Evidence keeps piling up that the bipartisan consensus on US support for Israel is dead. Signs appear almost daily that Israeli behaviour and the pro-Israel lobby’s heavy-handed tactics for browbeating elected officials into unquestioning support for Israel are being rejected by both Democratic voters and elected officials. Events this past week make this clear.

Even Democrats vying for the presidency are demonstrating their willingness to establish independence from the old pro-Israel consensus. Gone are the days when a candidate would make the obligatory pilgrimage to Israel to meet the prime minister, hug victims of Arab violence, and visit the Wailing Wall. Now, they compete to show just how critical they can be.

Rahm Emanuel, a long-time fixture in US politics and supporter of Israel, travelled to Tel Aviv to deliver a highly publicised speech sharply critical of Israeli policy. His speech was overshadowed by Congressman Ro Khanna, who was detained and harassed by armed Israeli settlers while visiting the West Bank. Khanna’s press coverage eclipsed Emanuel’s speech.

As potential presidential contenders, Emanuel and Khanna’s choices to make........

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