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By Morton A. Klein
(MARCH 2, 2023 / JERUSALEM POST) Several days ago, I returned to the U.S. from attending the annual leadership mission of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in Israel, along with leaders of other American Jewish organizations that are members of the Conference.
The mission’s sole purpose was supposed to be to learn directly from Israel’s key elected leaders about vital and serious issues that confront Israel, so that American Jewish leaders can be better informed when they address their communities, the media and Congress back in the U.S.
It is painful for me to report that the Conference’s directors violated the leadership mission’s purpose, by refusing to give podiums to the major elected ministers and Israeli leaders who are in the forefront of promoting Israel’s judicial, anti-terror and other reforms: Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and MK Simcha Rothman, chair of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee.
The directors also violated their policy of supporting the democratically elected government of Israel. They had supported the Oslo Accords and Gaza withdrawal despite the controversy of these policies because of their policy to support the government of Israel.
Why were critical leaders left out of the conference?
The Conference’s directors’ refusal to have a session with these important current leaders on such critical issues – a form of “cancel culture” – was an enormous missed opportunity to learn from, ask challenging questions to, and exchange views with the judicial and anti-terror reforms’ originators.
Americans are being inundated with misinformed, bald claims that the reforms are “undemocratic.” Shouldn’t American leaders have had the opportunity to hear from the Israeli leaders and originators who are in the best position to explain why the reforms would in fact make Israel safer, more democratic, and more like American democracy?
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