My J Street problem

In the past several months, J Street has attempted to offer alternative letters in Congress which were not helpful in my opinion. One was a letter circulated in the beginning of May by Representatives Delahunt, Price, Snyder and Kind is unnecessary . This letter was a bit unnecessary since over 80% of Congress, on a bi-partisan basis had already sent a letter to the President supporting the U.S.-Israel alliance and American involvement in peace efforts. All of those Members offered to work closely with the Administration to support common interests between us and the Israelis. In addition, the Delahunt, Price, Snyder and Kind letter seemed somewhat unhelpful since it took the remarks by General Petraeus out of context (about Israel being a strategic burden to the US) and wholly ignored his subsequent clarification of those remarks. The Delahunt, Price, Snyder and Kind letter was not bi-partisan.

Then there was the Diane Feinstein letter which encouraged the President to “drive” the parties towards a peace agreement. The word “drive” was basically a synonym for imposing a peace agreement on then parties. This letter was unnecessary because there had already been a letter in support of the President’s efforts cosponsored by Senators Boxer and Isakson. Again this letter was bipartisan and did not have the word “drive” in it.

Recently, there are letters in the House and Senate in support Israel's Right to Self-Defense in the Gaza Flotilla Incident. To date 79 Senators and 279 House members have already signed the letters. Among other issues, the letters request that the administration use its veto power, if necessary, against any biased or one-sided resolutions emanating from the U.N. Security Council on this issue. The Senate letter is authored by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). The House effort is being led by Reps. Ted Poe (R-TX), Gary Peters (D-MI), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH), House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA), House Foreign Affairs Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA), and Ranking Member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL).

Incredibly, J Street sent a letter urging Senators and Congressmen not to support these letters because they do not call for an end to the blockade of Gaza something which by the way, officers in the Israel army are strenuously warning against. I would have had less of a problem had they sent a separate letter urging support for some resolution calling for the end of the blockade. To go against the bipartisan letter seems to be self destructive. These letters may not have everything that J Street wants in them, but what their merits are pretty good. My feeling is that J Street is so intent on pointing out that it is not AIPAC or the rest of the organized Jewish community, that if AIPAC supports something, it will not do so, regardless of the merits.

Perhaps this aids their fundraising, but it does not serve the pro Israel community well and calls into question J Street’s assertion that it is both pro Israel and pro peace.