US Jews Create New Lobby to Temper Israel Policy
WASHINGTON - Several prominent American Jews have formed a new pro-Israel lobby as an alternative to traditional organizations that, they assert, often impede progress in the Middle East because of their generally reflexive support of Israel.
Officials of the new group, called J Street, say they believe the best way to bring security and peace to Israel is to help political candidates who support that country but will occasionally question some of its policies like maintaining or expanding settlements in disputed territories.
For many who follow the intense and complex world of lobbying on Middle East issues in Washington, there is little doubt as to the role J Street hopes to play in American politics - upsetting or at least diluting the influence of groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or Aipac, the formidable lobby that has long been the dominant voice of American Jewry with regard to United States policy in the Middle East.
“They’re trying to be the un-Aipac,” said Shmuel Rosner, who follows the issue closely as the chief United States correspondent for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
The executive director of the new venture, Jeremy Ben-Ami, said in an interview that “a large number of American Jews and their friends have dropped out of the discussion about how to bring peace to Israel and its neighbors because they don’t have a home politically.” He argued that there was a need for an alternative to the traditional groups who say, “to oppose any Israeli policy is to be anti-Israel.”
The new group’s name is a multiple play on words. Not only does the letter “J” suggest a Jewish cause, but “K Street” has come to be shorthand for the Washington lobby industry because many lobbyists’ offices are there. Although downtown Washington’s streets are named for letters in the alphabet, it is also a quirk that there is no J Street to be found between I and K.
The group’s founders say they will provide something else that does not exist: financial support from American Jews for political candidates whose views are not in line with Aipac’s. J Street has established its own political action committee to donate to candidates on the basis of their views about Middle East policy.
So far, according to the most recent quarterly statement filed at the Federal Election Commission, the group has brought in only a handful of contributions, ranging from $250 to $5,000.
Aipac does not have a political action committee and does not donate to candidates but exercises significant influence in other ways. Its prominent members donate heavily as individuals to candidates, and it mobilizes influential supporters in lawmakers’ home districts.
Mr. Ben-Ami, a former domestic policy adviser in the Clinton administration, said his group intended to select a handful of Congressional candidates to support this fall with donations of about $50,000 each.
He said they would choose candidates in June who are willing, for example, to express forcefully their support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine issue and for aid to the Palestinian Authority.
One race that has the potential to provide such a demonstration is the Senate campaign in Minnesota, in which Norm Coleman, the incumbent Republican who is a staunch Israel supporter, is likely to be opposed by Al Franken, a Democrat who might take some positions more in line with those of J Street.
Underlying the formation of the group is a fundamental question that has long vexed the American Jewish community: What is the most effective way to support Israel? Many people involved in Aipac have long argued that American Jews have limited standing to criticize Israel’s policies because they are not themselves facing difficult questions of safety and survival.
Aipac would not comment on the formation of J Street. But some people involved in Aipac noted with satisfaction the vast difference in the size of the two groups: J Street is planning for an operating budget of about $1.5 million, compared with Aipac’s $100 million endowment, membership of more than 100,000 and annual lobbying expenditures of about $1 million.
Victor A. Kovner, a prominent New York lawyer and former corporation counsel for the city who is one of the principal fund-raisers for J Street, said the group’s aim was to undo the notion that “Aipac speaks for American Jews on issues affecting Israel and Middle East.”
He said candidates would also be able to use the group’s endorsements as a shield against accusations that they were anti-Israel. The group’s principal fund-raisers are Mr. Kovner, who supports Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign, and Alan Solomont, who supports Senator Barack Obama’s candidacy.
A principal theorist behind the group, J Street officials said, is Daniel Levy, the son of Lord Levy of Britain, who was the Labor Party’s main fund-raiser under Prime Minister Tony Blair.
So far, J Street has raised about $750,000 for its lobbying arm. It is organized as a nonprofit and is not obliged to detail its donations, although Mr. Ben-Ami said that a few people, whom he would not name, had each given gifts of $100,000.
© 2008 The New York Times
BEST. NEWS. EVER.
I’m thrilled to see Jews who don’t believe in nazi-like tactics speaking up against Israel’s hideous foreign policy.
http://www.counterpunch.org/amiri04182008.html
Just another Israeli lobby.
I would feel much more excitement if this group were to set itself up as a pro-Palestinian lobby instead.
a POWerFUL pro-Palestinian lobby
Palestinians need an autonomous independent and sovereign nation in Southwest Asia. I repeat (in capital letters) PALESTINIANS NEED AN AUTONOMOUS INDEPENDENT AND SOVEREIGN NATION IN SOUTHWEST ASIA. This is extremely important. This is what is needed and necessary. Obviously. If the Israelis refuse for the Palestinians to have autonomous control over say the West Bank for example; it is becasue the Israelis are greedy. And hehehehe of course, History has taught us that “greedy” is an excellent description of them.
Americans, you want to know why most people in Southwest Asia hate you (trust me…most people living in Southwest Asia DO hate Americans and justifiably so) it is because your Government favors Israel on virtually EVERYTHING in Middle East affairs! Oh yes I would not be surprised if a significant portion of the USA population is unable to identify Israel on a map; but it is important that the Palestinian people have a autonomous sovereign nation completely in Palestinian control. Funny thing was…an establishment of a Palestinian nation was part of the deal in exchange for Palestinians to forfeit parts of their land for the Jews to live in as a token of world sorrow for something they endured a few decades ago that, really, was semi-justified; yet a autonomous sovereign nation for the Palestinians has yet, after 60 years, to happen.
So please, Israelis (big-nosed yamaka wearing F***ers), allow the Palestinians to have complete control over the West BAnk and/or Gaza. PLEASE…
I haven’t read the article yet, but the title tells me that two articles linked in my following post are surely fitting; the article for the UN report to the UNSC, and, perhaps most of all too, the article by Stephen Lendman. There’s another article, the first one linked, and it’s about some US soldier caught spying for Israel, so it’s of value to know about; but the two aforementioned articles are those I particularly wish to refer to for this post.
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/04/25/8517/#comment-261789
pax4all ,
Excellent and very important CounterPunch.org article you provided a link for!
It will fit well alongside the two articles I referred to in my above post. Stephen Lendman’s article provides what strikes me as being descriptions of truly pro-justice and -peace Israelis, including many former soldiers who served in occupied Palestine.
They seem all truthful to me, but J Street is of a kind, purpose, group (whatever), that should be suspect until proven to be good; might be good, but may also or alternatively be an AIPAC alternative that is NO better. And the latter seems to be the actual reality. The Counterpunch piece by Ranni Amiri is definitely convincing; and very well argued is the point made, or the concern expressed.
The article by Nigel Parry and referred to in the CounterPunch article pax4all posted a link for is not hyperlinked, and it’s the following.
“Misrepresentation of Barak’s offer at Camp David as “generous” and “unprecedented”
Nigel Parry, The Electronic Intifada, 20 March 2002 ”
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article518.shtml
NYT reporting on ‘J Street’, and positively or promotionally, although not strong promotion for now, well, it struck me as suspect; and the following would reinforce that, if NYT did not report on this story or incident, which likely enough or apparently no U.S. msm news media reported on.
It’s about when Israel struck the Interior Ministry in Gaza on Feb. 27, 2008, and what evidently went very underreported was that this included striking PMRS’ main clinic in Gaza. It’s a short article, mostly consisting of a few large pictures, but even the little text provided says plenty when we know a reasonable amount about the Israel-Palestine situation.
“A story the US media will not tell you:
The Palestinian Medical Relief Society”,
2008,
http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/publish/article_995.shtml
I just came across that website during some Web searches and believe that JVP is totally new to me, not recalling ever having come across it before; but it looks good from what I just saw for views expressed in the homepage. I also believe it’s based in Chicago; seeming to recall having read this at the website or a referring one.
It’s time that the western nations stop giving Israel a free pass. What happened during the holocaust was tragic, but the Nazis paid for their war crimes. What is happening now to the Palestinians is also tragic, but the Israelis are not paying for their war crimes. It’s time they stopped hiding behind the holocaust to commit their war crimes, and it’s time we stopped sending US taxes to Israel to fund their war crimes. The Occupation should become a national discussion, since we are funding it. That is the center of the Middle East storm, and nothing can be resolved until the Occupation and illegal settlements end.
The establishment of J Street is a good step. I hope that this will help to end the influence that AIPAC has on American foreign policy.
I remember Iraq war supporter (flip-flopper) then occupation supporter Al Franken mocking Arafat on Air-America when Arafat was dying. “Arafat’s not dead yet?, oi oi oi!”
He’ll turn out to be a typical melding with republicans democrat.
I’ll take part of that back. Former Republican Senator of RI Lincoln Chaffee didn’t always buckle at the AIPAC or PNAC trough, but with DEMS like Franken, who needs republicans?
This move is long overdue, as AIPAC is now the American auxiliary arm of the Likud, and is no longer acting a support organization for Israel in general as it used to during the British mandate period and the early years after the War of Independence.
BEWARE before you believe that ‘J Street’ is not yet another AIPAC, Jewish lobby. It’s already and very clear that JS is like wholly pro-Israel and NOT pro-justice, and since the signals are already provided, it’s wise to pick up on them and WATCH.
NO, the above is not an absolute certainty on my part, but … see the article pax4all posted a link for further above; it says what I believe everyone who does truly care about Palestinians and very simply Justice should very carefully read and keep in mind.
It’s always better to beware of “Jewishness” when we speak of the USA, and other countries.
Jews who are NOT pro-Israel in ways that are anti-Palestinian or -Islam, and who are Jews opposed to Zionism, get very little, if any, space in the corporate msm news media of the USA. So when the latter refer to a new Jewish group that’s going to work on influencing U.S. govt, politics, then BEWARE.
The ADL is yet another powerful and dangerous Jewish and/or pro-Israel and -Zionism league that’s been a lobby in the USA for decades; while also having influence with many other govts.
Pray that JS is not another of these lobby groups, or else be simply honest and hand the govt like totally, very much anyway, over to organised crime, gangsterism, …; and then slap a ‘Traitor’ label on your back, or front, whichever you prefer.
I agree with Mike.
AIPAC has been thoroughly exposed by Walt and Mersheimer et all and many Americans are finally starting to catch on. I look at J-Street with skepticism as this may be a way to keep the lobby going only in a new form that is less likely to be critiqued because it sounds nice and its coming from the left.
Now if the folks at http://www.muzzlewatch.com/ started a lobby I’d throw my weight and my money behind them. They an excellent Jewish group and they are doing a good job of critiquing AIPAC.
The Council for the National Interest http://www.cnionline.org/ is something we all need to support also.
Wow, Ahuramazda spouts hate speech and the “progressives” nod and move on. That’s what I call progress. This “big-nosed yamaka wearing F***er” just loves the bigotry of the left. No wonder middle-America supports Republicans; the left is morally bankrupt.
¿ EXACTLY where is the ROAD, that YOU sit in the middle of ?
Ahuramazda may incite a small portion of your hate, but admit it, anyone who even considers Palestinians to deserve a real home — already was DIALeD up full volume for your response.
I’m pleased that you’re sitting in the road, because obviously that’s a more just place for you to SQWAT, than ALL over the Palestinian’s OWN LAND.
As far as _ b a n k r u p t _ is concerned, DID IT EVER OCCUR to you to _ P U R C H A S E _ L A N D _ instead of _ S T E A L I N G __ I T _ ?
Your principles are SHOWING, and hadn’t you’d better cover them up in public ?
Perhaps the WARSAW Ghetto has a nice _ [ F R E E ] _ road for you to SIT ON ?