National Security Advisor Gen. Jim Jones gave a rousing pro-Israel speech at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy last week, expressing the Obama administration’s continued support for Israel. Meanwhile, speculation continues to swirl that the White House’s has instigated a crisis in relations between the two countries, spurred in part by disagreements on settlements and construction in Jerusalem.
But, what element of Jones’ speech has dominated Jewish and Israeli circles? No, not the commanding oratory on shared strategic interests of the United States and Israel. It was a joke. A joke about a Jewish merchant (which, in some circles is by default antisemitic because mentioning money and Judaism in the same sentence is clearly an allusion to long-standing stereotypes). As a Jew, I am not personally offended by the content of the joke — I’m more disappointed that its simply not terribly funny, but its not horrible either. You be the judge (FYI: the room, filled with Jews and Israel supporters, apparently laughed).