NEW YORK — Jewish Democratic leaders in New York condemned the US-Israeli strikes against Iran this week, marking a break from leading Jewish groups.

Statements from New York leaders also differed between centrist Democrats, who decried threats from Iran’s regime while opposing drawing the US into a war, and the party’s left flank, which was more unequivocal in its condemnation of Israel and the Trump administration.

Mainstream Jewish groups have come out in support of the campaign, including the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, and the international World Jewish Congress, while some progressive groups were opposed. The Jewish Federations of North America wrote that it will “pray for the success of the joint United States and Israeli actions in Iran.”

Democratic Party voters and the American public are largely opposed to the airstrikes, though, according to polling. Democrats are also increasingly opposed to Israel, surveys have found.

Around 70 percent of American Jews are Democrats, meaning the Jewish groups supportive of the operation are at odds with the party representing most US Jews.

It was unclear how many US Jews support the Iran campaign. A poll from the Jewish People Policy Institute found that half of US respondents supported “all means, including war” against Iran, but the survey noted that it was focused on American Jews with a strong connection to the community or Israel, and not representative of the entire Jewish population.

While Democratic Party leaders in New York opposed the campaign, there were some differences in their statements, with more centrist politicians criticizing the effort and stating their opposition to the Iranian regime, while leftists were more outspoken in their condemnation.

The split was evident in the race for New York’s 10th Congressional District, spanning lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn.

Incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman is a Jewish centrist who is supportive of Israel and critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, while challenger Brad Lander, also Jewish, is further left. The two are aligned on many other issues.

Goldman took a more nuanced approach,........

© The Times of Israel