Jewish Liberals Launch Counterweight to AIPAC

At last, at long last. There will be a hard money lobby in Washington that represents progressives on Israel/Palestine issues, that lobbies for Israeli/Palestinian peace, that acts as a counterweight to AIPAC.

It's called "J Street." (As in, K street with a J.) The full name is: "Americans for Middle East Peace and Security." Here is their launch video:

Unlike the existing groups, this group will actually support candidates for office.

Right now, they are taking nominations for who they should support in the fall. Make the best case that your favored candidate will work to promote Israeli-Palestinian peace. That's exactly the dynamic we need: candidates competing to do the most to promote Israeli-Palestinian peace, as opposed to competing to do the opposite.

There is no time like the present. This week, former President Carter is meeting with the exiled leader of Hamas, Khaled Meshal, in Syria. As Carter has said, "There's no doubt in anyone's mind that, if Israel is ever going to find peace with justice concerning the relationship with their next-door neighbors, the Palestinians, that Hamas will have to be included in the process."

Of course, as the Washington Post notes, it will be the case for the foreseeable future that AIPAC will have more money and more people.

But that misses the fact that those with less money can have more influence when they are telling the truth, if they can just muscle their way to the microphone.

If you think Carter is doing the right thing, consider giving this new organization your support.

Comments

[stsparky]

This will just siphon money and time in the wrong direction. Fix AIPAC if it broken, this isn't the answer. While getting moderate people who identify themselves as "Palestinian" to the negotion table is good and all; How do you get the armed hostile forces arrayed against peace to not kill them as Quislings?

Let's see these progressive thinkers engineer a plan to get non-combatants out of Gaza first. Then they can claim to have credibility. I

[BongWater]

This would be fantastic news for Israel, for us and for the entire mid-east if it was really happening.

There is a very large segment of Israeli society that would support a progressive lobby.
But when we live in the age of No Child Left Behind, The Clear Skies Initiative, Support The Troops, and Progress in Iraq. We need to look at every nice sounding plan very closely. Ignore the tittle and look at the truth behind the slogan.

From what I know so far, there are several Clinton cronies right in the middle of this thing. That makes me skeptical, but I still want this thing to be for real.

Maybe rather than just asking us to support this new PAC, you could first investigate whether or not it is legit.

[Robert Naiman - Huffpost Blogger]

See Robert Naiman's Profile

There are Clinton people, but there are also Obama people. For such a thing to be effective, it should be broad. It should represent everyone who is genuinely interested in promoting a settlement according to the international consensus: a two-state solution on the 1967 borders.

[aga6943]

The Israeli Politicians in power are like our own Neocons. Peace can only happen when both sides are treated fairly. To get the rest of the world to support Israel"s right to exist Israel has to stop treating the Palestinians the way President Jackson treated the Cherokee Indians.

[mommadona]

I assume Zionists are not invited......eh?

[Robert Naiman - Huffpost Blogger]

See Robert Naiman's Profile

No, that is not a right assumption. People are invited if they want to support the project, regardless of how they identify themselves. The project defines itself as "pro-Israel, pro-peace." Presumably, and hopefully, many who identify as Zionists will want to support it. Many who identify as Zionists genuinely support a two-state solution to the conflict, along the lines of the international consensus: a Palestinian state in the territories occupied by Israel in 1967.

[mommadona]

That's good to know.

I hope the many who identify as Zionists truly support their talk with their walk.

That would go a long way in bringing this sad history to an end.