Interesting article on the year old liberal Jewish Lobby J-Street; it is now giving all the other boring ineffective alarmist hawkish necon radical Israeli lobby groups - like AIPAC - a run for their money!
"The group bills itself as the "political arm of the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement" and argues that the debate over Israel in the United States has tilted to the right despite the liberal sympathies of most Jewish Americans. J Street supports a "two-state solution" for Israel and the Palestinians and generally favors diplomacy over military force, according to its Web site and statements."
It's also different because, "In a break with common practice among U.S. Jewish groups, J Street has not been shy about aggressively criticizing Israeli leaders. This month, the group launched an unusual YouTube video accusing new Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman of running a "racist and incendiary" election campaign and alleging that many U.S. Jewish leaders are "whitewashing what Lieberman stands for."
Example of their advocacy: "While there is nothing 'right' in raining rockets on Israeli families or dispatching suicide bombers, there is nothing 'right' in punishing a million and a half already-suffering Gazans for the actions of the extremists among them..."
Of course all the other Israel lobby groups are whining that they are out of touch with Jewish sentiment, too anti Israel, etc. If they are so out of touch why are they expanding so quickly, I wonder.
1 comment:
As a peace loving Jew, who believes there is enough land for two people to occupy peacefully, I have to agree. Perhaps the AIPAC folks can include a more diverse range of dialogue in their approach. I'm guessing that the lobbying tactic in Washington is to never give an inch in the opening round of talks for fear of losing too much in the end. The NRA is very skilled at not compromising, even when all evidence suggests otherwise. I hope to see the Israeli lobby become more conciliatory--after all this is a new day.
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