This week in power: RJC, Ron Paul, Panetta, Israeli ad

A roundup of the most talked about political and global stories in the Jewish world this week:

GOP candidates on Israel
Republican presidential hopefuls ” title=”http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/12/could-mitt-romney-be-the-first-jewish-president/247882/” target=”_blank”>said Timothy Stanley at The Atlantic. “It’s inevitable that Romney’s foreign policy views should win him some fans among Jewish Republicans, but he also draws a surprising level support among Jewish voters in general when compared to his Republican competitors.” But some warn ” title=”http://www.nysun.com/opinion/ron-paul-will-be-missed-at-forum-of-jewish/87591/” target=”_blank”>said Seth Lipsky in The New York Sun. “Wouldn’t the debate, both within the Jewish community and without, be richer were these kinds of views at least brought up for discussion?” And this isn’t really about Paul’s views at all, ” title=”http://themoderatevoice.com/130544/republican-jewish-coalition-excludes-ron-paul-from-forum-due-to-views/” target=”_blank”>said Joe Gandelman at The Moderate Voice. But some wonder if we would be better served having invited Paul to participate. Jeffrey Lord at The American Spectator ” title=”http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/a-hollywood-wanna-bes-claptrap-about-anti-semitism/2011/12/04/gIQAvfZqVO_blog.html” target=”_blank”>came under fire last week after he said that a form of “new” anti-Semitism has come out of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. “The sense among those who have lambasted Mr Gutman is that to draw a distinction between different varieties of anti-Semitism or to suggest that one variety might be caused or exacerbated by real-world political events is in some way to excuse it,” ” title=”http://www.jewishjournal.com/a_jew/item/was_howard_gutman_right_israel_and_antisemitism_what_do_we_know_39111206/” target=”_blank”>said Dr. Michael Berenbeum in the Jewish Journal, “antisemites are to blame for antisemitism.” What should happen to Gutman? “The reason why Gutman isn’t losing his job is because his opinion is widely held in this administration and by a president who sees Israel as more of a burden than an ally,” ” title=”http://news.yahoo.com/panetta-laments-growing-israeli-isolation-213417363.html” target=”_blank”>encouraged Israel last week to try to patch things up with Turkey, Egypt, and others in the Middle East, and to avoid isolation. “Israel can reach out and mend fences with those who share an interest in regional stability — countries like Turkey and Egypt, as well as Jordan,” he said. “This is not impossible. If the gestures are rebuked, the world will see those rebukes for what they are. And that is exactly why Israel should pursue them.” Is that the President’s stance? “It is true that the Obama administration has provided Israel with significant military resources, including bunker busting bombs. But at the same time it has undercut Israel at every turn short of complete capitulation to the worldwide anti-Israel crusade,” ” title=”http://www.algemeiner.com/2011/12/05/leon-panetta-blames-the-victim/” target=”_blank”>said Abe Foxman at the Algemeiner. “These perceptions can add fuel to the fire of an already raging region. It is urgent that the White House make clear that the secretary’s remarks do not represent the views and position of the administration.”

Israel ads vs. America
A series of ” title=”http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/06/opinion/cohen-come-home-to-israel.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss” target=”_blank”>said The New York Times’ Roger Cohen. They need them. And Israeli shouldn’t take America for granted, ” title=”http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2011/12/israeli-ads?fsrc=rss” target=”_blank”>said an Economist blogger. This episode should awaken us to growing differences and lead us back in the right direction,