JERUSALEM—The Washington Post reports former U.S. ambassador to Israel Dan Kurtzer (now a professor at Princeton University) and former Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Moshe Arens, recently launched the Knesset Caucus for Israel-U.S. Relations. The intention is to educate members of the Knesset about America’s official policies and “attitudes” toward Israel and to boost positive relations with American Jewish organizations. Many of those organizations have become increasingly vocal in protesting Israeli policies which seem to counter democratic principles—like equal rights for women and the treatment of refugees from genocide.
The Ruderman Family Foundation, which promotes America-Israeli relations, found, in a survey done just before the Caucus was organized, that many Israelis believe American Jews have a strong influence on American policy—and that the Knesset should basically ignore what Americans have to say. In addition to Jewish groups with influence, they also consider the role of Christian groups in shaping policy.
Jay Ruderman, the Foundation’s president, said, “It is essential for Israeli leaders to understand the American Jewish community, since the majority of worldwide Jewry is split between Israel and the U.S.“Israel relies on the political, military and diplomatic support of the United States, and the American Jewish community is responsible in large part for this support, so it makes sense from a strategic viewpoint for Israeli leaders to understand this important community’s connection to Israel and the changes that may be occurring in that connection.”
At their first meeting in Jerusalem recently, the Caucus concluded that “Israel can no longer afford to be complacent about its special status in Washington.” Kurtzer discussed how foreign policy priorities are changing for the U.S. and that there was “declining support for Israel among younger U.S. Jews.” He pointed to groups who care about Israel, but criticize her policies, offering J-Street and Peter Beinart’s Open Zion blog as prime examples. He also told top echelon Israeli politicians and officials that they were “far too critical of U.S. policies and its view of the occupation” and said they should not be calling the effort to bring both parties to a negotiating table a failure before it even gets off the ground.
Nacham Shai, head of the Caucus, told reporters, “Our intent is to reveal to MKs the depth of relations between the two countries,” Shai explained. “The U.S. and Israel have shared values and interests that draw us together. We hope that by broadening their knowledge and familiarizing Knesset members with the U.S. community, this will help MKs in their parliamentary roles.”
The Post concluded its report thusly: “The underlying message of the Caucus’ founding is that, after 65 years of close strategic ties, it’s high time Israeli parliamentarians better understand what the U.S. wants from them.”
