April 23, 2004

"Policy: Made in Israel"

Democratic nations elect their officials, legislators and spokespersons. They in turn make laws, wars, peace and policy. Non-elected citizens may, and should, speak up and vote, but they do not have the right to make laws or policy. Some American Jews want the President of the United States to ignore or defy the duly elected government of Israel because they disagree with that government’s policies. President Bush and his predecessor Bill Clinton at all times respected the will of the government of Israel. Clinton did precisely what Ehud Barak, Israel’s Prime Minister then, wanted him to do. George W. Bush fulfilled Sharon's request. They did the right thing.

It matters little whether I agree or disagree with Sharon’s Gaza policy. I can campaign against it, but I dare not tell any government to accept my views over those of Israel’s elected officialdom. Nor should American Jews opposed to Israeli government policy tell the President of the United States or the members of Congress to abide by their views in contradiction to the democratically elected officials of the government of Israel.

Many of us are confounded by Sharon's actions. Likud will soon vote for or against its leader’s policies. The Knesset will have to do the same, and a national referendum may be held as well, but the decisions will be made by those in the line of fire and not from the American grandstands. American Jews with an interest in Israel’s public policy who want to be heard should become Israeli citizens and taxpayers and subject themselves to draft in the Israeli Defense Force.

The American President was elected to govern the United States, not Israel. American Jews voting in this country have every right to give their vote to the candidate they consider a better friend to Israel. But the American voter does not have the right to tell a president to go against the elected leader of a democracy. Only the people of Israel can determine policy as they choose a candidate to fulfill their wishes. The majority rules. President Bush’s support of Sharon’s plan to withdraw unilaterally from Gaza was both responsible and courageous. Bush cannot be accused of playing to his party’s religious flank as they oppose ceding land to the Arabs. Bush gave his support to Sharon because he was supporting the wishes of Israeli voters.

Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair was unhappy with the American President’s decision. American presidents and British Prime ministers make policy in a markedly different way. Historically, the British Empire neither respected democracy nor the will of the people in any land other than its own. This old colonial power hangs on to American coattails only when it suits her.

George W. Bush may have political motives behind his actions. He would like to win New York, Illinois, California and Florida in this year’s election. Winning these states will give him a decisive victory. He cannot, however, achieve this goal without a greater number of Jewish votes. Approximately 80 percent of Jewish votes in these pivotal states in the last presidential election went to the Democrats. Bush’s strong support for Israel’s right to defend itself and his respect for the government’s policies could provide at least another four or five percent of Jewish votes, which would put him over the top.

Senator Kerry, the presumptive Democrat nominee, could easily remove Israel from the campaign debate. All he needs to do is commit to following Israel’s duly elected leaders, and thus support the wishes of the voting majority in the Jewish state. I would love to hear some significant reaction from Senator Kerry about Sharon’s policies. I would hope he would make a fair and realistic commitment to support the wishes of the democratically elected leader.

Israel is different from other countries and must always be different. It is the Jewish state whose mandate is to perpetuate and protect the Jewish people and nurture their faith and culture. I pray each day for Mashiach to come and establish a "Torahcratic" government. Until that day, Israel must be allowed to function as a democratic government.

Shabbat Shalom