U.S. Jewish groups in rare criticism of Obama's Israel policies

Mainstream U.S. Jewish organizations, keen to maintain their relationships with the White House, largely have been reluctant to criticize the Obama administration's Middle East policies since Barack Obama entered office in 2008.

However, the White House's recent pledge to "re-evaluate" the U.S.-Israel relationship following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decisive victory during last month's elections has prompted unusual statements of concern from major U.S. Jewish leaders regarding Obama's treatment of Israel.

Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, was a critic of Netanyahu's decision to address a joint session of Congress regarding the Iranian threat, a speech that a few Democratic lawmakers went so far as to boycott.

Last week, Foxman said he was "even more troubled" by the "statements now coming out of the White House calling for a reassessment of policy toward Israel."

While expressing dissatisfaction with some of Netanyahu's recent statements about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Foxman stressed that "none of this, however, justifies what we are hearing from the Obama administration."

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"Their reactions raise deeper questions about their intentions and perspectives," he said.

American Jewish Committee leader David Harris, a critic of some of Netanyahu's policies, told the Jerusalem Post that the fact "that the outcome of a Democratic election in Israel seems to be of great concern" to the Obama administration "is cause for deep anxiety and puzzlement."

"Whatever the failings of the prime minister, the way this is unfolding runs completely contrary to the spirit of U.S.-Israel relations," Harris added. "The U.S. appears to have a reasoned interest in prolonging the crisis."

Rabbi Yitz Greenberg, former chairman of the United States Holocaust Museum, singled out Obama's negotiations with Iran, which the staunch Democrat claimed "appeases Iran and enables it to arrive at nuclear breakout status."

"This is a disaster for the Middle East and an existential threat to Israel's existence." Greenberg said.

The unusual criticism of Obama is hitting the pulpits as well.

Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, leader of of Manhattan’s influential Kehilath Jeshurun, was an early supporter of the Oslo Process, which called for negotiations leading to Israeli land withdrawals for the creation of a Palestinian state.

The Jewish Press reported Lookstein recently told his congregants: "I try to steer clear of politics in my sermons and messages to the community. There are times, however, when an exception should be made. ... One of those times is now when reports are coming from the administration in Washington of a need for reassessing the Israel/United States relationship."

He went on to endorse a piece by syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer, who wrote that "there is zero chance" that a Palestinian state at peace with Israel could be established "now or even soon."

Lookstein opined that the Krauthammer column "presents with utmost clarity an assessment of the reassessment."

"It deserves the attention of all of us."

Benjamin Korn, chairman of the Religious Zionists of America, first wrote about the trend of U.S. Jewish leaders expressing concern with Obama at an opinion column last week posted at the Algemeiner.com website.

Korn told WND: "Since he first campaigned for president, Barack Obama has played a subtle game with the Jewish community. He’s always insisted he’s fully committed to Israel’s safety, even while provoking constant fights with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

"But now," Korn added, "with Obama now threatening to throw Israel under the bus at the U.N., even liberal Jewish groups are shocked and beginning to speak up.”

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest affirmed to reporters last month the U.S. will “re-evaluate our approach” toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after Netanyahu made election remarks appearing to back away from support for a Palestinian state.

That message was directly conveyed to Netanyahu during a phone call with Obama last week, according to a White House official speaking to the New York Times.

On the eve of the elections, Netanyahu stated in a video interview with Israel’s NRG news website: “I think that anyone who's going to establish a Palestinian state today and evacuate lands is giving away territory to be used by radical Islamists to attack Israel.”

He said anyone “who ignores this is sticking his head in the sand.”

“The left does this time and time again,” Netanyahu said. “We are realistic and understand.”

The interviewer asked Netanyahu specifically if he meant that a Palestinian state would not be established under his premiership if he were re-elected.

“Correct,” he replied.

Netanyahu has since given numerous interviews to the international media explaining he still supports a two-state solution. He said his election comments did not conflict with his acceptance of a roadmap aimed at creating a Palestinian state.

Instead, Netanyahu related, his remarks were expressing concern with the timing of creating such a state while the region undergoes turmoil and Israel finds itself threatened by Hamas in Gaza, by ISIS militants fighting Iranian Revolutionary Guards to the north and ISIS allies arrested in the strategic West Bank.

Netanyahu affirmed to NBC News: "I don't want a one-state solution. I want a sustainable, peaceful, two-state solution."

Yet Obama has persisted in his criticism of Netanyahu.

“We take him at his word when he said that it wouldn't happen during his prime ministership, and so that's why we've got to evaluate what other options are available to make sure that we don't see a chaotic situation in the region."