The citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy—a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship.
It is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if it were the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights, for, happily, the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.
...
May the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell in this land continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants—while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid.--George Washington (1790) Washington’s Letter to the Hebrew Congregations of Newport, Rhode Island
To the best of my knowledge, the state of Israel has not expressed public concern yet over either the increased visibility of neo-nazis and antisemitism Stateside in the wake of Trump's victory and the sense, reinforced by some campaign themes, of receptivity to (or at least no active discouragement of) antisemitism and racialized ideas among some of Trump's advisers. Perhaps, (i) this is due to the fact that the issue did not receive much attention in Israel during the campaign. Perhaps, (ii) this is due to a kind of quiet satisfaction that the Democrats, who under President Obama have been perceived to be critical of Netanyahu's government (despite continued arms sales), have been defeated. Moreover, (iib) Trump has campaigned as resolutely pro-Israel (including a promise to move America's embassy to Jerusalem), and his closest advisers express admiration for the State of Israel. Perhaps, (iii) this quiet is due to a kind of hope that with an influential Jewish son-in-law, Jared Kushner, antisemitism will be kept in check in Trump's administration. And, perhaps, while Netanyahu's government of Israel is not shy about meddling in US politics, (iv) there is a reticence to get off on the wrong foot with a powerful ally, who, moreover, seems hostile to two of Israel's strategic rivals (Iran and Saudi Arabia). Finally, perhaps, (v) Israel's intelligence community thinks the likely threat to America's Jews is ultimately rather modest. These point (i-v) are not incompatible and may mutually support each other. But I am worried about another option.
Let's stipulate for the sake of argument that Trump is not an antisemitic himself, and that his administration will pursue a pro-Israel policy. Even so, that's compatible with, say, an increasing influence and power of nativist and antisemitic elements Stateside. After all, one can be pro-Israel and against local Jews. And this gets me to the option I am worried about.
A core intuition of some strands of Zionism is that antisemitism is ineliminable; and that Enlightenment projects that think otherwise are not just hopelessly naive, but, in fact, obtuse about the fact that antisemitism can thrive in purportedly Enlightenment polities as the unintended byproducts of the (Enlightened/liberal) policies they pursue. This was pretty much Herzl's position. (The point is, of course, significant for other minority groups under liberalism, too.) This entails that the Zionist project sees itself confirmed in the renewed openness of American antisemitism. From that vantage point, American Jews are hopelessly naive to have bought into a kind of American exceptionalism.
And this brings me to the central concern. The financial, moral, political, and intellectual support of America's Jews has been vital to Israel's establishment and survival. This has remained the case despite serious concern by many (if not the majority of) America's Jews over the State of Israel's policies toward Palestinians. But from the perspective of the Zionist project America's Jews ultimately belong in Israel, where they would provide a demographic and economic boost.*
The previous paragraph may sound unduly cynical about Israel's calculation. But pretty much some such calculation was behind Netanyahu's call for European Jews to migrate to Israel en masse in the wake of various terror attack last year. That is to say, Israel's interests and the interests of America's Jews qua Americans may well be drifting apart in decisive ways. I pray I am wrong about this.
Of course, if we do see a mass exodus of American Jews to Israel one wonders if they would vote for Bibi.
*UPDATE: Sam Fleischacker called my attention to this article, which is very similar to my analysis.
Comments