When an historic nuclear agreement with Iran was announced on July 14, Israel’s Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, immediately lambasted it as a “historic mistake.” He then warned that Israel would not be bound by it, and pledged to lobby Congress to oppose it. And he did so after claiming that this opposition was on behalf of “the entire Jewish people.”
Soon after, a host of American Jewish organizations, including those pluralistic institutions which are supposed to represent the broader American Jewish community, took up Netanyahu’s mantle, pledging to oppose the Iran deal on account of the (claimed) danger it poses to Israel. Unsurprisingly, so too did AIPAC, which so far has raised $30 million for its massive lobbying effort to kill the agreement, including television spots in 40 states.
When J Street expressed support for the deal, Jeffrey Goldberg – who has long predicted Israel would bomb Iran and opposes the deal – wondered aloud if those Jews who support it could be considered ‘pro-Israel,’ given the Israeli government’s opposition.
From Netanyahu to AIPAC to Goldberg, the unspoken assumption was that the American Jewish community – and certainly those Jews who care about Israel – overwhelmingly opposed the deal. And those who supported it? Well, they were anything from not sufficiently ‘pro-Israel’ to self-hating Jews who want to see Israel destroyed.
But guess what? A poll just released, overseen by the country’s preeminent sociologist and pollster who focuses on the Jewish community, Steven M. Cohen, shows that the overwhelming majority of U.S. Jews support the Iran deal.
Below are two graphics showing just how strong support for this deal is within the American Jewish community, with 53 percent wanting Congress to approve it (versus 35 percent):
With the vast majority of American Jews supporting President Obama’s diplomatic initiative, and viewing it as adding to Israel’s security, it can only mean one thing: the vast majority of Jews in this country must be self-hating.
Or something.
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David Harris-Gershon is author of the memoir What Do You Buy the Children of the Terrorist Who Tried to Kill Your Wife?, published recently by Oneworld Publications.
Follow him on Twitter @David_EHG.
Like most of those for or againsr the deal, you fail to discuss the details of it. I’m more concerned about Iran holding up its end of the bsrgain, not the popularity of the deal. Many Israelis are deeply concerned, but living under the shadow of Iran gives them that right. As one who has deep ties in Israel, I have concerns add well and will only judged the deal’s effectiveness over time. One again your blog is meanigless.
America Jews also overwhelmingly do not share your views on BDS, or find common cause with your unrelenting Israel-bashing.
I would like to know something about how this study was conducted. I am a Liberal Democrat and I oppose any deal with Iran that doesn’t control their terrorist activities. I can’t believe that I am in the minority among Jews.
I read and hear so much about Israelis being ‘deeply concerned … living under the shadow if Iran’. Or so much of how Iran ‘lies’ and ‘can’t be trusted’.
While no doubt this feeling is strongly present among many — hardly anyone mentions the fears of Iran — and other countries in the region too — living for so long under the shadow of a nuclear Israel which CONTINUES to deny they have these bombs.
Which one then is a liar-nation?
And those repeated citings of ‘proof’ because of one irresponsible leader’s ranting and comments of wiping out another nation. Surely even without the ugly spoken comments, another nation through its ugly actions can ‘say’ the very same thing?!
Let us all wake up. If there is duplicity, it is on both sides. Let’s stop painting one right and one wrong.
Israel has NEVER threatened to wipe Iran or anyone else off the map. NEVER. That cannot be said about Iran, Hezbollah or Hamas. Those rantings are juts a one time thing, but a content. It was repeated this week after the agreement is finalized. I am on board with the agreement, but one should not leave any doubts Iran’s long term desires. Nice try with a diversion, but it is a BIG fail
Without inspections, Iran will produce a nuclear weapon.
With inspections they probably won’t.
Five nations plus Iran worked tirelessly to come up with this Agreement.
There is no going back to the table.
If the U.S.A. does not approve the Agreement, China, Russia, United Kingdom, and France will
still lift the sanctions. And, the inspections will not take place. Iran will then have no incentive to
curtail development of a nuclear weapon.
When it comes to protecting Israel, the Agreement is the best way to protect Israel by
having inspections that will prevent them from developing a nuclear weapon.
Without the Agreement, what is the alternative? WAR WAR WAR. The U.S.A. can’t afford
another war. The same crew which got us into the $3 Trillion PLUS Iraq War with
LIES LIES and More LIES and which has cost over 500,000 lives is the same crew who
are now supporting WAR with Iran.
Ask yourself, “What do we have to lose by supporting this Agreement?”