Obama and Kerry blame Israel for hemorraghing Jewish support

The Obama administration is blaming Israel for blistering criticism that has been leveled at it by American Jews.

The Obama administration is worried that Israel is riling up American Jews, according to a report in the Israeli press. The allegations are detailed in a story headlined, "'US perceives Israel as encouraging anti-Obama backlash among Jews,'" which appears in the Jerusalem Post.

The Post report reads, "A US official close to President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry said both men are disturbed over what is being perceived in their inner circle as 'Jewish activism in Congress' that they think is being encouraged by the Israeli government, Israel Radio reported on Thursday.

"The official has informed Israeli government figures that the president and secretary of state are disappointed over repeated attacks made against them by leading members of the Jewish community in the US.

"According to Israel Radio, Israeli diplomats and foreign officers have warned against this trend. According to officials based in foreign missions, the Israeli government is increasingly being viewed as fanning the flames among American Jews by encouraging them to promote the official government position while making no room for opposing viewpoints."

Joe L, who sent me this story, says that the Obama administration's outrage is misplaced.

Rather than address the legitimate concerns being expressed, the government is outraged ... outraged ... at groups opposing their inane policies.

On the plus side, the wave building against them for the 2014 elections looks like its going to make the 2010 shellacking look like a minor hand slap.

But the whining of anonymous Obama administration officials to the Israeli media is just the tip of the iceberg.  Thursday's Haaretz features an op-ed from none other than Peter Beinart with the outrageous title The only 'leader’ who speaks for American Jews on Iran is Barack Obama. Really? Barack HUSSEIN Obama represents American Jews???? Fortunately, most of it is behind a paywall, so unless you're actually foolish enough to pay for Haaretz, you'd have to look hard to find a free copy available, but this little blurb below the banner ought to give some indication of where the op-ed is heading:

Most American Jews support Obama’s policies on Iran - so in whose name are their so-called 'leaders’ sabotaging his nuclear diplomacy?

That's a straw man if I ever saw one.