NJ Jewish News | Top Israeli officers explore challenges faced by Jews in the United States

A 40-person delegation from Israel’s National Defense College took time out from their study of national security to focus on how American Jews defend Israel and fortify their own Jewish communities.

The group’s stops included the AJC’s 100th annual meeting in Washington, a briefing at the Pentagon, and visits to several Jewish schools and institutions in the MetroWest area. The local visit included a luncheon meeting at the headquarters of United Jewish Communities of MetroWest New Jersey in Whippany.

“They are here to learn about Jewish life in the United States and to interact with their counterparts in the security establishment,” explained Rabbi Noam Marans, the AJC’s associate national director, who accompanied the group of 35 military officers and five Israeli government officials.

“They are brought here to be exposed to a very vibrant Jewish federation,” he continued. “The basic premise is that if you believe Israeli security is dependent in great part on the munificence of the United States — if you understand the United States supports Israel for a lot of reasons…then you have to understand more about American-Jewish life.”

The lessons flowed in both directions, however, as the Israelis interacted with local communal professionals, students, and lay leaders.

Among those speaking at last Thursday’s luncheon was Maj. Gen. Gershon HaCohen, commander of the National Defense College and commander of the IDF troops who carried out Israel’s disengagement from the Gaza Strip last summer.

HaCohen spoke to his colleagues and MetroWest audience about Europe and how the United States government must rethink its relationship with the continent over potential use of military might.

“We must think critically about all European Union states, and the basic distinction between American and Europe is in a way not just an ordinary political or international dispute or debate,” he said.

HaCohen said, “While Europeans believe people must accept human rights as a basic premise, a lot of our adversaries are exploiting this premise to their own use, to challenge the main values of America and Israel.”

The general, who commands what is considered Israel’s top military college, said there is a serious difference in values between European nations on one hand, and the United States and Israel on the other.

Europeans, he said, believe “that no one should use power to defend values. It has to go through negotiation. Everything will be solved by speaking. The Americans and Israelis will be very happy if everything will be achieved by speaking. But we are having a realization that without force and the absolute acceptability of using force, no negotiation will bring the desired results.

“The Israelis are using power because without using power we would be in the sea.”

Micah Bar, a senior official of Israel’s atomic energy commission, responded to a question about Iran’s potential nuclear capability and its president’s threat to destroy Israel.

“We see it as an existential threat to Israel” as well as other nations, said Bar. “However, we believe that diplomatic measures should be exploited to try to solve this problem. We think this is a problem the world should deal with. This is not a mere Israeli issue.”

Lt. Col. Yoav Laor, a helicopter pilot and squadron commander in the Israeli air force, told NJ Jewish News, “The direction is very clear” when it come to resolving Israel’s dispute with the Palestinians.

Whether that means removing or “converging” Israeli settlers living in the West Bank, Laor said, “we are a democratic country. We will do whatever the government will decide. The ball is in Hamas’ field. They have to decide to establish a normal country or to be in a long war with us.”