Reclaiming Pro-Israel Peace and Stability
For many Israelis who define themselves as progressives, myself included, the friendship has come to resemble a rather abusive relationship. Israel is cast as the distant, idealized and embattled homeland whose role is not to cede any inch of territory and not to talk to the bad guys. No, we should send generation after generation to defend illegal settlements and to guard the very checkpoints that give rise to yet more frustration, anger and ultimately violence. Of course, Israelis are first and foremost responsible for solving our own problems. It is however not made any easier when our greatest ally and enabler encourages our most self-destructive instincts. A friend does not hand over the car keys to a drunken soul mate. A friend does not turn a blind eye to the folly and entanglement of endless settlement expansion. Periods of Jewish sovereignty and distant history begin to be self-inflicted wounds of homegrown zealots.
I guess it might look much the same to progressives in the US. Sure, one should support a safe and secure Israel, but why provide the cover for a 40 year plus occupation, the injustice of which resonates with a great passion and emotion throughout the Arab and Muslim world, providing succor to anti-Americanism and undermining US security?
That equation, that definition of friendship, is not working for either Israeli or American interests -- and as of today there is a new way to do something about it. Today saw the launching of J Street and the J Street PAC, dedicated to representing:
Americans, primarily but not exclusively Jewish, who support Israel and its desire for security as the Jewish homeland, as well as the right of the Palestinians to a sovereign state of their own -- two states living side-by-side in peace and security...[believing that] ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is in the best interests of Israel, the United States, the Palestinians, and the region as a whole.That means redefining pro-Israel and redefining the friendship. Yes, redefining, not ending. J Street is unashamedly pro-Israel and stands up for Israeli's right to security. In fact this is precisely what leads it to adopt the policy positions that can be read here, and include the call for hard-headed diplomatic engagement with Syria and Iran and for US leadership to finally achieve a two state solution, not just bloviate about it.
The supposed binary choice -- that one either has to be silent in the face of the ongoing occupation, settlements and conflict, or otherwise join the calls for a boycott of Israel or worse, is a false one. There is a need to reclaim a narrative that is both pro-Israel and pro-peace, pro-security and anti-occupation. An approach informed by tough-minded diplomacy, realism, non-kinetic problem solving and respect for human rights that applies to other conflicts can and should also be applied to the Israeli-Arab conflict and to broader issues in the Middle East.
The ability to have an open debate and to use one's critical thinking faculties should not be abandoned only when Israel is the subject at hand. A closed debate divorced from reality certainly does Israel no favors. And given Aaron Miller's truism, namely that the Israeli-American partnership is solid, there is really no need for the American Jewish community to seek allies in such murky waters as among the evangelical Zionist right and the neoconservatives whose policy prescriptions have been such a disaster. In fact it seems antithetical to Jewish values and to the history of American Jewish political struggles to indulge in such alliances--and it is certainly an affront to the liberal bent of that community.
J Street will build on the existing educational and advocacy efforts of groups like the Israel Policy Forum, Americans for Peace Now, and Brit Tzedek v'Shalom, and will add an explicitly political dimension, endorsing or opposing candidates running for office. J Street aims to build a coalition of sanity on American Middle East policy that will embrace Jews and non-Jews alike.
According to the J Street logic, and it is a powerful one, if an American public elected official takes woefully irresponsible positions on the Middle East then there should be a price to pay; likewise if they do the right thing there should be a reward. I think the establishment of J Street is a fine thing, but this will be an effort not for Israelis, but Americans. Israelis who seek a future beyond occupation, undefined borders and conflict, and believe that America has a role in helping to realize that future, can support, encourage, and wish this effort well. Many Israelis have already done so in a letter of support, including former IDF chiefs of staff, former commanders of the Navy and of the Central Command, of Gaza and the West Bank, former ministers, diplomats, and leaders of civil society.
The hypothesis that the majority of Americans, including American Jews, support a more peaceful, stable and less angry Middle East, and that they eschew unilateral militarism and the resulting chaos wrought by the neocons, now has a political address. It is www.jstreet.org.
This piece is written in a personal capacity.
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Finally, a balanced Jewish progressive opinion to the middle east conflict. For too long these bastards, the neoconservative movement in the United States, have been hijacking the debate and twisting the media around their fingers. Unfortunately, only on Huffpo will you get something so insightfully.
Israel has a right to exist within readily defendable borders. There is no argument, no negotiation. Until the Arabs recognize the right of Israel to exist there is nothing to talk about, Israel has given and given, the Arabs have done nothing.
A right to exist in readily defensible borders, since when did the term "readily defensible borders" become part of ANY nations "rights"? Furthermore, who, bordering Israel, threatens them in ANY credible way at this point?
I'll ask again, what should the Palestinians do? Do you defend the settlements? should there be 2 states or should the palestinians just leave?
Lobbyists representing soverign foreign powers need to have ZERO influence on American politics. No matter how Right or how Left. Israel isn't a state. You made your own bed. You need to lie in it.
outstanding article -- the binary choice you mention is what americans fall for: all bush & cheney need say is, 'are you for the terr'sts?', then americans bow down & let the white house run amok -- watch for this question to become crucial just before the election, as bush & cheney launch an attack against iran, an attack that leading democrats have already approved -- but the outcome will be no better than it has been in afghanistan or iraq -- israel's own war against lebanon, encouraged by the white house & by congress, was another fiasco
That's amazing to hear. You just rocked my world.
I am about the most godless person I know. So, I am more worried about a Catholic Supreme Court, the adding of the Catholic Eastern Bloc to NATO (should Israel join NATO?). and an old Hitler youth pope comming to shake a necon presidents hand for letting them in.
Dancewithyids, I have heard President Jimmy Carter defend Jews many, many times. After the mess that Mr. Oil Mafioso has left in the middle east , I am sure that Israel has never been in this much danger. Good luck to them when we pull out.
BINGO!
CUFI and the politicians pandering to it are NOT our friends!!!: http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/03072008/watch.html
thank god for you!
Great news. Thanks for the post, Daniel.
We all need more Jimmy Carter's and fewer Netanyahooo's. Peace
As a progressive American Jew, it would be convenient to blame the Bush administration - it would also be disingenuous.
American support of Israel, since 1948, is fundamentally about ensuring Israel's right to exist. Israel is surrounded by angry antagonists who neither recognize the state nor believe that it has a right to exist. Circa 1928, this morphed from a political struggle to a religious "war." Muslim clerics share blame; Hammas uses of television. Arabs are taught that Jews are evil and Hammas embraces the mythology of the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion."
Americans often do what Hammas does by conflating Jews, Israelis and Zionists. There seems little appreciation for tha fact that both Israelis and American Jews have a vast range of opinions Unfortunately, some of the neocons who created this mess in Iraq are Jewish. This fosters the widely accepted notion that our misadventure in Iraq was closely tied to our support for Israel.
The American public has little appreciation for their very existence. Furthermore, we (McCain notwithstanding) seem to know Shiiah from Sunni yet few Americans seem to be able to contrast Hezbollah with Hammas.
THEN THERE IS OIL! The biggest exporter of terror and antisemitism in the world is Saudi Arabia. We lack the position to pressure the Saudis on the abuses of Wahabism. For that matter, our support for Israel is seriously compromised by our voracious consumption of oil. Energy self-sufficiency is an important part of solving these problems.
Actually Americans support for Israel was primarily as a bulwark against communism.
Since most of the countries in the area were making deals with the USSR, this was an effort to give America a foothold in an area that would otherwise be completely part of the Communist regime.
Now since everyone knows a lot of oil comes from that area, America knew it was vital that they have an ability to protect certain waterways so that America could not be held hostage by the Soviets due to closing the water ways and keeping us from getting the oil we so need.
I was struggling to meet the 250 word limit. Upon independence, Israel was attacked by five Arab armies. At that time, America's support for Israel's right to exist was comprised of many factors - including Communism (and the sphere of influence) and oil.
At this point, the only lasting solution is diplomacy. Armed conflict will only breed more resistance and extremists. More than 100 years later, the original Weizmann-Faisal accord may STILL makes the most sense for the region. However, Saudi Arabia will have to convince Hammas to recognize the State of Israel. Ironically, the Iranian funded Hezbollah is far more rational and moderate. Israel needs to convince Hammas and the Saudis that they can, and will, help the Palestinians develop technology and an economy.
Finally, someone brings up Wahabism. One day, everyone is going to take a good, long look at Saudi Arabia and realize that many of our problems stem from that country.
(By everyone, I mean those people who think that our President's family has every right to engage in long French-kissing and hand-holding sessions with the Saudi royal family.)
Vote Obama
State still claims that Hammas is funded by Iran - which is preposterous. For us, the key remains energy self-sufficiency. Imagine if we had made a three trillion dollar commitment to alternative energy instead of the nonsensical war in Iraq.
Israel has, according to estimates, between 150 and 300 nuclear warheads. The existence of the state is guaranteed. Hamas has made numerous comments about "accepting reality" and have long stretches when they kept to a cease fire. (In this sense, they have a better history than the PLO. I have yet to hear one Israeli official speak about the Palestinians' right to exist. The lobby wants the American people to treat the Pals as subhuman. This I will never do. They have rights as well. To blame civilians in the largest ghetto in the world is sick. If they are allowed a state, and the state acts aggressively, then I am willing to condemn them. But the state has to come first.
Very good points, eyecon. I'm also a progressive American Jew, and I'm glad to see the J Street group trying to get its positions heard. Whenever the discussion on HuffPo turns to the Israel/Palestine conflict, I wince when I read comments that conflate, as you said, Jews, Israelis, and Zionists. Just by doing a little research, anyone can ascertain that in Israel, there almost as many political viewpoints as there are Israelis. Yes, I don't like the idea of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, but I'm also not thrilled with the fact that Jimmy Carter chose to meet with the Hamas leader while Hamas is still dedicated to the destruction of Israel. I remember what Golda Meir said (roughly paraphrasing): "There will be peace between Israelis and Palestinians when the Palestinians learn to love their children more than they hate the Israelis".
Israelis are as guilty of murder as the Palestinians they so hate.
julieeluj;
The Israelis are far more guilty of murder. In fact, since it is not considered murder to kill in self defense it has to be clearly stated that the Palestinians are not guilty of muder. Unfortunately that cannot be said about the Israelis. Israel is a state which began with atrocvities and continues to manipulate. The deeds for the land were not given out by god and without a deed then it must be accepted that Israel simply used guns to oust the Palestinians. In 1949 Jordan had a cavalry of camels. Hardly up to fending off people armed with American weapons and fanaticism.
The UN charter clearly states that it is the right of occupied peoples to resist. Do I agree with suicide bombings? Heck no. But the occupation has to be ended.
Great Blog.
Walt and Mearsheimer said the same things and they were called anti-Semites.
Israel and the Jewish people are also ccapable of having our own Uncle Toms.
The U.S. should cut off all support for Israel. Today. Now. This is a massive con going on. Our politicians vote to send Israel money, Israel launders part of it and sends it back into the U.S. to pay the politicians bribes so they will vote again next year to send more of my money to Israel. It's corrupt. And when any politician will not go along with the corruption, part of my money is used to pay others to run against that politician and throw them out of office. In other words, any U.S. politician who stands up for the people of this country, instead of bending over to Israel, is attacked and thrown out of office. What a corrupt and despicable system.
There is no legitimate reason for the politicians of my country to force me to send money to Israel. Any citizen of the U.S. who wants to send their money, do so, but leave my money alone.
As far as whether there are two states or none, I could care less, and I am sick and tired of always seeing this issue as #1 on the politically important list in the U.S. It should not even be on the list. It's not our problem. It's Israel's problem. They can solve it or not, but I don't want one more penny of my money being sent to Israel in what is probably the biggest con of the century.
Odd that you don't complain of our sending all of the countries that surround Israel loads of dough and weapons.
But then again, those countries aren't made up of JEWS.
They get all that money so they will not attack Israel. I have yet to meet a Jew who suffered during the war. And I have met and been friends with and worked with and been helped by a whole lot of Jews. On the other hand, my family was destroyed. I deserve land and money and I want it now.
danceswithyids,
Stop playing the victim, you sound pathetic. The gig is up and I totally agree with NABNYC. Hopefully, the American people will wake up and realize how they have been used and abused and stop this nonsense.
Really? And how much money are we "sending to Israel?" And which politicians are being "bribed" by Israel? How much are they getting? And exactly who has been "thrown of office" for not "bending over to Israel?"
That is the great thing about being full of lies
You don't feel the need to give any factual support
And you just parrot things you have heard by other JEW haters
MLK said it best, there is no Anti-Zionism it is merely another way to disguise and try to legitimize Anti-Semitism
eyecon;
Look it up. I think it is three billion each and every year plus weapons and a veto against any UN sanction for actions that are inhumane and illegal.
"Our politicians vote to send Israel money, Israel launders part of it and sends it back into the U.S. to pay the politicians bribes so they will vote again next year to send more of my money to Israel."
You are absolutely right.
This type of bribery undercuts our political system and should be rejected by all loyal Americans.
Of course, as soon as you say this, there are hate-mongers who will label you as being anti-semitic.
Arab nations receive much more US aid than Israel. Most of the oney sent to Israel is in the form of loans that are repaid, so the money does come back to the US, but not as bribes.
But thanks for sharing the anit-Semitic point of view.
Where do you get this stuff Bubba? One of the little games played between Israel and the US is the phony loans. The US loans Israel money, then it just tears up the note. So not only does the US give Israel a billion or so in civilian aid and several billion in military aid every year it also loans Israel money that Israel doesn't pay back.
Israel is by far the biggest receiver of US aid per capita and it probably is the biggest receiver of aid per capita in the history of the world.
Daniel Levy is exactly right. The US support for Israel in its current form guarantees unending hostilities. The US support for Israel has very little to do with helping Israel whose citizens scarcely need US aid. Perhaps in the past the US aid served some cold war purpose. Today it is driven by the American military complex that loves unending war, the Christian fundamentalists, the American and Israeli Jewish hawks, and AIPAC that funnels a percentage of the American aid back to congress as sort of a giant congressional slush fund.
Perhaps in the distant future the good citizens of Israel will rise up and tell the US to go to hell and to take their aid with them but that seems impossible in the current environment as the nation of Israel has become the world's biggest toady and there is nothing on the horizon that shows any signs of changing that.
Mr. Levy, there is a good article about J Street by Jim Lobe on Antiwar.com:
http://www.antiwar.com/lobe/?articleid=12701
It would be great if AIPAC could be challenged politically. I'm tired of neocons (both in Israel and in the U.S., both Christian and Jewish) dictating to others.
MidwestBlue;
Anytime anything is based upon a written word from a book which says it is a record of what God told anyone, there is trouble. Israel began with a gross injustice against the Palestinians simply because Jews said "God gave us this land so you guys get out of it." Jews, on the other hand, were fed up with bigoted Christians who said it was their fault Jesus was crucified and they should become Christians. " Osama bin Laden believes his interpretation of the Koran and that this justifies what happened on 9/11.
Learn some history
The beginning gross injustice was not the fault of Israelis, they accepted a two state solution.
The surrounding Arab countries said no and told the palestinians to move out of the way and then we'll kill all the Jews.
They even brought ex Nazis to meet with the Grand Mufti to assist in planning the extermination of the jews living there.
Notice how I never mentioned anything about something written in a book.
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