Why Israel has become a problem for American Jews

The bipartisan, unconditional support for Israel in the United States is now being seriously questioned by the younger wings of both Democrats and Republicans, and this appears to have cornered pro-Israel politicians. Meanwhile, young Jews themselves are drifting away from Israel. This is why “Israel First” politicians are admitting that the erosion of support for Israel is a generational problem. The main focus of the “Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly” (JFNA) held in Washington this month was the shifting attitudes toward Israel in both camps of American politics. According to reporting in U.S. media, around 2,000 representatives from nearly 150 Jewish organizations across the U.S. and Canada attended. The sessions centered on the question: “Why has the younger generation of Americans turned against Israel?” The absence of participants from the Trump administration at the JNFA events was striking. On top of that, no one from Netanyahu’s cabinet attended either. Netanyahu sent only a video message. Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported that Netanyahu was, for the first time, not invited to this year’s General Assembly. Some commentators argued that due to rising public backlash against Israel in the U.S., the JFNA avoided appearing too closely aligned with the Netanyahu government. Judging from various commentaries, there is a growing belief that Netanyahu and his cabinet are beginning to harm American Jews. An October survey by the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) also found that relations between American Jews and Israel have further deteriorated. According to observers who followed the General Assembly, very few participants expressed disappointment over cabinet members’ absence. Christian-Zionist Republican senator Ted Cruz and Democratic senator John Fetterman warned that the erosion of support for Israel among the young is a serious danger. “In the last six months, I’ve seen more antisemitism on the Right than I’ve ever seen in my life,” Cruz said. He added, “My hope is that other Republicans will stand up, take a clear stance, and draw a line.” Fetterman, who argued that TikTok has turned young people against Israel, pointed to the shifting base and said, “We’re losing the young, especially.” Rahm Emanuel, the former mayor of Chicago who is expected to compete for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, said that anti-Israel sentiment will influence the primaries and that candidates may even avoid traveling to Israel. Emanuel urged participants to confront the shifting political dynamics surrounding Israel and to craft stronger arguments for the U.S.–Israel alliance. Pointing to the historically low support for Israel among Americans under 30, Emanuel said, “These are the voters of the future, and they’re sending a very important political message.” He added, “Our task is to rebuild a long-term narrative around Israel’s needs. If we fail to grasp the depth of the situation, we will never fix it.” Sarah Hurwitz, former speechwriter and adviser to President Barack Obama, argued that “Holocaust education,” long used to underscore the Nazi genocide against Jews, is producing unintended effects among young people. Hurwitz complained that young Americans see little difference between what the Nazis did to Jews and what Israel is doing to Palestinians. Hurwitz noted that Americans used to get information about Israel filtered through mainstream media, but that this has changed. Like other speakers who blamed TikTok, Hurwitz said, “We are now grappling with a new generational conflict, and I think this is especially true because social media has become our primary source of news.” She argued that American Jews’ relationship with Israel must encompass both religious and ethnic bonds, warning that viewing Israeli Jews solely through a religious lens can easily morph into anti-Zionism. Her solution was that, regardless of circumstances, American and Israeli Jews must act with a unified sense of nationhood. The JFNA General Assembly reflected just how shattered the “Israel narrative” has become for Zionists in America and around the world. The increasingly aggressive attempt to label criticism of Israel as antisemitism—and to punish it—reveals how desperate they have become.