In video: Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Prime Minister's Office)
In a difficult meeting at the Israeli embassy in Washington about two weeks ago, senior officials from several Jewish organizations in the United States warned that racist or extreme measures by the new government in Jerusalem could significantly damage support for Israel among American Jewry, according to six sources who participated in the meeting or were informed about its content.
why is it important
A senior Israeli official said that the meeting at the embassy represented the serious concern among the major Jewish organizations in the United States about a possible rift with Israel following the new government's policy towards world Jewry and democratic values.
The meeting held on December 7 was attended by representatives of several organizations from the mainstream of American Jewry, which are the backbone of the pro-Israel community in the United States and are considered permanent contacts of the Israeli missions in the country.
warn his new government.
Netanyahu (Photo: Reuven Castro)
In the news center
The representatives of the Jewish organizations were invited to a meeting with the head of the Diaspora Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Shuli Davidovich.
The latter asked to hear from them about the moods in the Jewish community regarding the political developments in Israel.
The meeting took place in the middle of the coalition negotiations between the Likud and the ultra-orthodox parties and the far-right parties, and a few days after the signing of the coalition agreement that gave Knesset member Avi Maoz powers over the external educational programs in the schools.
According to the sources who participated in the meeting, it took place in a difficult atmosphere and almost all the representatives of the Jewish organizations present raised concerns about the policy of the new government in Israel.
Some of the concerns that were raised related to the issue of religious pluralism in Israel and the possibility that the Law of Return will be changed and severe as well as the Conversion Law, in a way that could have a negative impact on the Jewish community in the United States.
Most coalition members support narrowing the Law of Return so that it will not allow the grandchildren of Jews and their spouses to obtain Israeli citizenship.
Such a move could affect many Jews around the world, including in the United States.
Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with the NBC network earlier this month that he will not allow the Law of Return to be changed, but in the coalition agreements there is a clause, according to which a committee will be established to examine the issue.
The Jewish leaders who participated in the meeting also raised concerns about Netanyahu's partners from the extreme right - Itamar Ben Gabir and Bezalel Smotrich - who voiced racist positions and support for Jewish supremacy, as well as about Avi Maoz - who spoke out against the rights of the LGBT community.
Behind the Scenes
According to sources who attended the meeting, some of the representatives of the Jewish organizations said that racist policies, moves that would harass conservative and reform Jews, and measures that would harm the LGBT community could harm donations to Israel from the Jewish community in the United States and cause young American Jews to distance themselves from Israel and not express support for it.
Some of the participants in the meeting even warned of a scenario in which American Jews would organize demonstrations in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington to protest against the Israeli government or parts of it, according to four sources who were present at the meeting or were informed about its content.
"During the meeting there were those who said that the Jewish community in the United States might send hundreds of people on airplanes to Israel to demonstrate in Jerusalem," said one of the sources.
Sources who attended the meeting said the overall message was that the new Israeli government's policies could make the work that Jewish organizations in the United States are doing to mobilize support for Israel more difficult.
"We told them (the people of the Israeli Foreign Ministry) that we came to warn them that things could develop in a bad direction and that they should be aware and prepare for it," said one of the participants in the meeting.
Extremist elements will damage the support from American Jews. A stronghold (Photo: Reuven Castro)
the other side
The Foreign Ministry officials who participated in the meeting were surprised by the harsh messages and tried to calm the representatives of the Jewish organizations.
They asked them to wait and see what the government's policy would be, and promised to convey their messages to the incoming government, according to two sources present at the meeting.
Two senior officials at the Foreign Ministry said that shortly after the meeting with the representatives of the Jewish organizations, Davidovitch informed the Israeli ambassador in Washington Mike Herzog and the consuls general of Israel in the United States, who were present at the time at the conference at the Israeli embassy in Washington.
Davidovich said she left the meeting with the representatives of the organizations shocked and very worried.
When Davidovich returned to Israel, she updated the Foreign Ministry management on the details of the meeting with the representatives of the Jewish organizations and emphasized again that she was very worried, according to a senior official at the Foreign Ministry.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Hait refused to comment.
What next
The representatives of the Jewish organizations said during the meeting that they are interested in meeting with Netanyahu after he takes office, in order to discuss with him directly the concerns they have regarding the new government's policies.
news
Political-political
Tags
United States
The jewish community
American Jewry