Jack Salzman, Cornel West Struggles in the Promised

III
African Americans and Israel \\ 367
What practical consequences are African American attitudes toward Israel likely
to have? Two areas stand out in which Black positions on Israel may have a substantial
impact on general attitudes or on policy.
First, many Jews worry that continued negative statements on Israel by visible
Blacks, even if they do not reflect a majority position among African
Americans or the stance of established leaders, are damaging to Jewish interests
in the United States. However broad or narrow their communal support, the
attacks on Israel by Blacks that have drawn wide media attention constitute one
of the few readily identifiable locations where positions harmful to central Jewish
concerns are being articulated in American society. In the same way, Jews have
expressed concern that anti-Semitism in American universities appears in the
form of speeches by well-known Blacks such as Kwame Toure and the followers
of Louis Farrakhan, often at forums sponsored by African American student associations.
Attention-generating statements by individuals, even if they represent
only a minority view in the community, can have a telling influence on public discourse
and intergroup relations. On two issues American Jews have deemed vital
to their interests, Israel and university education, the major opposing forces arise
from the Black community, causing significant intercommunal tension. 35
The second way that African American positions on Israel may have a practical
effect is on the issue of U.S. foreign aid to Israel. International assistance must
pass through Congress where a substantial Black Congressional Caucus wields
some influence.
Even the most pessimistic recent historian of Black-Jewish relations has
acknowledged that "the congressional Black caucus has consistently and overwhelmingly
favored foreign aid to Israel." 36 Whatever the statements made by
some Blacks assaulting Israel or the ambivalence of respondents to surveys,
African Americans in Congress have reliably supported substantial U.S. international
assistance to Israel.
Congressional Black support for aid to Israel is similar to the supportive stance
Caucus members have taken on immigration issues important to Hispanics.
Lawrence Fuchs has noted that American Black leadership has historically
opposed immigration since they have feared that newcomers would compete with
Black labor for scarce jobs. Nevertheless, in the Congressional context, the Black
Caucus has supported Hispanic positions on immigration in order to secure the
votes of Latino members of Congress on issues of central concern to Blacks. 37
What practical consequences are African American attitudes toward Israel likely
to have? Two areas stand out in which Black positions on Israel may have a substantial
impact on general attitudes or on policy.
First, many Jews worry that continued negative statements on Israel by visible
Blacks, even if they do not reflect a majority position among African
Americans or the stance of established leaders, are damaging to Jewish interests
in the United States. However broad or narrow their communal support, the
attacks on Israel by Blacks that have drawn wide media attention constitute one
of the few readily identifiable locations where positions harmful to central Jewish
concerns are being articulated in American society. In the same way, Jews have
expressed concern that anti-Semitism in American universities appears in the
form of speeches by well-known Blacks such as Kwame Toure and the followers
of Louis Farrakhan, often at forums sponsored by African American student associations.
Attention-generating statements by individuals, even if they represent
only a minority view in the community, can have a telling influence on public discourse
and intergroup relations. On two issues American Jews have deemed vital
to their interests, Israel and university education, the major opposing forces arise
from the Black community, causing significant intercommunal tension.
Similarly, Black Caucus members have supported aid to Israel in order to attain
Jewish backing for their top priorities.
This explanation for Black Caucus support assumes that aid for Israel is not a
fundamental issue to African Americans and can be traded off for coalitional purposes.
However, three trends are already occurring that challenge the validity of
35
The second way that African American positions on Israel may have a practical
effect is on the issue of U.S. foreign aid to Israel. International assistance must
pass through Congress where a substantial Black Congressional Caucus wields
some influence.
Even the most pessimistic recent historian of Black-Jewish relations has
acknowledged that "the congressional Black caucus has consistently and overwhelmingly
favored foreign aid to Israel." 36 Whatever the statements made by
some Blacks assaulting Israel or the ambivalence of respondents to surveys,
African Americans in Congress have reliably supported substantial U.S. international
assistance to Israel.
Congressional Black support for aid to Israel is similar to the supportive stance
Caucus members have taken on immigration issues important to Hispanics.
Lawrence Fuchs has noted that American Black leadership has historically
opposed immigration since they have feared that newcomers would compete with
Black labor for scarce jobs. Nevertheless, in the Congressional context, the Black
Caucus has supported Hispanic positions on immigration in order to secure the
votes of Latino members of Congress on issues of central concern to Blacks. 37
Similarly, Black Caucus members have supported aid to Israel in order to attain
Jewish backing for their top priorities.
This explanation for Black Caucus support assumes that aid for Israel is not a
fundamental issue to African Americans and can be traded off for coalitional purposes.
However, three trends are already occurring that challenge the validity of