Obama, Netanyahu, and Black-Jewish Relations

I’ve written a forthcoming book, coauthored with my friend Ephraim Isaac, on the history of Jews in relation to Africans and African Americans, entitled: From Abraham to Obama (Africa World Press). The last chapter—on “The Age of Obama”—tries to offer a balanced assessment of the man and the twenty-first century relationship. On the one hand, levels of anti-Jewish sentiment among African Americans, though perhaps declining, continue at higher levels than among whites. On the other hand, although Jewish voters decisively twice supported Obama—who has relied heavily on Jewish advisors, campaign operatives, and fundraisers—their community is deeply divided over the wisdom of his Mideast policies.

When we completed the book’s first draft, Obama’s roller coaster standing in Israel was at a new high, thanks to his 2013 visit during which he embraced the Zionist dream. But when the galleys were being revised, we had to add a sentence that Obama’s standing was again declining in the Jewish state, following the Summer of 2014 Gaza War and heightened U.S.-Israeli tensions. According to the latest poll, Israelis disapprove of Obama by 59 to 33 percent. It would be more like three to one if only Jewish (not Arab) Israelis were counted. Israelis are a contrarian lot: a majority also disapprove of Prime Minister Netanyahu (though approving his speech to Congress)!

While Obama’s approval ratings have been inching back to around 50 percent in the U.S., Netanyahu according to the latest poll is underwater with Americans who disapprove—47 to 30 percent—of his acceptance of an invitation from House Speaker John Boehner to address a joint session of Congress without first getting White House approval. (Two thirds of African Americans and Hispanics disapprove.) A majority of Americans, however, would still approve of the President and Prime Minister meeting.

In terms of Black-Jewish relations, one individual is of transcendent symbolic import. Congressman John Lewis of Georgia is second only to Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., as a Jewish as well as African American hero for his role as a conscience of the civil rights movement of the 1960s when the Black-Jewish civil rights coalition was at its peak. He has taken the lead among members of the Congressional Black Caucus in deciding not to attend Netanyahu’s speech because he considers the protocol lapse disrespectful of the nation’s first African American president. What is “the balance of blame” here? Netanyahu, probably without giving it any thought, has angered many African Americans to whom Jews have longed looked for allies. Yet Obama’s White House, in an apparently calculated move, is discouraging member of the CBC from attending Netanyahu’s speech. The Obama-Netanyahu feud is becoming legendary, yet it’s a shame that it is being allowed to put new strains on Black-Jewish relations.

Of course, there is much more at stake here than Black-Jewish relations. Obama believes his pursuit of rapprochement with the Islamic Republic of Iran will stop its nuclear weapons program at the brink and promote a more stable Mideast. Netanyahu believes Obama’s diplomacy will nuclear empower the fanatical mullahs who have previously threatened “to wipe Israel from the map.” Nobel Peace Prize winner Eli Wiesel favors Netanyahu—despite his missteps—going ahead and making the speech because of the life-and-death existential importance of Iran’s going nuclear. (Perhaps Wiesel and President Obama should have their own summit—with Congressman Lewis moderating!) If Obama proves correct about attainable peace with Iran, his own Nobel Peace Prize will be vindicated. If Netanyahu proves correct, the global history of the Obama Administration is likely to be written very differently.