Israel/Palestine
Related: About this forumAmerican Jews are taking back their power from Israel
http://mondoweiss.net/2015/03/american-taking-israelThe last month has seen the greatest change in the US relationship with Israel in more than 40 years, maybe since the 1973 war, or possibly even Suez, or the creation of the state. We see President Obama repeatedly faulting the Israeli prime ministers conduct, politicians boycotting the Israeli p.m.s speech in Washington, and suggestions in the official press that Democrats are going to run against Israel in the next election season. The 1991 fight between George Bush and Yitzhak Shamir that helped elect Bill Clinton and Rabin doesnt approach what we are seeing today. Yesterday the White House chief of staff got rousing cheers in Washington from J Street, the liberal Zionist group, as he slammed Israel as an occupier: An occupation that has lasted for almost 50 years must end.
Why is this rupture happening now? Why didnt it happen during any number of earlier provocations, from the building of Har Homa settlement outside Jerusalem to the fomenting of the Iraq war to the slaughter of Cast Lead?
This moment must be seen primarily as a generational Jewish moment. Our politicians and newspapers are speaking out because they are licensed by a segment of the official Jewish community that is deeply troubled by Israels behavior. In 1967, American Jews fell in love with Israel and made a solemn promise to protect the country through thick and thin. Nearly fifty years later the same community is reconsidering that vow. What we are seeing is a transfer of power from the Israeli Jewish community to the Diaspora Jewish community that Benjamin Netanyahu failed to anticipate even as he precipitated it. This transfer will not be reversed, and it marks the end of the traditional Israel lobby, though not the end of the special relationship between the countries.
Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)vlakitti
(401 posts)Please.
rpannier
(24,350 posts)Look at the Cuban community in South Florida
Most of the outrage at opening up with Cuba comes from older people.
Younger people, in many instances, don't have the same attitudes. They don't have a bottle of champagne in their fridge waiting for the day that Fidel passes away.
You see it in Korea as well.
Many younger people see North Korea as a separate country. They want reunification, but aren't willing to go to war to make it happen
nxylas
(6,440 posts)But does this mean that the rest of us will be able to criticize Bibi Netanyahu and Likud without being accused of anti-Semitism?
Response to nxylas (Reply #4)
Post removed
Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)nxylas
(6,440 posts)Either a genuine anti-semite or a Likudnik masquerading as one in order to discredit critics of the Israeli right.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)People criticize Netanyahu and Likud repeatedly here (and everywhere) without being accused of anti-semitism.
It's only when actual anti-semitism is included that people are accused of same (and sometimes not even then).
BeanMusical
(4,389 posts)oberliner
(58,724 posts)Now that is perfect. This is literally the perfect Mondoweiss article by Mr. Mondoweiss himself.