Comments on: Bashing J Street http://jewish-politics-ny.com/2009/03/30/bashing-j-street-why-is-the-jewish-%e2%80%9cestablishment%e2%80%9d-so-down-on-the-new-pro-israel-lobby-and-political-action-committee/ Political Talk from James Besser in Washington Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:36:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Jonathan http://jewish-politics-ny.com/2009/03/30/bashing-j-street-why-is-the-jewish-%e2%80%9cestablishment%e2%80%9d-so-down-on-the-new-pro-israel-lobby-and-political-action-committee/#comment-12690 Jonathan Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:16:47 +0000 http://jewish-politics-ny.com/?p=184#comment-12690 It's not surprising that AIPAC is exerting political pressure on members of Congress not to attend next week's J Street conference in Washington. AIPAC feels threatened (as it should) by J Street, a pro-peace and alternative pro-Israel lobby that is gaining legitmacy. AIPAC smear campaigns against pro-peace Jewish activists and groups are nothing new. AIPAC's concerted efforts to discredit Jewish critics of Israeli policies are well documented. An August 1992 Village Voice article by journalist Robert I. Friedman revealed that a unit of AIPAC investigated and harassed dovish Jewish groups advocating land for peace. The AIPAC office, known as Policy Analysis, maintained files for the purpose of discrediting pro-peace groups like American for Peace Now and the Jewish Peace Lobby. A former AIPAC staffer, Gregory Slabodkin, was the source for Friedman's article and provided internal documents to support his charges. "The mandate of Policy Analysis (formerly Opposition Research) is to monitor, analyze and respond to anti-Israeli activities in the United States," the head of the office, Michael Lewis, wrote in an internal memo in August 1990. "Arab Americans are by no means our sole concern. New Jewish Agenda, the Jewish Peace Lobby and the Jewish Committee on the Middle East to name but some of the more prominent organizations, were all formed in the past few years." J Street is the latest target of AIPAC's smear tactics. However, for all the reasons that James Besser outlines in his article, the stakes are higher this time for this pro-peace organization challenging AIPAC and the status quo. It’s not surprising that AIPAC is exerting political pressure on members of Congress not to attend next week’s J Street conference in Washington. AIPAC feels threatened (as it should) by J Street, a pro-peace and alternative pro-Israel lobby that is gaining legitmacy.

AIPAC smear campaigns against pro-peace Jewish activists and groups are nothing new. AIPAC’s concerted efforts to discredit Jewish critics of Israeli policies are well documented.

An August 1992 Village Voice article by journalist Robert I. Friedman revealed that a unit of AIPAC investigated and harassed dovish Jewish groups advocating land for peace. The AIPAC office, known as Policy Analysis, maintained files for the purpose of discrediting pro-peace groups like American for Peace Now and the Jewish Peace Lobby.

A former AIPAC staffer, Gregory Slabodkin, was the source for Friedman’s article and provided internal documents to support his charges.

“The mandate of Policy Analysis (formerly Opposition Research) is to monitor, analyze and respond to anti-Israeli activities in the United States,” the head of the office, Michael Lewis, wrote in an internal memo in August 1990. “Arab Americans are by no means our sole concern. New Jewish Agenda, the Jewish Peace Lobby and the Jewish Committee on the Middle East to name but some of the more prominent organizations, were all formed in the past few years.”

J Street is the latest target of AIPAC’s smear tactics. However, for all the reasons that James Besser outlines in his article, the stakes are higher this time for this pro-peace organization challenging AIPAC and the status quo.

]]> By: Judah Magnes http://jewish-politics-ny.com/2009/03/30/bashing-j-street-why-is-the-jewish-%e2%80%9cestablishment%e2%80%9d-so-down-on-the-new-pro-israel-lobby-and-political-action-committee/#comment-8845 Judah Magnes Wed, 26 Aug 2009 23:13:00 +0000 http://jewish-politics-ny.com/?p=184#comment-8845 Support for AIPAC does not support Israel's long-term chances for survival. Retaining the West Bank and continuing to build settlements mean that in a couple of decades, the Jewish majority in land controlled by Israel (green line Israel and the West Bank) will gradually shrink to the point where it disappears. Minority Jewish rule in Israel+West Bank is unsustainable in the medium term, and even sooner. Even rule by a small Jewish majority over a huge resistant Palestinian population in unsustainable (so quibbling the exact moment of the disappearance of the Jewish majority is not relevant). I have never seen a plausibly rational or minimally moral response to this argument. The only response, which is not even minimally moral, is the Kahanist program of "transfer" - i.e, ethnic cleansing. Alas, the Kahanist program is now the de facto position of many on the "moderate" right. In short: supporting J Street is not anti-Israel. On the contrary, it is support for AIPAC that will bring the physical destruction of Israel in the next few decades, and its moral collapse even sooner. AIPAC is the truly anti-Israel organization, if by "anti-Israel" we mean support for policies that will destroy Israel, regardless of intent. Support for AIPAC does not support Israel’s long-term chances for survival. Retaining the West Bank and continuing to build settlements mean that in a couple of decades, the Jewish majority in land controlled by Israel (green line Israel and the West Bank) will gradually shrink to the point where it disappears. Minority Jewish rule in Israel+West Bank is unsustainable in the medium term, and even sooner. Even rule by a small Jewish majority over a huge resistant Palestinian population in unsustainable (so quibbling the exact moment of the disappearance of the Jewish majority is not relevant). I have never seen a plausibly rational or minimally moral response to this argument. The only response, which is not even minimally moral, is the Kahanist program of “transfer” - i.e, ethnic cleansing. Alas, the Kahanist program is now the de facto position of many on the “moderate” right. In short: supporting J Street is not anti-Israel. On the contrary, it is support for AIPAC that will bring the physical destruction of Israel in the next few decades, and its moral collapse even sooner. AIPAC is the truly anti-Israel organization, if by “anti-Israel” we mean support for policies that will destroy Israel, regardless of intent.

]]> By: Amarilys Pons http://jewish-politics-ny.com/2009/03/30/bashing-j-street-why-is-the-jewish-%e2%80%9cestablishment%e2%80%9d-so-down-on-the-new-pro-israel-lobby-and-political-action-committee/#comment-1921 Amarilys Pons Sun, 03 May 2009 03:34:40 +0000 http://jewish-politics-ny.com/?p=184#comment-1921 Robert Malley, Samantha Powers, Ben Rhodes, and other George Soros employees on the Obama team, realized that the crap they are trying to shove down the Jewish community´s throat would make the Jews vomit, and so they decided to create a group that allegedly speaks for the Jewish majority here in the USA, (in reality they speak for a tiny but very loud minority who unfortunately have a lot of media access on NPR, CNN, the New York Times, and etc). These are people who are uncomfortable with Jews who fight back to defend themselves and they prefer Jews as dead victims, rather than Jews who are willing to defend themselves. Plain and simple Obama has enlisted traitors to Israel and Jews who would rather be anything other than Jews, in order to try to destroy the Jewish state. Obama is totally owned by the pan Islamic interests. His advisors like Hillary stood by and wrung their hands and pretended nothing was happening during the Rwanda mass murder, if Israel is overrun , or attacked by terrorists with Nuclear or WMD weapons, you can expect Hillary to do the same and to pretend nothing is happening , along with other professional liars like the writers for the New York Times, Chrstiana Amampour, and the various shills for Islam and Islamic terror who corrupt the mass media and pervert the 5th estate. Robert Malley, Samantha Powers, Ben Rhodes, and other George Soros employees on the Obama team, realized that the crap they are trying to shove down the Jewish community´s throat would make the Jews vomit, and so they decided to create a group that allegedly speaks for the Jewish majority here in the USA, (in reality they speak for a tiny but very loud minority who unfortunately have a lot of media access on NPR, CNN, the New York Times, and etc). These are people who are uncomfortable with Jews who fight back to defend themselves and they prefer Jews as dead victims, rather than Jews who are willing to defend themselves. Plain and simple Obama has enlisted traitors to Israel and Jews who would rather be anything other than Jews, in order to try to destroy the Jewish state. Obama is totally owned by the pan Islamic interests.
His advisors like Hillary stood by and wrung their hands and pretended nothing was happening during the Rwanda mass murder, if Israel is overrun , or attacked by terrorists with Nuclear or WMD weapons, you can expect Hillary to do the same and to pretend nothing is happening , along with other professional liars
like the writers for the New York Times, Chrstiana Amampour, and the various shills for Islam and Islamic terror who corrupt the mass media and pervert the 5th estate.

]]> By: Isaac Artenstein http://jewish-politics-ny.com/2009/03/30/bashing-j-street-why-is-the-jewish-%e2%80%9cestablishment%e2%80%9d-so-down-on-the-new-pro-israel-lobby-and-political-action-committee/#comment-1253 Isaac Artenstein Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:34:01 +0000 http://jewish-politics-ny.com/?p=184#comment-1253 AIPAC's partnership with the Republican party (and others such as Christian fundamentalists) has severely damaged AIPAC's image. The success of J Street is a manifestation of the disenchantment many moderate and liberal Jews feel with that brand of politics (and the silencing of debate). Some of AIPAC'S members participation in the smears against Obama during the election didn't help their cause either. What we need is an honest debate that leads to peace in Israel and the Middle East. I hope that AIPAC is up to it, instead of resorting to making charges of anti-semitism and "self-hating" with those that differ from their conservative agenda. AIPAC’s partnership with the Republican party (and others such as Christian fundamentalists) has severely damaged AIPAC’s image. The success of J Street is a manifestation of the disenchantment many moderate and liberal Jews feel with that brand of politics (and the silencing of debate). Some of AIPAC’S members participation in the smears against Obama during the election didn’t help their cause either. What we need is an honest debate that leads to peace in Israel and the Middle East. I hope that AIPAC is up to it, instead of resorting to making charges of anti-semitism and “self-hating” with those that differ from their conservative agenda.

]]> By: Norman Phillips http://jewish-politics-ny.com/2009/03/30/bashing-j-street-why-is-the-jewish-%e2%80%9cestablishment%e2%80%9d-so-down-on-the-new-pro-israel-lobby-and-political-action-committee/#comment-939 Norman Phillips Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:17:41 +0000 http://jewish-politics-ny.com/?p=184#comment-939 Eyes without scales has my sympathy. Like so many Jews from not only the USbut from many other countries, we have been giving endless money to support the Jewish state and the Lieberman cabal have taken this as a endorssement of their stupid actions and advocastions and AIPAC is as guilty. I will continue to support Israel but I am now going to demand that my fellow Jews in Israel change course. They cannot forever assume that my fear for the Jewish people's safety will mean I will support them regardless of policies that are detrimental to ALL Jews worldwide and no exclusively to those in Israel. Mean time J-Street must press AIPAC to also change course. All of us who see AIPAC as a misguided force should personally write a lette and mail it to the AIPAC head office. Peace and security depends on fairness and economic security, not just the might of the IDF and US unmitigated support. Fews have a moral obligation to behave as decent human beings. This requires us to condemn thos among us to recant bigotry, racism, greed and denial of the right to a life of decency even to those who currently are seen as our enemy. This is the first step toward thepeace and security we seek. If we can negotiate a two stae solution and one of those states rages hostility against the other then that is the time for a new occupation. Eyes without scales has my sympathy. Like so many Jews from not only the USbut from many other countries, we have been giving endless money to support the Jewish state and the Lieberman cabal have taken this as a endorssement of their stupid actions and advocastions and AIPAC is as guilty.
I will continue to support Israel but I am now going to demand that my fellow Jews in Israel change course. They cannot forever assume that my fear for the Jewish people’s safety will mean I will support them regardless of policies that are detrimental to ALL Jews worldwide and no exclusively to those in Israel.
Mean time J-Street must press AIPAC to also change course. All of us who see AIPAC as a misguided force should personally write a lette and mail it to the AIPAC head office.
Peace and security depends on fairness and economic security, not just the might of the IDF and US unmitigated support.
Fews have a moral obligation to behave as decent human beings. This requires us to condemn thos among us to recant bigotry, racism, greed and denial of the right to a life of decency even to those who currently are seen as our enemy. This is the first step toward thepeace and security we seek.
If we can negotiate a two stae solution and one of those states rages hostility against the other then that is the time for a new occupation.

]]> By: Eyes without scales http://jewish-politics-ny.com/2009/03/30/bashing-j-street-why-is-the-jewish-%e2%80%9cestablishment%e2%80%9d-so-down-on-the-new-pro-israel-lobby-and-political-action-committee/#comment-917 Eyes without scales Thu, 09 Apr 2009 07:13:56 +0000 http://jewish-politics-ny.com/?p=184#comment-917 J Street speaks for Jews like me, who have given wholehearted support to Israel for decades, only to discover in the past dozen years or so that all of Israel's talk about wanting peace and being stymied by not having a "partner" for peace discussions has been a cover for the real program: grabbing every damn thing worth having in the area, enclosing it inside a huge, hideous wall that shuts the Palestinian Arabs out, and leaving them to make *their* state out of the dust, ash, and rubble that's left outside. The penny finally dropped when I saw that those illegal, constantly spreading "settlements" map precisely on top of the area's major underground water resources. So long as some American Jews realize that there's a huge other side to the self-serving lies we've been fed by our own side for so long, there is no chance of "bringing us all together" on this: there is no "together" between knee-jerk support for Israel no matter what outrages are committed by the government and the IDF, and critical awareness of the double-dealing of the runaway Israeli Right Wing. Actually, my feelings run deeper and more bitter than anything than J Street says. I've been suckered in a big way for a long, long time, and guess what: it's backlash time -- inevitably. I'm an American Jew, not an Israeli, and I now see a clear diversion of the interests of the US from those of an Israel gone rabid with racism, greed, arrogance, guilt, and the fear that that is the inevitable accompaniment and result of such behavior and belief. Apology, reparations, full citizenship or a serious division into two states, and normalized relations with the surrounding states as one of them, not an outpost of the US -- that's the only possible path to peace I can see, if indeed there still *is* such a path. People like Avigdor Lieberman have been doing their utmost to obliterate any such path utterly from the Israeli side, and they have probably succeeded. White phosphorous shells used against children (denied, of course, until proof was shoved in all our faces) are not a good basis for negotiating a true resolution to conflict. So J Street is probably way too little and much too late. The country my family was so proud of, the country in which a tree was planted for in my mother's memory, the country in which I have cousins with families of their own, appears to have dug its own grave, into which it is determined to throw itself -- to cheers from the Arab world, of course. Brilliant! Maybe an organization like J Street can help change Israel's self-destructive course through changing unthinking support from the US Jewish community; but, frankly, I wonder now whether there's anything left to save. J Street speaks for Jews like me, who have given wholehearted support to Israel for decades, only to discover in the past dozen years or so that all of Israel’s talk about wanting peace and being stymied by not having a “partner” for peace discussions has been a cover for the real program: grabbing every damn thing worth having in the area, enclosing it inside a huge, hideous wall that shuts the Palestinian Arabs out, and leaving them to make *their* state out of the dust, ash, and rubble that’s left outside.

The penny finally dropped when I saw that those illegal, constantly spreading “settlements” map precisely on top of the area’s major underground water resources. So long as some American Jews realize that there’s a huge other side to the self-serving lies we’ve been fed by our own side for so long, there is no chance of “bringing us all together” on this: there is no “together” between knee-jerk support for Israel no matter what outrages are committed by the government and the IDF, and critical awareness of the double-dealing of the runaway Israeli Right Wing.

Actually, my feelings run deeper and more bitter than anything than J Street says. I’ve been suckered in a big way for a long, long time, and guess what: it’s backlash time — inevitably. I’m an American Jew, not an Israeli, and I now see a clear diversion of the interests of the US from those of an Israel gone rabid with racism, greed, arrogance, guilt, and the fear that that is the inevitable accompaniment and result of such behavior and belief.

Apology, reparations, full citizenship or a serious division into two states, and normalized relations with the surrounding states as one of them, not an outpost of the US — that’s the only possible path to peace I can see, if indeed there still *is* such a path. People like Avigdor Lieberman have been doing their utmost to obliterate any such path utterly from the Israeli side, and they have probably succeeded. White phosphorous shells used against children (denied, of course, until proof was shoved in all our faces) are not a good basis for negotiating a true resolution to conflict.

So J Street is probably way too little and much too late. The country my family was so proud of, the country in which a tree was planted for in my mother’s memory, the country in which I have cousins with families of their own, appears to have dug its own grave, into which it is determined to throw itself — to cheers from the Arab world, of course. Brilliant!

Maybe an organization like J Street can help change Israel’s self-destructive course through changing unthinking support from the US Jewish community; but, frankly, I wonder now whether there’s anything left to save.

]]> By: Shimon G http://jewish-politics-ny.com/2009/03/30/bashing-j-street-why-is-the-jewish-%e2%80%9cestablishment%e2%80%9d-so-down-on-the-new-pro-israel-lobby-and-political-action-committee/#comment-912 Shimon G Thu, 09 Apr 2009 03:30:09 +0000 http://jewish-politics-ny.com/?p=184#comment-912 I am worried for the future of the State of Israel. Endless conflict with our Arab neighbors who ultimately will not only outnumber but also overpower us offers no hope for the long range future of the Jewish State. As we have seen the result of the Gaza conflict, war solves nothing and, as in this case, places Israel in an ever more precarious internatonal position. To the extent that J Street, supports talking with our enemy, negotiating a peace that demands political sacrifices on both sides, I support them. For over 60 years I have been a Zionist supporting Arab/Jewish cooperation. AIPAC has never spoken for me. I'm glad that this debate in the American Jewish community is proceeding with vigour. I am worried for the future of the State of Israel. Endless conflict with our Arab neighbors who ultimately will not only outnumber but also overpower us offers no hope for the long range future of the Jewish State. As we have seen the result of the Gaza conflict, war solves nothing and, as in this case, places Israel in an ever more precarious internatonal position. To the extent that J Street, supports talking with our enemy, negotiating a peace that demands political sacrifices on both sides, I support them. For over 60 years I have been a Zionist supporting Arab/Jewish cooperation. AIPAC has never spoken for me. I’m glad that this debate in the American Jewish community is proceeding with vigour.

]]> By: Norman Phillips http://jewish-politics-ny.com/2009/03/30/bashing-j-street-why-is-the-jewish-%e2%80%9cestablishment%e2%80%9d-so-down-on-the-new-pro-israel-lobby-and-political-action-committee/#comment-901 Norman Phillips Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:00:05 +0000 http://jewish-politics-ny.com/?p=184#comment-901 As a commited supporter of Israel I believe I have a right to criticise it for many of its catostrophic errors and so am a little in tune with J-Street. At the same time I believe, with some reservations, that AIPAC is an important supporter of Israel. The hard right that AIPAC tends to represent has falsely led leading Israel politicians down a dangerous path that has not made Israel more secure. In this regard the overwhelming support for action against Hamas in Garza was largely flawed. This is not to say that Israel should not have taken strong action against the Garzan terrorists. AIPAC takes advantage of Israel's dijointed and convoluted political environment while J-Street seems to prefer find another way forward. Niether is totally right or wrong and both should seek to find a consensus that would in fact make Israel safer. We should not assume that an agreement between Israeland the Palestinians, if negotiated, would hold up asthe latter have a history of reneging on agreements, which would be much more likely if Hamas had control. But while AIPAC promotes nothing but hostility toward both the notion of peaces and toward J-Street the elusive peace is a long, long way off. Instead both AIPAC and J-Street should work together to promote policies that would significantly rais the standard of life for all Palestinians so that over time, perhaps three to five years, perhaps six, the Palestinians will then kick out Hamas and Hizbollah. It is the only way forward for Israel. Mean time AIPAC is protecting its existing grip on the Israeli lobby to no good purpose othjer than its self importance, not its concern for the future of Israel. As a commited supporter of Israel I believe I have a right to criticise it for many of its catostrophic errors and so am a little in tune with J-Street. At the same time I believe, with some reservations, that AIPAC is an important supporter of Israel.
The hard right that AIPAC tends to represent has falsely led leading Israel politicians down a dangerous path that has not made Israel more secure.
In this regard the overwhelming support for action against Hamas in Garza was largely flawed. This is not to say that Israel should not have taken strong action against the Garzan terrorists.
AIPAC takes advantage of Israel’s dijointed and convoluted political environment while J-Street seems to prefer find another way forward. Niether is totally right or wrong and both should seek to find a consensus that would in fact make Israel safer.
We should not assume that an agreement between Israeland the Palestinians, if negotiated, would hold up asthe latter have a history of reneging on agreements, which would be much more likely if Hamas had control.
But while AIPAC promotes nothing but hostility toward both the notion of peaces and toward J-Street the elusive peace is a long, long way off.
Instead both AIPAC and J-Street should work together to promote policies that would significantly rais the standard of life for all Palestinians so that over time, perhaps three to five years, perhaps six, the Palestinians will then kick out Hamas and Hizbollah. It is the only way forward for Israel.
Mean time AIPAC is protecting its existing grip on the Israeli lobby to no good purpose othjer than its self importance, not its concern for the future of Israel.

]]> By: Michael http://jewish-politics-ny.com/2009/03/30/bashing-j-street-why-is-the-jewish-%e2%80%9cestablishment%e2%80%9d-so-down-on-the-new-pro-israel-lobby-and-political-action-committee/#comment-898 Michael Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:41:53 +0000 http://jewish-politics-ny.com/?p=184#comment-898 J Street appeals to people who love and support Israel and who also want Israel to act in the most responsible and productive manner with respect to Palestinian issues. It's exactly like loving and supporting the United States but having grave concerns about the war in Iraq. You can be a patriot and support the U.S. but still be opposed to the war in Iraq or concerned about the way it was handled. It's no coincidence that AIPAC is increasingly associated with right wing politics in America. You can see senseless left-bashing right in these comments. Unfortunately for Israel, AIPAC will not tolerate any views other than an extreme right-wing approach. Ultimately this will hurt AIPAC just as embracing the far right wing at the exclusion of moderate voices has hurt the GOP in the US. There was a study reported in the New York Times on January 24, 2009, "How Words Could End a War," that suggests that peace is possible and that some of the concessions that each side must make are relating to laying down some of the rhetorical weapons. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/opinion/25atran.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=concessions%20Palestinian%20survey%20apologize&st=cse J Street appeals to people who love and support Israel and who also want Israel to act in the most responsible and productive manner with respect to Palestinian issues. It’s exactly like loving and supporting the United States but having grave concerns about the war in Iraq. You can be a patriot and support the U.S. but still be opposed to the war in Iraq or concerned about the way it was handled.

It’s no coincidence that AIPAC is increasingly associated with right wing politics in America. You can see senseless left-bashing right in these comments. Unfortunately for Israel, AIPAC will not tolerate any views other than an extreme right-wing approach. Ultimately this will hurt AIPAC just as embracing the far right wing at the exclusion of moderate voices has hurt the GOP in the US.

There was a study reported in the New York Times on January 24, 2009, “How Words Could End a War,” that suggests that peace is possible and that some of the concessions that each side must make are relating to laying down some of the rhetorical weapons. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/opinion/25atran.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=concessions%20Palestinian%20survey%20apologize&st=cse

]]> By: Emily http://jewish-politics-ny.com/2009/03/30/bashing-j-street-why-is-the-jewish-%e2%80%9cestablishment%e2%80%9d-so-down-on-the-new-pro-israel-lobby-and-political-action-committee/#comment-671 Emily Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:21:24 +0000 http://jewish-politics-ny.com/?p=184#comment-671 Best recent article about J-Street http://www.commentarymagazine.com/viewarticle.cfm/special-preview---br--they-re-doing-the-j-street-jive-15103 Best recent article about J-Street

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/viewarticle.cfm/special-preview—br–they-re-doing-the-j-street-jive-15103

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