Obama anti-Israel?

*By: Jim Meyers*

President Barack Obama’s anti-Semitism “czar” Hannah Rosenthal has been
castigated by Jewish leaders for publicly criticizing Israel’s
Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren.

The flap began when the Israeli embassy said Oren would not attend a
conference hosted by J Street, an advocacy group based in the U.S. that
promotes American leadership to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

The embassy asserted that Oren would not attend because J Street
supports positions that may “impair Israel’s interest.” In fact, the
American Israeli Action Coalition (AIAC) has stated that J Street is “a
radical, far left, anti-Israel, American organization funded by Arab and
radical sources" which "has been almost universally condemned by
mainstream Jewish organizations."

Rosenthal, a member of J Street’s advisory panel before being appointed
by Obama to head the Office To Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, called
Oren’s decision “most unfortunate.” She also said he would have “learned
a lot” at the conference, and criticized him for pointing out to an
assembly of Jewish leaders that J Street was “fooling around with the
lives of 7 million people.”

The AIAC has responded to her criticism by calling for Rosenthal’s ouster.
Harvey Schwartz, AIAC’s chairman, stated: “As a high ranking member of
the Obama administration, Rosenthal’s criticism of the Israeli
Ambassador to the U.S. is beyond bizarre, and highly offensive in the
extreme. It is a virulent anti-Israel attack which AIAC interprets to be
anti-Semitic.

"That the State Department took the highly unusual step of announcing
its 'complete support' for Rosenthal confirms that she was expressing
the views of the Obama administration. Contrary to her duty to fight
anti-Semitism, Rosenthal used her bully pulpit to advance it. This is
deplorable.

“Even more deplorable is the Obama administration’s public slap at
Israel, utilizing Rosenthal as its mouthpiece,” Schwartz continued in
remarks reported by IsraelNationalNews.com.

“When coupled with the Obama administration’s numerous other slaps at
Israel, including its almost hysterical non-recognition of Israel’s
inalienable right to build civilian homes in its Jerusalem capital and
[U.S. peace envoy and former Senator George] Mitchell’s recent public
threat to withdraw U.S. loan guarantees from Israel, while at the same
time saying and doing nothing to the Palestinians to ‘encourage’ them to
return to the peace talks, the Obama administration has laid bare its
anti-Israel focus and has proven itself to no longer be an honest broker
for peace.”

Aaron Tirschwell, AIAC’s Executive Director, declared that “Rosenthal
has committed an unpardonable sin. She must go promptly. AIAC calls upon
all American Jewish organizations, as well as all Americans of good
will, to demand that the Obama administration dismiss Rosenthal forthwith.”