  Mildred Otansky 09/05/08   8.   Norm Finklestein for President instead 09:53  |  Harvey (Chaim) 09/05/08   9.   It is rather evenly split, the "Jewish vote" 09:57  |  Sacha Cohen 09/05/08   10.   I received an e-mail from a right wing Israeli website 10:19  |  Chanalau, Tova 09/05/08   11.   Amazingly hypocritical article 10:46  |  Rowan 09/05/08   12.   Not true, but why should they? 10:54  |  El-Birawi 09/05/08   13.   Akiva P #3 11:20  |  Bill K. 09/05/08   14.   Arendt on Jewish Politics 12:22  |  Rowan 09/05/08   15.   To Joe Blow: Don`t worry about Jewish power 12:31  |  Baruch 09/05/08   16.   Jews don`t need to "bend over backwards" 13:13  |  Natallie Durson 09/05/08   17.   "Jewish leaders" in the U.S. 13:16  |  L.A. Reader 09/05/08   18.   The Jewish Diaspora should be MUCH more open..... 13:27  |  Swiss (Dino) 09/05/08   19.   Of Course we are always Neutral 13:36  |  Ronnie Wolman 09/05/08   20.   Half to McCain, half to Oabama=McCain wins 13:36  |  dyinglikeflies 09/05/08   21.   sacha cohen 13:37  |  potobac 09/05/08   22.   You got to be kidding 14:10  |  Mary 09/05/08   23.   What about Weinstein ? 14:14  |  North American 09/05/08   24.   Obama vs. McCain 14:24  |  Eli 09/05/08   25.   Surely Americans living in America 15:02  |  Uncle Sam 09/05/08   26.   14 Rowan,you may want to read the following: 15:12  |  lakshmi 09/05/08   27.   Lakshmi 15:20  |  Rowan 09/05/08   28.   North American: 5th Columns and Oil Prices 15:21  |  Ronnie Wolman 09/05/08   29.   you may want to read the following 15:25  |  wh 09/05/08   30.   @ Uncle Sam 15:27  |  Rowan 09/05/08   31.   Most US Jews are Political Morons 15:47  |  MIKE 09/05/08   32.   To All Those Recommending Books They Have Not Read 15:57  |  Question Mark 09/05/08   33.   Hannah Arendt and Jewish Politics 15:58  |  Howie 09/05/08   34.   Part 2 - To Those Recommending Books They Have Not Read 16:06  |  Question Mark 09/05/08   35.   The Jewish Vote is Over-Rated 16:09  |  MIKE 09/05/08   36.   WHAT?!??! 16:09  |  curious george 09/05/08   37.   TO "SWISS DINO" ON AIPAC 16:10  |  phillyjew 09/05/08   38.   the real reason for "neutrality" 16:20  |  Jewish professional 09/05/08   39.   Pro-Jimmy Carter Jewish voters 16:22  |  BG 09/05/08   40.   Full American as Apple Pie Statement - Mearsheimer 16:25  |  Question Mark 09/05/08   41.   27 Rowan,I take it you are jewish albeit I hope not a zionist! 16:34  |  lakshmi 09/05/08   42.   Antisemitism alive and kicking 16:42  |  David Hoffman 09/05/08   43.   iF oBAMA WINS, MANY DEMS WILL VOTE FOR MC CAIN! 16:43  |  petra 09/05/08   44.   Not all Jews, but so many ....... 16:58  |  TimothyL 09/05/08   45.   Going to be interesting to see how Israel reacts 17:33  |  Harold 09/05/08   46.   Jews and Elections 17:43  |  Garry 09/05/08   47.   U.S. Jews are quite comfortable speaking out 17:44  |  JS 09/05/08   48.   Wrong premis 17:50  |  Ethan 09/05/08   49.   Reply to David Hoffman in California (Post No. 41) 17:56  |  Johnny Weintraub 09/05/08   50.   What a crock of sh#t 18:02  |  GHook93 09/05/08   51.   U.S. must be nice to Hizbullah and Hamas 18:16  |  BG 09/05/08   52.   Obama`s Threshold 18:20  |  bart 09/05/08   53.   Question Mark 18:22  |  raul gilberto 09/05/08   54.   Simplistic and Just Plain Wrong 18:31  |  David Berlyne 09/05/08   55.   obama the baal tshuva 18:35  |  hamayvin yavin 09/05/08   56.   # 37 phillyjew (1) 19:05  |  Swiss (Dino) 09/05/08   57.   Jews bending over to stay neutral?! WHA???!! 19:13  |  VOTER! 09/05/08   58.   One`s right to be Anti-Israel 19:20  |  Ariel 09/05/08   59.   # 37 phillyjew (2) 19:20  |  Swiss (Dino) 09/05/08   60.   Respond to El-Birawi 19:24  |  TOBia 09/05/08   61.   Once you`ve thrown the dynamite... 19:37  |  worldly mother 09/05/08   62.   Pfeffer right on 19:37  |  hollingsworth 09/05/08   63.   45 Harold,Obama`s interview with CNN on May 8 was revealing! 19:37  |  lakshmi 09/05/08   64.   This whole premise is complete B.S. 19:44  |  Joshua 09/05/08   65.   Obama is Snake but, Mc$ain? 19:47  |  Leah Vanatta Fisher 09/05/08   66.   Garry, Jews influence on US 19:47  |  Harold 09/05/08   67.   Question mark 19:58  |  raul gilberto 09/05/08   68.   Islam`s 19:59  |  Leah Vanatta Fisher 09/05/08   69.   #47 JS - Well said. #18 Swiss(Dino) - Not. 19:59  |  JP 09/05/08   70.   Potobac 20:12  |  Leah Vanatta Fisher