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As the report by Clayton Swisher illustrates, many Israelis are distrustful of Obama's policy vis-à-vis their country. Regrettably, sometimes this distrust is expressed through a vile form of ignorance and racism.
But this should not distract us from the core motivation animating these attitudes: insecurity. The general feeling in Israel is that Obama has thrown the country under a bus.
To remedy this, some have suggested that Obama speak to the Israeli public in the same heart-felt manner that he addressed the Arab/Muslim world in Cairo. This is undoubtedly a good idea.
However, Obama is not the only one who can help Israel.
One interesting aspect of the growing tension between Washington and Jerusalem is that by and large, American Jews have been and remain resolute supporters of Obama. Polls show that the overwhelming majority of American Jews back the US president (compared to a minuscule percentage of Israelis).
While it is possible that American Jews support Obama despite his position on Israel - they could, for example, be really receptive to his health care initiative - it stands to reason that Obama's position on Israel factors into their overall assessment.
Given Netanyahu's chronic intransigence regarding the peace process, it is likely that the emerging ideological cleavage between the two communities will continue to grow.
It is precisely at this point of dissonance that American Jewry needs to step into the picture.
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