Taking Back The Debate Over Israel

by moonwolf | April 29, 2008 at 07:32 pm | 235 views | 8 comments

Sick of right-wing Jews speaking in their name, progressive American Jews have launched J Street to change the way the game is played in Washington.

For years, liberal American Jews who have chafed under the taboo against criticizing Israel have dreamed of starting a political organization that would speak for them. Now, with the launch of J Street, that dream has become a reality.

Jeremy Ben-Ami, the group's founder, says that the incident that drove him over the edge took place when he was working as policy director for Howard Dean's 2004 presidential campaign. Dean said the U.S. should take an "evenhanded" approach to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, Ben-Ami recalled. He was immediately, and predictably, savaged as anti-Israeli and a coddler of terrorists. "All hell broke loose," Ben-Ami said. "And this from a man who's married to a Jewish woman, who's raising kids in the Jewish faith, and is extremely pro-Israel in everything he'd ever said and done. But to use that one word, and then to have that cascade into a torrent, was just amazing to me. And it's certainly been repeated and magnified with the attacks on Obama and some of his aides, some of them crossing any line that any of us should have about civil discourse."

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eastvanray

at 20:44 on May 12th, 2008

good stuff:

moonwolf, I like this story. It's good stuff.

It is about time all people felt comfortable making honest observations about Israel. The sacred cow thing is getting pretty old.

moonwolf

at 14:32 on April 30th, 2008

Thanks Eastvanray.

Yes it is isn't it!

tikun

at 16:47 on May 11th, 2008

I think you need to spell the country correctly before you comment. Israel. The only sacred cow is the freedom that gives you permission to trash Jews and Israel freely. Israel is a prime example of this freedom. Thank G-d.

eastvanray

at 20:56 on May 12th, 2008

Typical! Can't argue the topic so resort to personal attacks. I have no interest in "trashing" Jews or anyone else nor can you point to any evidence of such behavior on my part. I also have no interest in putting any nationality of people beyond fair criticism. That goes for Jews as much as any other people.

Last I checked my history it was the Allied Forces who fought for the freedoms we enjoy today not the Mosad. Without the sacrifices by the UK, Canada, and the US there would be no Israel....period.

tikun

at 02:32 on May 15th, 2008

May I remind you that there was an Israel ( Judea and Samaria) long before there was a UK, Canada and the US. No one is personally attacking you. Just your uniformed prejudices.

eastvanray

at 03:04 on May 15th, 2008

The vast majority of the citizens of Israel today are not related to those civilizations. They are refugees from Eastern Europe following WWII. Do not call me uninformed.

What prejudices do you think I have regarding the state of Israel? I have stated no position with respect to Israel except for believing that it should be treated no different than any other state. It deserves honest praise for the things is positively contributes to the world and and criticism for the things it does wrong. I do not believe that just because it is a Jewish state and a democracy in an area of non-democratic governments that it deserves any special consideration vis-avis any other state. If you think that is prejudicial then you need a new dictionary.

tikun

at 11:21 on May 15th, 2008

Eastvanray,

I am fine with treating Israel equally as any other country. BTW, The VAST majority of Israelis are not from Eastern Europe. But come from Arab countries when they were forced out after the '48 war of independence. Just a reminder that there has been undisrupted Jewish presence in what is now present day Israel for as long as anyone can remember.

Chill out I am not out to do you in or discredit you. We all have a right to express our opinions and we all have the right to counter them.

Be Well