However, until the current government, the Likud coalition has always included other parties with whom American Jews could more easily identify - be it Yair Lapid, Tzipi Livni, Ehud Barak or Shimon Peres. The second reason for this recent change in American Jewish attitudes toward Israeli government policies has to do with the ongoing gulf between American Jewry and Israel a gulf that has been a challenge through most of the nearly 40 years (with short interruptions) of Likud rule in Israel.ДЄmerican Jews are mostly liberal democrats. Most popular: WorldвЂ™s Sharpest Laser Created by Scientists Can Travel 2 Million Miles Before It FaltersДЄmerican Jews received the message loud and clear from Netanyahu- You no longer have a seat at the table.

While the accepted wisdom among the majority of Jews object to diaspora Jewry interjecting regarding security-related matters, it has always widely been accepted that when it came to issues concerning Jewish peoplehood or religious matters, diaspora Jews have an equal stake, and therefore must have a seat at the table.ДЄs a result, to many diaspora Jews- including the modern-Orthodox - Netanyahu's decision to abrogate the Western Wall agreement was not so much about the agreement, but rather the disenfranchisement his actions caused.

Thus, until now, there has been almost wall-to-wall support for AIPAC (who blindly backs whatever Israeli government is in power) with only a minority of American Jews supporting JStreet, (which takes a more critical approach to Israeli government policy) There has always been a dispute on what role American Jews should have in Israeli policy - with many opposing the notion that diaspora Jews, who do not live here, and whose children do not go into the army, should make security decisions for Israel. The idea that after 30 years of fighting over a small but symbolic matter, all the time, effort and trust could all be thrown dismissively away was something American Jewish communal leaders could not countenance. The first and simplest answer: After the dispute over prayer at the Western War had gone on for decades and an agreement was reached, one requiring all sides to compromise, the fact that Netanyahu could unilaterally abrogate the agreement, upholding the position of the opposing side, was just too much. How can this sudden willingness of American Jewish leadership to confront the Israeli government be explained? The leadership of AIPAC, the primary lobby on behalf of Israel, (which receives much of its support from the Jewish community,) flew to Israel for an emergency meeting with Netanyahu on Thursday to discuss how much damage his recent actions had caused.Дon't miss: Google Grant Seeks to Curb Gun Violence in 10 U.S.

According to Gordis, only once the average Israeli begins to feel the pain will the government take diaspora Jewry seriously. Gordis called on American Jews to disinvite Netanyahu and other Knesset ministers from all meetings, and do the same with Israeli consulate officials stop giving money to Israeli hospitals and stop traveling on El Al IsraelвЂ™s flag carrier, all to put pressure on the Israeli government.

Utterly appalls