“Book of Esther given to Obama by Bibi Netanyahu: not so hidden message, Esther stopped plan to kill Jews- Obama should be Esther, Bomb Iran,” Michael Ratner of the Center for Constitutional Rights wrote to me on Monday minutes after Netanyahu made his gift.

“Then, too they wanted to wipe us out,” Netanyahu reportedly told Obama in giving him the Bible story that ends with mass-murder of Persians.

Now lots of other people are on this story. Robert Wright at the Atlantic makes an excellent point:

Why is it routine to talk about Iranian religious fanatics who are leading us toward war and so rare to acknowledge the role that religious tribalism in America–among both conservative Jews and conservative Christians–is playing in leading us to war? And why is it that when Muslim radicals use religious scripture in a way that foments belligerence we consider it primitive and vile, whereas when Bibi Netanyahu does the same thing (more subtly, I grant you) we nod politely and smile?

Yes and why do we denounced religious tribalism on the abortion issue in our politics and let it go when religious tribalists are leading a Marcus Garvey movement for Jews (Zionism)?