A few weeks ago, U.S. President Barack Obama went on The Daily Show to tell its viewers that “the people” supported the Iran nuclear deal and that one should not get silenced by “the money” and “the lobbyists” trying to convince them otherwise.
Despite these, and other strenuous efforts by the White House, thousands of people from across the political spectrum gathered in New York’s Times Square to protest the deal, calling upon Congress to undo the damage.
At this point, Obama sent Secretary of State John Kerry to make sure the message was received. Kerry went on CNN to say that if the deal was blocked by Congress, it would be because Congress had been influenced by the Israel lobby, alluding in not-so-subtle ways that anyone opposing a U.S.-Iran alliance was in the pocket of “Big Jew” and thereby corrupt and disloyal.
Sound familiar?
If it does, it is because this theme of dual loyalty has been around as long as Jews have existed. It has proven to be an effective method of intimidation, as it speaks to our history of living off the goodwill of our hosts throughout the Diaspora. Before the creation of the State of Israel, we relied on the kindness of strangers and neighbors for our safety and survival, always being just one recession or plague away from flight.