1) They are emerging at a time when the “pro-Israel” factions have the job of supporting Bibi and Lieberman, wich is a tough sell to do rationally, much like the selling of Sarah Palin. Everyone knows that when your goods have no quality, you make a circus out of promoting it and try to smear those who serve better products.

2) They are emerging at the tme of the great implosion of the Republican party, and the collapse of the rhetoric of Rove. As the election shows, the demography has swung in favour of the dems, and the right just doesnt have the intelectual power or integrity to discuss on fair terms. Thus, namecalling, fanaticsm, accusation, conspiracy theories etc.

3) They dont get on with the program, and they dont use the official hasbara playbook, instead they speak the political language of the contemporary west. As any linguist or memetic scientist can tell you, one of the greatest dangers to a dominant paradigm is to face inside opposition employing different linguistic codes. From a Israeli pov, they are loose cannons, and so not part of the “pro-Israeli” *team*. That makes them dangerous, and makes people hysterical. The Hagee-part of the lobby just woke up and found they were communication-dinosaurs facing a new era. They dont do adaption and evolution very well, in fact they dont believe in it, and they will not face extinction very gracefully.

Of course, the fact that Israel seems to be slipping into some sort of semi-collective PTSD doesnt help either. Read the comments (and most articles as well) at Jerusalem Post and weep.

I believe that Israel’s security and continued existence is vital. I think this makes me “pro-Israel.” I also have very little that is positive to say about their current policies. I can see how they got there, I can sympathize, but I think they are doing great harm to others and to themselves. In other words, I think my position is very similar to the position of the people at J Street. Does this make me “anti-Israel”? If so, how? I think you will find it very difficult to construct a logically valid argument as to how my position makes me “anti-Israel.” But I imagine, based on your comments thus far, that logical validity is not something you consider to be of importance. (Hint: Guilt by association, affirming the consequent, and circular reasoning are not valid approaches to argument.)

J Street cynically exploits a pro-Israel brand, which naturally annoys groups that actually are Pro-Israel.

The problem is that J Street misrepresents itself as a Pro-Israel group, when it is actually an Anti-Israel group.

If the people behind J Street were just honest about their identity, instead of playing a Jews for Jesus like game, in order to fool people, we wouldn’t be having this discussion.

At the heart of the problem is the fact that Israel does not have the slightest interest in accepting a two state solution, any more than Hamas does. The real reason the two state solution is continuously brought up is that US public opinion cannot support the status quo as a permanent state of affairs.

Once it is understood that Israel will not withdraw from the West Bank under any circumstances, will continue to expand the settlements and put Jewish interests ahead of non-Jewish at every stage, it becomes impossible for progressives to support Israel.