Shlomo Z. Mostofsky and Rabbi Pesach Lerner
 

For decades, the bedrock of the relationship between the United States and Israel has been an unbreakable bond built on trust and a mutual respect for the ideals and practices of democracy. Surrounded by enemies on all sides, Israel has always known it could rely on its powerful ally to support and stand with it in times of need. Similarly, in dealing with a region characterized by strife and turmoil, the U.S. has always known it could rely on its sole democratic ally in the Middle East.
 

In recent weeks there have been troubling signs of a drastic change in U.S. policy toward Israel. Unwritten understandings between the two nations that have been honored for years are suddenly being questioned and even rebuffed by the U.S.
 

These policy changes are not mere political posturing. In fact, in a recent opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal, former UN ambassador John Bolton went so far as to say: "For the remainder of Mr. Obama's term, uncertainty about his administration's support for Israel will continue to dog Israeli governments and complicate their calculations."
 

American Jewry and the Israeli government must view these changes for what they are; namely, statements made and actions taken by the U.S. that undermine Israel's standing in the international community and that place Israelis at risk of attack by those seeking to destroy them.
 

The implementation of these policies may jeopardize a relationship rooted in more than a half-century of history. More important, these policies will adversely affect Israel's security and may lead not to peace but rather to further conflict.



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