Nonetheless, it is heartbreaking to see an American administration that is more concerned about silencing Israel than protecting it. Heartbreaking, but also deeply worrisome, because the tactics that Obama has been employing, from leaking information to embarrass Israel to bitterly censuring the head of government of the Jewish state, could easily open the door to a resurgence of anti-Semitism.
If Obama is miffed that Netanyahu will be speaking to Congress, then why not first listen to what the premier has to say and then respond to it? Why turn up the heat now, exacerbate bilateral tensions and deploy such sharp rhetoric?
To be sure, anti-Semitism in the United States has been steadily declining over the past decade, with just 9% of Americans reportedly holding anti-Semitic views according to the ADL. But their surveys also show that 31% of American adults believe that “Jews are more loyal to Israel” than to America or the countries in which they live. By heightening the fuss and worsening the rift with Israel over a crucial, existential issue such as Iran’s nuclear program, Obama is fanning some flames that may prove difficult to extinguish. And that, most assuredly, is in nobody’s interest.
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