Israel Matzav: Most Israelis think views of American Jews on 'peace process' should not be taken seriously

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Most Israelis think views of American Jews on 'peace process' should not be taken seriously

When I saw the headline of this article - 32% of Israelis think US Jews should stay out of peace process - I was going to headline my post "That's all?"

But then I saw the blurb under the headline:

Poll finds nearly a quarter of Israelis are against accepting input from American Jewry on religious issues, but 66.3% of Israelis see the US Jewish community as having a positive influence on Israel's national security.

I decided that the 'nearly a quarter' was even more suspicious, and decided I'd better read the article before I start posting. I wonder if the JPost editor who wrote the headline did the same....

Of the Israelis polled, 31.9 percent think Israeli leaders should not take into account the positions of American Jews on the peace process at all, and 33.6% said US Jewry’s views should be considered to a small extent. Only 21.6% called for those views to be taken into account to a great extent, and 9.4 to a very great extent.

In other words, 65.5% of Israelis think that American Jews' opinions on the 'peace process' should be given little or no account. And that's as it should be. It's our lives on the line - not yours (or theirs).

And on the religious issue...

On religious issues, such as conversion or the government’s relations with the Conservative and Reform movements, 24% of Israelis were against taking US Jewry’s positions into account, and 30.6% said they should be considered to a small extent. Still, Israelis are more willing to accept input from American Jews on religious issues than on the peace process, with 25.1% saying it should be taken into account to a great extent and 15.2% responding to a very great extent.

In other words, 54.6% of Israelis think that American Jews' opinions on conversion and on the Conservative and Reform movements should be given little or no account. And again. If you want to have the right to express an opinion about how we run our country, you ought to live here.

Yes, I express opinions about the US all the time. But I still file tax returns in the US every year and I'm still entitled to vote in the US (at least in federal elections). Let me stop filing tax returns and I won't have any more right than a Kenyan to express an opinion about the US.

And by the way, we still love you anyway, and we want you to love us too.

According to the poll’s results, 66.3% of Israelis see the Jewish community in the US as having a very or somewhat positive influence on Israel’s national security.

In addition, 76% of Israelis responded that American Jewry’s support for Israel in the future will remain at the level it is today or even grow stronger. However, when asked whether American Jews feel a meaningful connection to Israel, 51% felt that half or less than half of US Jewry feel that connection.

But love us like you love your adult children who make their own decisions, and not like your younger children for whom you still decide everything.

Read the whole thing.

Labels: American Jewish indifference to Israel, American Jewish support for Israel, American Jews, Conservative rabbis, Jewish converts, Middle East peace process, Union for Reform Judaism