They said it couldn’t be done. Members of Congress are circulating an "unprecedented" letter criticizing Israel for legislation under consideration in the Knesset. Which legislation? The bill criminalizing boycotts? The effort to revoke MK Haneen Zoubi’s parliamentary privileges? Nope. The Jerusalem Post reports:
A US senator has taken the rare step of drafting a letter expressing concern about Israel’s pending conversion legislation, underscoring the wide dismay the bill has triggered in the American Jewish community.
The letter from Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), understood to be addressed to Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Oren, outlines apprehensions over the bill’s language, according to sources familiar with the text. It is circulating for signatures from additional Jewish senators before being delivered to the embassy.
Caley Gray, communications director for Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-New Jersey), one of the senators signing the letter, explained that “Senator Lautenberg hopes the Knesset does not pass this legislation, which he views as divisive.”
Sen. Carl Levin (D- Michigan), who met with concerned American Jewish officials Tuesday, said, "I am troubled by a proposal which I believe would make it more difficult for many people who want to convert to Judaism to do so."
Oren is also expected to receive an earful on the subject when he talks with several Jewish members of Congress Thursday at a meeting originally scheduled to follow up on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s recent visit.
Really? The Nentanyahu government continues to thumb its nose at the US and this is what gets US government officials’ hackles up?
In a way it makes sense I guess as it seems to be an issue for their constituents, but it does seem like a strange way to use US tax payer dollars – arguing with a foreign country to protect the rights of people who don’t live there. A source quoted in the piece says, "There’s an overwhelming feeling among Jewish members of Congress and Jewish senators that the conversion bill is offensive to them and is exclusionary in that it disenfranchises and disrespects 85% of Jews in the US.” US Jews being disenfranchised in Israel? Does this make sense to anyone else?
It’s interesting to see the lobby bring Congress into a fight that is essentially between Israel and diaspora Jews, but not surprisingly, of course, the elephant in the room continues to get ignored.
