As Gary Rosenblatt (and many others who are less inclined to view Benjamin Netanyahu’s decisions as benignly) noted, the prime minister puts his political survival above all else, including Israel’s security, the integrity of the IDF, and Jerusalem’s relations with its only major ally and the American-Jewish community (“For Bibi, A Short-Term Victory,” Editor’s column, May 27).
Recent articles in The Jewish Week have focused on the idea that younger Jews are less supportive of Israel because they are less Jewishly engaged and knowledgeable. There is truth to that. But, when Israel’s ministers like Avigdor Lieberman dismiss the religious beliefs of the majority of American Jews, why would millennials identify with the State of Israel? And actions such as replacing a highly respected, conservative military leader like Moshe Ya’alon with a racist, ultra-nationalist like Lieberman is deeply troubling to even older “affiliated” Jews who have loved Israel all of their lives.
The New York Jewish Week brings you the stories behind the headlines, keeping you connected to Jewish life in New York. Help sustain the reporting you trust by donating today.
