Thread by @AnshelPfeffer

I've been writing for weeks on the abomination of the legitimization of the Kahanists by the Bibi-brokered pact between them and Jewish Home, so of course I'm glad that mainstream Jewish organizations like AIPAC and AJC are finally coming out against it. But consider this...>>

Of all strands of Israeli political ideology, the only one that came from the US is Kahanism. Of course, JDL were always only a tiny minority, but why haven't the much more prevalent American-Jewish values of liberalism and Tikkun Olam made Aliyah in the same way Kahanism did?>>

The only Israeli political movement where American Jews are well-represented is the settlers. In the next Knesset, the only Jewish-American immigrant will be Breitbart columnist Caroline Glick (assuming New Right get enough seats). Where is the American-Jewish liberal majority?>>

I'm not blaming liberal American Jews for not making Aliya. I believe in a strong independent Diaspora and Jews' right to decide where to make their home. Kahanism is originally an American ideology, but it flourished in Israel, for which Israelis should be taking the blame. But>

There's another powerful force in Israeli politics, which is impossible to imagine without support from American Jews, The Bibi Ascendancy. I disagree with the Bibi-is-American line of some of his critics. He was educated in the US but at 18 and 28 he chose to return to Israel>>

Netanyahu's meteoric political rise and his longevity in power owes a lot to American Jews. Not just the heavy financial backing of Jewish Republican donors, but the unstinting support he received across the board, for many years, from Jewish Democrats as well. A rude awakening>>

American Jews who are now, rightly, criticizing Netanyahu's pact with the Kahanists would do well to reflect on their part in this. I wrote in this essay, based on my #BibiBiography how they have been Bibi's willing enablers, and never got anything back.
forward.com/opinion/400112…

Ultimately, American Jewish influence on Israel is limited. As it should be. Only voting citizens should have real influence. But they wield indirect influence by supporting Israeli politicians. Netanyahu doesn't care what they think of him now, but he won't be around forever>>

The lesson for US Jews from the sorry saga of their one-sided relationship with Netanyahu should be not to rush and embrace his successor, whoever that is. If they want any influence with Israel's next leader, they should do their due diligence and make their concerns known now.

I'm sorry this seems to have offended some American Olim. Kahane doesn't represent any of you and I never said he does. If anything, it's to the credit of US Jews that if Kahane had stayed in the US, he'd have been forgotten long ago. Israelis are to blame for his endurance.