In the midst of the anti-Semitic atmosphere of the Charlottesville rally, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been under pressure to publicly denounce President Donald Trump’s statements regarding the rally.

According to the Associated Press, Netanyahu’s overall silence has disappointed and angered Israelis, especially those that see Netanyahu not just as the leader of Israel, but also as the leader of today's Jewish people.

"We must set a clear boundary against anti-Semitism and protect the Jewish people wherever they may be. There are no gray areas when it comes to these issues, and this doesn't jeopardize our relationship with the U.S. or with any other partners around the world," wrote opposition lawmaker Stav Shaffir in the liberal daily Haaretz.

In regards to Netanyahu’s cautious and selective approach, Shaffir added that Netanyahu has lost "any semblance of a moral compass."

Netanyahu did tweet about the rally in general, but his indirectness and his lack of response to President Trump's New York press conference has raised ire.  

Shaffir isn't alone in his condemnation of the PM.

Netanyahu's deputy defense minister, Eli Ben-Dahan, didn't mince words. "Apparently some don't want to enrage Trump," he said of his boss' response to Charlottesville. Ben-Dahan added that Israel "must not stammer or hesitate in the face of anti-Semitism."

Eytan Gilboa, expert on U.S.-Israeli relations at Israel's Bar-Ilan University said, "I think it is a shame that the prime minister himself did not criticize Trump's moral equivalence speech because Israel claims to be the protector of Jewish communities everywhere."

Gilboa, too, believes he knows why Netanyahu has has a tepid response. "He does not want to alienate Trump."

Leader of the opposition Yesh Atid party, Yair Lapid, also had pointed things to say on his Facebook account, noting, “There aren't two sides. When neo-Nazis march in Charlottesville and scream slogans against Jews and in support white supremacy, the condemnation has to be unambiguous."

And even members of Israel's religious community aren't here for the country's leader.

Liberal Union for Reform Judaism president Rabbi Rick Jacobs, said that the prime minister "did harm to the cause of Israel and the cause of the Jewish people by having such a delayed reaction."

Netanyahu's spokesman, David Keyes, believes that the prime minister's comment went far enough stating, "I think he made his view on the repugnancy of any neo-Nazism abundantly clear."

One person who is supporting Netanyahu isn't helping the leader much with his support. The PM's son, Yair Hun, posted the following:

Writing on Facebook, Yair Hun, the PM's son, said that while "neo nazis scums [sic] in Virginia" are in decline, left-wing and Black Lives Matter groups are not, and these groups hate Israel "just as much" as the Neo-Nazis do.

He expressed concern that “the thugs of Antifa and BLM who hate my country (and America too in my view) just as much are getting stronger and stronger and becoming super dominant in American universities and public life.”

To put things in perspective. I'm a Jew, I'm an Israeli, the neo nazis scums in Virginia hate me and my country. But…Posted by Yair Hun on Tuesday, August 15, 2017

As with his father's statements, a public outcry erupted.

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