"Israel's True Friends" by Roger Cohen NY Times

There is a tendency in politics to get set answers for different problems.  Rather than think, reason, consider and look at alternatives, the natural instinct today is to give a rote response, a good sound bite, and leave it at that. I believe that certain people, representing certain interests, feel like they just have to keep saying the same thing over and over again, and eventually people will accept it and believe in it as the right direction to go. 

That is the case for defenders of Israel, those who are constantly preoccuppied with promoting and protecting Israel's interest at any cost, and to the extreme, are now lining up against the nomination of Sen. Hagel for Defense Secretary because of some thoughful remarks that he has made in relationship to Israel in years past.  Roger Cohen at the New York Times as addressed this concern qute strongly in his op-ed piece published today.  His language characterizes the situation as a binary system of thinking---you are either for Israel or against Israel, and there is no in-between, not nuanced view of how one might think about Israel. 

Israel’s True Friends 

Jan. 7 2013   By ROGER COHEN                                                                

London

PRESIDENT Obama’s decision to nominate Chuck Hagel, a maverick Republican with enough experience of war to loathe it, as his next secretary of defense is the right choice for many reasons, chief among them that it will provoke a serious debate on what constitutes real friendship toward Israel.

      

That debate, which will unfold during Senate confirmation hearings, is much needed because Jewish leadership in the United States is often unrepresentative of the many American Jews who have moved on from the view that the only legitimate support of Israel is unquestioning support of Israel, and the only mark of friendship is uncritical embrace of a friend.

      

Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, fired an opening salvo by telling CNN that, “This is an in-your-face nomination by the president to all of us who are supportive of Israel.”

The comment, based on Hagel’s lack of enthusiasm for war on Iran and his single allusion to advocates of Israel as “the Jewish lobby,” was of a piece with last year’s in-your-face Republican line that Obama, a strong supporter of Israeli security, had thrown Israel “under the bus.”
      

Jewish voters, who overwhelmingly favored Obama once again, despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s unsubtle nudges, demonstrated at the ballot box what they thought of this characterization of the president.

      

Identifying Israel’s enemies is easy. Khaled Meshal, the Hamas leader, illustrated why when he declared: “Palestine is ours from the river to the sea and from the south to the north. There will be no concession on an inch of the land. We will never recognize the legitimacy of the Israeli occupation and therefore there is no legitimacy for Israel, no matter how long it will take.”

That is the sort of absolutist, annihilation-bent position that has been a losing proposition since 1948 and will continue to undermine the legitimate Palestinian quest for statehood alongside a secure Israel — the one embraced by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas — for as long as it is advocated by self-serving merchants of hatred.

      

But deciding who Israel’s real friends are is more difficult — and that decision is critical both for Israel itself and for the future of U.S. policy toward the Jewish state.
      

The question has been on the president’s mind for a long time. During the 2008 campaign, in a meeting with the Cleveland Jewish community, Obama said: “This is where I get to be honest and I hope I’m not out of school here. I think there is a strain within the pro-Israel community that says unless you adopt an unwavering pro-Likud approach to Israel that you’re anti-Israel and that can’t be the measure of our friendship with Israel. If we cannot have an honest dialogue about how do we achieve these goals, then we’re not going to make progress.”
      

He suggested that to equate asking “difficult questions” with “being soft or anti-Israel” was a barrier to moving forward.

      

Five years on, that needed dialogue has scarcely advanced. Self-styled “true friends” of Israel now lining up against the Hagel nomination are in fact true friends only of the Israeli right that pays no more than lip service to a two-state peace (when it even does that); scoffs at Palestinian national aspirations and culture; dismisses the significant West Bank reforms that have prepared Palestine for statehood; continues with settlement construction on the very shrinking land where a Palestinian state is envisaged (and was granted nonmember observer status at the United Nations last November by 138 votes to 9 with 41 abstentions, including Germany); cannot find a valid Palestinian interlocutor on the face of the earth despite the moderate reformist leadership of Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad; ignores the grave implications for Israel of its unsustainable, corrosive dominion over another people and the question of how Israel can remain Jewish and democratic without a two-state solution (it cannot); bays for war with Iran despite the contrary opinions of many of Israel’s intelligence and military leaders; and propels Israel into repetitive miniwars of dubious strategic value.

      

These “true friends” shout the loudest. They are well-organized and remorseless.
      

Then there are the other friends of Israel, the quieter ones, the many who are unwaveringly committed to Israel’s security within its 1967 borders (with agreed land swaps); who believe continued settlement expansion in the West Bank is self-defeating and wrong; who hold that a good-faith quest for a two-state solution that will involve painful compromises on both sides (Palestinian abandonment of the “right of return” and Israeli abandonment of conquered land) is the only true path to Israeli security and the salvaging of its core Jewish values; who counsel against go-it-alone military adventurism against Iran; and who are troubled by a rightward nationalist drift in Israel whose central political tenet seems to be that holding on to all the land is doable and sustainable.

Hagel, like Obama, is a quiet strong friend of Israel. The movement against him is a relic of a binary with-Israel or against-Israel vision that does not have the true interests of Israel or the United States at heart.

Deal with Israel, Palestine equally to promote peace

Delaware online, Wilmington, DE is the paper that published this extensive advocacy article on the Israeli - Palestinian conflict written by two leaders of Churches for Middle East Peace in the state of Delaware,  Robert Stoddard and William Lane.  The article reflects a concern for both sides on this conflict, and acknowledges the need to exercise full respect and appreciation for the interests of both parties, Israel and Palestine. 

 

Deal with Israel, Palestine equally to promote peace
Dec 24, 2012

The recent exchange in Delaware Voice columns between Delaware Neighbors Against the Occupation and Lt. Gov. Matt Denn regarding Israel/Palestine cause us to urge a re-examination of this conflict from both viewpoints. If there is ever to be an end to this long, bitter and brutal conflict, we must all first recognize the sufferings, mistrust and legitimate fears of Israelis and Palestinians alike and their mutual longing for justice, security and lasting peace.

 

We affirm the right of Israel to exist as a secure, democratic state. (Whether Jewish and democratic we leave for later discussion.) We call on all Palestinians to do likewise, thereby rejecting Hamas’ call for a Palestinian-only state in place of Israel. We condemn the use of suicide bombs and rockets against Israeli civilians, Jewish and Arab, by Palestinian militants and call for an end of such attacks. Given the demographics, we worry that even with 138 settlements and 506,000 settlers on Palestinian land and more settlements encouraged, Israeli Jews will still soon become a minority if Israel continues to occupy that land. And we are alarmed by Israel’s growing isolation, especially since the Arab spring, for Israel needs international and economic engagement and peace with its neighbors if it is to survive over time.

 

We affirm equally the right of Palestinians to exist within the secure borders of their own viable and contiguous state. We deplore and call for an end to the Israeli Occupation of the West Bank, (the size of Delaware with four times our population), and the continuing siege of Gaza, (about the size and density of Philadelphia). We vehemently oppose the Israeli government’s oppression of Palestinian men, women and children through the systematic confiscation of their land and water resources, destruction of their homes and orchards, walling in of their towns and villages, their detention and imprisonment without trial, the restriction of their freedom of movement and the relentless building of Jewish settlements and roads in the Palestinian territories, all enforced by the occupying Israeli army.

 

These are painful, but nevertheless indisputable “facts on the ground” verified by the United Nations, international and Israeli human rights organizations and we Christians, Jews and Muslims who have been there and seen for ourselves.

 

This is an unhealthy and unsustainable situation for Palestinians – and Israelis. The Occupation and siege are taking a terrible toll physically, emotionally and economically on both sides. Israelis have been injured and killed, but Palestinian casualties have been at a far greater rate due to Israel’s military power and asymmetrical warfare.

 

The Occupation undermines the religious and social values of Palestinians, Christians and Muslims, fostering in some hostility, hatred and extremism.

 

Former Israel Defense Forces’ soldiers testify that having to treat Palestinians as less than human dehumanizes them as well. Such policies negate the democratic values on which Israel was founded, not to mention our shared Judeo/Christian religious and moral values of doing justice, doing no harm to others and striving for true shalom – wholeness.

 

Furthermore, our nation’s unqualified support of Israel, at the expense of the Palestinians, undercuts our ability to be a fair and honest broker of peace. Then too, our unbalanced policies and actions reflect poorly on us internationally, especially in Arab nations and the Muslim world and now Europe.

 

What can be done to turn this situation back toward peace? What can we in Delaware, Christians, Jews, Muslims, do to promote peace in Israel/Palestine? As citizens of “the most powerful nation on earth,” we can inform ourselves from sources other than our biased mainstream media and with visits to Israel, East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza of the true facts on the ground. Then, as difficult and painful as it is, we must face up to the truth and exercise our democratic right – and obligation – to speak that truth our Congressmen, United States senators and president to advocate for:

 

• Implementation of the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel

 

• Hamas’s recognition of Israel’s right to exist

 

• An end of all terrorist acts, be they carried out by Palestinian militants or the Israeli military

 

• An end to the Occupation of the West Bank and siege of Gaza and return to the 1967 borders with land swaps

 

• An immediate end to construction of Israeli settlements and infrastructure on Palestinian land

• Holding both parties accountable to American laws regarding military and economic aid

 

• Resumption of the peace process leading to the establishment of two independent states living side-by-side peacefully

 

And above all, America must deal with Israel and the Palestinians as equal partners, not favoring one over the other. This is the only way we can help bring about security and peace based on justice for all peoples in our shared Holy Land.

 

We must be pro-Israel and pro-Palestine if we are to be pro-peace. Shalom/Salaam

 

Robert Stoddard is the founder and William Lane the chair of Delaware Churches for Middle East Peace.

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20121224/OPINION07/312250007/Deal-Israel-Palestine-equally-promote-peace

 

Peter Beinart - A Detailed Overview of Obama and Israel

Peter Beinart: Obama Betrayed Ideals on Israel

This article was originally presented in March of 2012 as an adaptation of his new publication, The Crisis of Zionism. In this article he provides a detailed overview of the growing crisis of US - Israeli relations.  In essence, Beinart documents the reality that Obama raised the bar very high for the Netanyahu government by insisting on a freeze on the growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.  The problem is not the demand for a freeze, but the fact that he failed in his effort. Because of that, he is unlikely to pursue that option again, at least for a long while.

Beinart also documents the internal power struggle between George Mitchell, who had been appointed special envoy to Israel and the Palestinians, and Dennis Ross, now at the State Department, a person with strong credentials on addressing the Israeli - Palestinian conflict.  On that front, George Mitchell also lost out to Dennis Ross and eventually resigned.

The over all thrust of the article is not encouraging at all.   It is worth reading to get a good glimpse of how diplomatic negotiations work, both internally - within the State Department and the White House, and visa vie the external relationship with Israel and Netanyahu.


http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/03/11/peter-beinart-obama-betrayed-ideals-on-israel.html

J  Street Annual Conference  –  Making History - Washington, D.C.

March 24 – 27, 2012

Opening Session on Saturday Evening

Program began with a short video that included a presentation by historian Yehuda Bauer who made the case that this is the last opportunity for a Two State Solution and it required the support of peace advocates, especially young people of whom there are many in attendance.

J Street is an effective, powerful pro-Israel <> pro peace organization.  It calls for an Israel that works for peace with its neighbor and peace within itself. There is a need to heal a broken conversation.  This is especially so on campus where there is a need for a strong pro –Israel <> pro-Palestinian <> pro – peace movement.  J Street is about the international pro-Israel – Pro-Peace movement.

Welcome Announcements and Presentations                                                                                After the film, a welcome is extended by Jeremy Ben Ami who makes an announcement about attendance which includes 650 students, representation by 43 J Street locals, for a total of 2500+ in attendance.   “Thanks to everyone.” he says.  “This is incredible!”

Making History is the theme of the program.  The history of our generation is about choices and decisions that we make.  Quoting Ghandi, he says “A small group can make a difference.”  The difference needs to be made for the future of Israel.

J Street works in the face of well-funded machinery designed to intimidate the peace movement.  We are advocating for an Israel inside its borders, borders that are clearly defined.

Israel is a wonder to behold.  Currently there are numerous economic and social justice movements striving to return Israel to its original understanding.   (Many in this group see the current situation of occupation, continuing settlement development and growing economic disparity in Israel as a betrayal of Zionism and Israel’s original understanding.  Recall  the Kibbutz movement, the left wing, socialist history of many of the early founders.)

The goal here is for the two state solution, especially recognizing  that many are distraught over the current situation in Israel.  There is no discernible peace process and our institutions are being held hostage to those who would stifle open conversation and exchange.

There is resistance to all of this.  Change will not come if we wait for someone else.  We are the people!  Many will say, ‘why bother.’  But, this is the time, the significant opportunity. As a Jew, (we are told) you are not allowed to throw up our hand in despair. 

A noted Jewish teaching says that “you are not required to complete the task. (others will take it up etc.).  But, you are not free to withdraw from it.”

We have the power to make history, to change the path and bring a two-state solution. J Street activism is a movement for social justice. 

Concerns about quality of life in Israel

There are a lot of concerns expressed about the current quality of life in Israel, especially around issues of housing availability, affordable homes, which becomes a factor in pushing the settlement movement. Both Arab and Jewish Israeli citizens are involved in fighting to improve this situation.

After 30 long years of striving in Israel, building up an economic and civil infrastructure, Israel now ranks second in the developed Western world behind the United States in income inequality.  The leaders of Israel are creating a false sense of security by focusing primarily on the military and external security.  This kind of focus results in limiting opportunity and advancement. A secure future cannot be assured by focusing on security threat alone. 

Long term success depends on being able to reclaim the language of social justice that includes shared citizenship and equal rights.  It is time to dream a vision of a new Israel, a dream that can come true.

Mayor Beton, originally from Morocco who represents the best of up and coming lovers and champions of Israel.  He is the youngest of 9 children.

In the 1970s Israel was rich in solidarity and social resources, recognizing our challenges.  Today, Israel cannot be the true society as long as it continues to control millions of Palestinian.  The conversation on this topic has been overtaken by extremists.  So, it is not possible to a supporter of peace today. The Oslo Accords, the Gaza pullout and the Arab Spring are not popular today.  Settlements are an obstacle to peace.  Settlers are not our enemies, but settlements are a problem. Conversations about moving settlers from the West Bank is a difficult conversation.  “I have 5 children” he says, “and I do not want them serving in the territories as I did.”

Speaker Amos Oz – co-founder of Peace Now and a noted activist, advocate and author

Continuing the occupation would be a betrayal of Israel.  We have to make activism a way of life.  He has travelled and spoken in numerous places for 45 years including in the US.  We need activists, but not under the banner of hawkish AIPAC.  There are other ways to be a Zionist and a Jew.  No one can claim Zionism to itself.  The Israeli – Palestinian conflict is between two powerful claims over the land.  Palestine is the home of the Palestinians.  Israel is the land of the Israelis. The conflict is real, two peoples claiming the right of both peoples.  In this setting, compromise is seen as soft, yet where there is compromise, there is life.  The compromise now being proposed by some, the new voices, is for a one – state solution.  He refers to the one – state solution as honeymoon.  What we need is a painful divorce.  Submission and domination is not good. The Czechs and the Slovaks had a similar problem.  They resolved it by splitting into two countries. 

One day there will be two embassies, Israel and Palestine and Palestine in Israel. The majority of both sides believe there will be a two state solution.  They are ready for painful surgery. Meanwhile, Palestinians avoid saying Israel.  Israelis refer to the Arab residents need to be our of our territory.  Nations make peace with clenched teeth.  But, we are called to make peace, not love.

Speaking about Iran – Iran is an ugly regime, one of the worst on earth, but not the Iranian people.  Iranians are enemies of their own state, not Israel. Israel, however, is far from being insecure.  But, you would not know it by their behavior. 

There is no happy ending to this affair.  Look to Chekov. In his stories, everyone is unhappy, disappointed, disillusioned but still alive.  A better model for the current situation with Iran.  Live with it.

Finally, the best outcome to it all:

1.      End the conflict with the Palestinians

2.      Create a new social solidarity.

The evening concluded.

----------------------------------------------

Another Plenary Session 3:50 to 5:20 Monday -- Shimon Perez – a brief video presentation prepared for this meeting

Most leaders recognize the danger of Iran. Continue our vigilance.    It is necessary to build peace.  There is no other solution but a Two – State outcome. Make peace because the world is so full of prejudice and violence.  So, let us exercise Tikun Olam as the best response.  Repair, fix and make the world a better place by getting to a two state solution.  (a lot of ad lib on my part. It was only a very brief word of encouragement from Perez.) 

Two Speakers representing the Administration and the Democratic view

Mort Halperin longtime Democratic political operative, served as Moderator of this session.

Valerie Jarrett on behalf of President Obama:  She gave a sort of canned political speech, hailing the upcoming celebration of Passover.  She spoke very broadly, was so bold as to reference TIkun Olam, although she did not pronounce it well, and didn’t seem to really fully grasp it.  She is a good speaker, lively and engaging, but not real substantive. It’s a political speech.

Rabbi Daniel Hartman - Shalom Hartman Institute

The traditional Jewish teaching about working for justice came up again from one of the speakers. 

“We are not obligated to finish the job.  But, neither are we free to withdraw from the task.”

We have to deal with the world as it is.  But, we can also imagine and work for the world as it could be, as it should be.  This reflects an aspirational view of history.  We have to aspire to something better.  Hartman did not talk about the conflict per se, but about the view and the vision.  How do we understand it from a Jewish perspective and aspire to move toward a better time, the resolution of the conflict.  That was his question.

For clarification, Rabbi Hartman is a signatory to the 2011 Israel Peace Initiative.  http://israelipeaceinitiative.com/israeli-peace-initiative-english/ It is a well balanced proposal that addresses most of the concerns that we have in the church community, ’67 borders adjusted for changes created by settlements, Jerusalem as a dual capital, and other items. 

Tony Blanken – previously staff to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, now a National Security Advisor to President Obama

Daniel Kurtzer, former US Ambassador to Israel (and also to Egypt) now at Princeton; and  Ann Marie Slaughter at the Woodrow Wilson Center at Princeton.

Blanken –Random Notes from his presentation -   Israel has partners who share a vision for peace and for a Two State Solution. We make no apologies for working for peace.  We work with continuing engagement despite what looks appears to be a time when nothing is happening. Fatah and Hamas have a developing relationship.  We continue to be concerned about Hamas. The Iron Dome has been installed in the north and the south of Israel (my comment-and should help alleviate tensions and recriminations over rockets from Hezobollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza—read the Wiki version of Iron Dome here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Dome)

Loose talk of war with Iran is counterproductive.  The West has imposed the most severe and crippling sanctions regime in history.  Lets give it time to make a difference. 

Amb. Daniel Kurtzer, Princeton University (also a speaker at the June CMEP gathering)      There is a price to be paid by the Washington consensus that nothing can be done about this situation. The prevailing theory is that you have to wait for the right time.  However, we can expect and demand leadership from Washington.  It does not pay to live according to the old maxims, the prevailing consensus. We can’t take risks, but the risks of doing nothing are already there. There is great uncertainty in the Middle East.  

Looking back, Rabin and King Abdullah understood that the time had come to do something, to change the status quo, and we have now come 10 years past that time. 

The Obama Parameters  -  We have been there already, so let’s narrow down and focus on the funnel of issues.  There are issues that have to be talked through.  Negotiations will, of course, benefit from past experiences and the accumulation of parameters and information.  Here are some basic expectations:                                                                                                          

·         Impose a Settlement Freeze

·         Destroy infrastructure of Palestinian terrorism

·         Build the infrastructure of Palestinian Statehood

There is no alternative to the two state- solution.   An important insight from Kurtzer – Acknowledgement of Israel’s right to exist is not a reasonable barrier to the peace process and getting to a two – state solution.    

Anne Marie Slaughter, Princeton University  -  She expressed deep sympathy for the plight of the Palestinians. Democracy and human rights and justice for the Palestinians must be realized. Realizing this for the Palestinians is also the best guarantee for those qualities in Israel. The new government will need our assurance about security and economic development. 

Slaughter asks the audience to imagine a Mediterranean Trading and Security Block with Israel and Palestinian as a cornerstone. 

Israel is not being true to her values.  It is not fully democratic.  Fighting tyranny is an Israeli birthright.  But, Israel needs to turn and adjust in order to vindicate those values of Liberty, Democracy and Justice. 

Track II - Settlers and Refugees are problems on both sides of the equation and stand in the way of moving forward. 

An Obama visit to the region is important and he needs to go to Israel and to Ramallah. AM Slaughter resorts to the standard form of the importance of recognizing Israel’s right to exist. But, it is not absolute, look for some benchmarks along the way. Recognizing Israel as a Jewish state is important. However………….

1.      Israel has not yet fully defined itself as a Jewish state. 

2.      Israel, finally, does not need someone else’s recognition.

3.      Recognizing Israel’s right to exist is a reasonable outcome, an expectation for the final outcome. But, the failure to officially recognize Israel’s right to exist should not get in the way of the dialogue and diplomacy. (A general paraphrase of his pronouncement) It becomes an excuse not to negotiate. Recognition is an outcome, not a step in the process toward peace. 

4.      Don’t succumb to the Washington Consensus, but Talk to Each other.

A.M. Slaughter’s reflections on ‘the right to exist’  mantra is an important insight from a critical and recognized scholar on international relations.

Sunday Morning Workshop The Impact of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict on America's Interests: A Military Perspective                                                                                                                                Major General (Ret.) Paul D Eaton, Senior Advisor to the National Security Network     Brigadier General (Ret.) John H. Johns, Former Army combat arms officer, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense and Prof. of Political Science, National Defense University;                     Col. (Ret.) Lawrence Wilkerson, Former Chief of Staff to US Secretary of State, Colin Powell   

Incident at Sea – Procedures in the event of an incident, an encounter at sea, to avoid resorting to the military option.

The political space is closing down because of our close relationship with Israel. Our Congress is thinking about regime change, and all we need is a president who is willing to go along. Conclusion for this speaker is that Israel is a strategic liability.  We could be brought into a military encounter with inadequate provocation.

The bond between the two countries is a major feature of US foreign relations. It is an asset. But, because of the narrow parameters in that relationship between the US and Israel, the US can easily be pulled into something, namely a conflict that does not serve the US national interest.  

Advocacy Day
Briefly, our trips on the Hill were pretty effective.  We essentially had two groups, northern and southern Ohio.  Out biggest gathering was with Senator Sherrod Brown and was attended by both the North and the South Ohio delegations.  Sen. Brown was very attentive, listened well, and had a lot to say in response to our advocacy and our concerns for peace.
Most notable was the participation of about 10 college students, mostly from Oberlin College, and a couple of students from Ohio who were attending college out of state.  By general agreement, we gave the basic talking task to the students and let them make the case on a number of talking points or issues.  Then we would fill in with additional details and perspective. 

Thanks for this great involvement of a bunch of Jewish young people who represented the cause for peace in passionate and articulate voices. They represented the cause for peace with integrity.

My Letter to Congressman Pat Tiberi on Israel - Palestine

Letter Mailed to Congressman Pat Tiberi, R-OH-12  The Columbus Office Dec. 21st.


Dear Congressman Tiberi, December 21, 2010
First, congratulations on your recent reelection to the U.S. Congress. Bravo and Good job! You are obviously a trusted representative of the people in OH - 12.

I am writing to follow up on a number of recent exchanges I have had with your office regarding the Israeli - Palestinian conflict. You and I both have something in common which is a concern for the security, safety and well being of Israel. I hope you also have a concern for these same qualities in regard to the Palestinians, because the security of Israel is integrally related to the well being of the Palestinians, and the prospect for establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel. It is the two-state solution that many of us aspire to realize. There are difficulties, however, and I will share a few items that demonstrate the degree of difficult of getting to a Two-State Solution as the resolution of the Israeli - Palestinian conflict.

Jeff Halper is an American Jew from Minnesota living in Israel, who has been working on the resolution of this conflict for many years. Here is a rather revealing quote from a recent e-mail from him.

From Jeff Halper--"Struggling as I have for the past decades to grasp the dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and find ways to get out of this interminable and absolutely superfluous conflict, I have been two-thirds successful. After many years of activism and analysis, I think I have put my finger on the first third of the equation: What is the problem? My answer, which has withstood the test of time and today is so evident that it elicits the response…“duh”…is that all Israeli governments are unwaveringly determined to maintain complete control of Palestine/Israel from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River, frustrating any just and workable solution based on Palestinian claims to self-determination. There will be no negotiated settlement, period."

Secondly, an anecdote from my own experience that reflects Halper's concern. Flying to Israel in the summer of 2007, my wife and I were separated on the flight and she sat with a doctor from Brooklyn who was going to Israel to spend time at his second home, located in the Israeli West Bank settlements. When my wife told him that we were going to spend time with the Palestinians in Bethlehem in the West Bank and learn more about the conflict, he responded by saying that the Palestinians would never get a state of their own. "We won't let them get a state,” he said. Further along in the conversation, he revealed that he was also a cousin to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

On Sunday, Nov. 21st. Ethan Bronner wrote an extensive article in the New York Times entitled "When Illusions are All: Why America Continues to Chase the Dream of an Israeli - Palestinian Peace." In it he noted the Israeli - Palestinian conflict has been largely drained of deadly violence in the past few years." Of course, Bronner fails to mention the 1300+ Gazan Palestinians killed in Operation Cast Lead, including approximately 300 Palestinian children. But, the positive side of Bronner's assertion is that Palestinians, including Hamas and Hezbollah, are not currently engaging in acts of terrorism toward Israel.

All of this is background for two other matters of great import. One is the recognition that the building of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian territory has resumed after the moratorium expired. I understand that settlement building and growth never really stopped because many Israelis rushed to get building permits before the expected moratorium was actually imposed. However, it is important to recognize that Israeli settlement building in the Occupied Palestinian territory is soaking up land designated for use as part of the eventual Palestinian state.
Additionally, having Israeli citizens live in the Palestinian territory necessitates extra security measures in the Palestinian territory to protect Israeli citizens. That protection translates into a massive Israeli military presence in the Palestinian territory, over 600 checkpoints and barriers to travel in the West Bank, and an elaborate system of separate roads, bridges and tunnels for Israelis and Palestinians are prohibited from traveling on them.

Congressman, all of these items cited above are clearly detrimental to Palestinian freedom of movement, economic development, eventual sovereign statehood, and any Palestinian sense of having a common cause with Israel. Equally important, all of these factors cited militate against Israel's best interest, which is the realization of the Two State Solution--two peoples organized into their respective sovereign states living side by side.

Congressman, with your reelection and the Republican take over of the US House of Representatives, you are uniquely positioned to give strong leadership toward realizing peace between Israel and the Palestinians by the realization of the much sought after Two-State Solution.

Israel and the Palestinians cannot arrive at the peace solution on their own. They need the support, encouragement and of the United States. It has been said repeatedly in many circles that the United States must broker and provide the framework and guidelines for the Two - State solution. That has been the role of the United State since the days of Secretary of State Kissinger's shuttle diplomacy in that region. Since that time, many peace conferences, negotiations and agreements have been brokered with the leadership of the United States.

Of course, I am further disappointed to discover that you are one of the people that signed on as a co-sponsor to the House Resolution condemning the Palestinians’ expression of a so-called unilateral action indicating that they will declare statehood. This may be somewhat symbolic, and expression of a frustrated people who seem blocked by Israeli intransigence. That intransigence is expressed in Israel’s unilateral action of continuing to build settlements in the Palestinian territory. Congressman, if you are going to condemn unhelpful unilateral action in this situation, why didn’t you condemn Israel’s persistence at building more settlements in the Palestinian territory.

“All in good time” is essentially what Netanyahu’s cousin was telling my wife on the flight to Israel. Israeli settlements are often referred to as ‘facts on the ground which are understood as irrefutable realities that cannot be turned back. All in good time Israel will have the West Bank!

Congressman, I urge you to take a stand against this continuing imposition of Israeli colonialism on the Palestinian land and people. If you want to stand for Israeli security and well being, you need to help them by condemning their continuing confiscation of Palestinian land.
Respectfully,
Rev. Ward Cornett III
Gahanna, OH

Report on J Street, the relatively new pro-Israel <> pro-Peace Jewish lobby organization. http://jstreet.org/  J Street has been in existence for approximately 18 months and has already made quite a splash in the arena of peace work on the Israeli – Palestinian conflict. Of course, it has received a lot of criticism and resistance from the establishment Jewish community and the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee – AIPAC, the strongest “Jewish lobby”, often identified as one of the 5 most effective lobbyist organizations in Washington.


J Street conducted its first annual conference in Washington, D.C. Oct. 25 – 28. The original expectation was for 500 – 800 attendees. The event far exceeded those expectations with 1500 people in attendance for the whole program, which was extensive in its offerings of workshops directed at the challenge of resolving the Israeli – Palestinian conflict. The attendees at this event were overwhelmingly Jewish, including a lot of Reform rabbis. There were 50 to 100 Christians in attendance, including those specifically identified with Churches for Middle East Peace. I was also in attendance at this amazing conference and following is a quick narrative of my experience.

My Attendance at the J Street Conference – by Skip Cornett

I want to spend a few minutes sharing some of my experience of the J Street conference. I went to Washington on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 25th, and settled in at my hotel in the community around George Washington University and the Foggy Bottom metro stop, then went over to the J Street event, which took place at the Grand Hyatt (way too expensive!) near Metro Center. I did go with a great sense of anticipation and the expectation that a lot of good things would be happening. I was not disappointed.

Sunday evening - opening session in Grand Hyatt hotel, huge room, very crowded. Rousing introduction and presentation by Jeremy Ben-Ami, Executive Director, J Street. Read and posted on screen letters of congratulations from Shimon Peres, President of Israel; and from Tzipi Livni the current leader of the Kadima, the largest party in the Knesset. The crowd was enthusiastic. There were about 250 college students in attendance, including Jewish reps from Scotland--the UK, and from Israel. Students were encouraged to scatter out and populate the tables so others could meet them. Two young women join our table, one sits beside me-----she looked like a high school student---smallish, very young, delicate features, from University of Michigan, and she introduced herself as belonging to "a left-wing Zionist group" (don't remember name of group).

Monday
Americans for Peace Now Presents--West Bank Settlements: Obstacles on the Road to Peace---A View from the Ground and from the Diplomatic Arena

The two most notable speakers for this workshop (9:00 -- 10:15) were Debra DeLee, President of Peace Now, and Akiva Eldar, writer for Ha'aretz and co-author of Lords of the Land:The War for Israel's Settlements in the Occupied Territories, 1967-2007(which he kept reminding us is now in paperback). The room was filled to overflowing---about 300, and the workshop was personally affirming for me because of the MA thesis I wrote in 2008 entitled "Israeli West Bank Settlements: Perversion of Realism and Obstacle to Peace." I thought I made a pretty strong statement in my academic opposition to Israeli settlements, but it paled in comparison to the strength of opposition to settlements exercised in this workshop. Peace Now also gave an extensive presentation on the effort by settlers and Israelis to literally undermine the current population of East Jerusalem by developing biblical - archeological theme parks. it is quite sophisticated, and I suspect most of you know much more about this project than I do. The goal as reported in the workshop --taking over houses and property in East Jerusalem to preempt the possibility of a Palestinian - Israel division in Jerusalem. They talked about Silwan, about ideological tourism, creative archeological digs etc. This workshop was packed full, and fully consistent with what I understand as the travesty of settlements. A Workshop leader referred to settlements as "the greatest physical obstacle to peace." Also, lots of input from the audience including from a former executive director of AIPAC who said some very good things!!

Workshop 10:45 to 12:15 How Jews, Christians and Muslims Can Work Together for Peace  Same room and again filled to overflowing ---did not take notes because it was less oriented toward information--facts on the ground etc and more about attitudes, respect, appreciation, mutual support etc....Panel included Greg Khalil, the Kairos project person and Christian from Ramallah; Maureen Shea from the Episcopal Church; Mark Pelavin from the Reform Religious Action Center (RAC) who has met with our ELCA Panel on Lutheran-Jewish relations. A lot of important information and insight imparted. Especially notable, the conversation was moderated by Ron Young, Lutheran from Seattle, and convener of NILI the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East. Ron acknowledged at one point that he was indeed Lutheran. Important however, is to acknowledge that Ron did a superb job of moderating and engaging this conversation, and represented Lutheranism quite well. I did tell him so myself.

Plenary Session - Town Hall Meeting with major presentation by Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President of the Union for Reformed Judaism - Rabbi Yoffie was there to state strongly his differences with J Street. It was primarily on the Gaza War and the Goldstone Report analysis of that war. The Goldstone report alleges human rights violations by Israel and by Hamas during the Gaza war. Rabbi Yoffie identified a number of shortcomings in his estimation, and he was also concerned about its use by the media thru excerpting, to further vilify Israel.

Response from the audience was to say “yes, but” because there were still human rights violations, and if you don’t like Goldstone, then Israel has to do its own investigations, argued some from the floor. Yoffie also castigated strongly the UN Human Rights council, which precipitated a small chorus of boos from the back of the room. This prompted Jane Eisner, program moderator and editor of The Forward to caution the audience about civility, respect for the speaker etc. to which someone else in the audience called out “but, he lies” in an imitation of Congressman Wilson who called out to Pres. Obama during his speech to a joint session of Congress. That actually generated a lot of laughter in the room, even from Rabbi Yoffie.

When Yoffie got into the problem of Israeli West Bank settlements, the Green line etc, there appeared to be strong agreement between him and the J Street crowd which prompted some at my table, including 2 Reform Rabbis, to acknowledge that there was really little if any difference between J Street and Rabbi Yoffie. So, an interesting outcome considering how strongly the rabbi started his critique.

3:30 – 4:45 Workshop – Israel on Campus - included professor of Jewish studies at Colorado, director of Hillel at Harvard, student from Maryland, and others. I attended this event because I also attend events at Hillel at Ohio State University which are jointly sponsored by OSU Melton Center for Jewish Studies and the Federation. I view them as fairly narrow events, designed by “adults” to get the students indoctrinated with the party line on Israel. That recognition was present on the panel, the professor from the University of Colorado was especially critical of Hillel and this tendency to be too narrow in their conversation and presentation. The student from Maryland represented the pro-Israel <> pro-Peace camp at the U of M, and she acknowledged that it created a sometimes contentious situation on campus at the U of M. There are over 5000 Jewish students at Maryland. This was an important conversation for those who work with Jewish students. I appreciated their concern and openness about the issue of message control with students on campus.

5:00 – 6:15 - View from the Hill: Congress and the US – Israel Relationship- Less helpful than I had hoped for, but an important statement by 4 Jewish members of Congress – Filner – CA; Jan Schakowsky, D-IL, Evanston; Cong from Boulder, CO; and Charles Boustany, R- LA, from New Orleans. Boustany received a standing ovation because he did not cave to the pressure from AIPAC and others to withdraw his support of the J – Street event. He has some Lebanese background. All of them emphasized the urgency of realizing a two-state solution.

I returned to my hotel at the conclusion of the Town Hall.

Tuesday Morning Oct. 27 - It was very difficult to get into sessions I wanted to attend, because the registration was growing, many more people showing up than originally planned. I spent some time in the organizing session for Brit Tzedek V’Shalom which was interesting, but was very much in-house, did not get into policy issues but was more about recruiting and organizing the pro-Israel <> pro-peace crowd.

10:30 – 11:45 What Next, Analysis and Advice for the President from Washington Insiders – huge crowd, actually found a seat though. Important messages – the US cannot do it by itself, very important to be multilateral. Why did Obama nix the Euro missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic - the missile defense shield actually? A concession to get Russia into the fold; working for Middle East peace, a needed ally. Message for every president, it was reported, has been that the window is closing, which may actually be true with Pres. Obama. Important that Obama took this on from the start, and confronted settlements. Messages for respective sides from this panel----Palestinians recognizing Israel; Israelis recognizing the suffering and burdens imposed on the Palestinians, acknowledging the Palestinian grievances, including especially starting with 1948 and al-Nakba, the Palestinian catastrophe.

It is especially important to get Israel and the Palestinians into the position of saying Yes to the US for a change, have been saying no for too long. It is important to frame the Israeli – Palestinian conflict as a US national security issue. Emphasize Jewish values and the concern for justice and peace, a voice that needs to be heard.

A whole lot more, good conversation and exchange---Lara Friedman from Peace Now; Robert Malley from International Crisis Group; Jonathan Alterman from Center for Strategic and International Studies – CSIS, and moderated by Morton Halperin, long time Washington activist and J Street board member.

11:45 - met for lunch with Susan Wilder, who works for the ELCA Washington Office on the Israeli – Palestinian conflict and talked about legislative strategy, and how we can collaborate and support each others work.

Afternoon Plenary Session - Why Two States - Why Now -- Big focus on economic development for one of the panels. Bernard Avishai from Hebrew University, economists and writer. http://bernardavishai.blogspot.com/ Bad news about declining economic and educational fortunes of Israel and it is critical that Israel, Palestine begin to develop economic interdependence for the sake of one another, and as an element in the Middle East economy. Israel is a lot of smart people; but so, the smartest one percent of India’s population is 20 million people! “The Economics of Occupation” by Avishai in October “Harpers” http://www.harpers.org/archive/2009/10/0082662

A presentation by Ami Aylon, former head of Shin Bet and former Labor member of the Knesset. He was strong on two state solution, security for Israel and security for Palestinians, and the importance of Palestinian sovereignty. I was privileged to meet Ami Ayalon in the security line at the airport when leaving Washington. I asked him what else he did, he said economic development projects and working to support J Street!!

Tuesday evening - big reception and big dinner -- (costly!!) lots of big stuff, I can only say how pleased I was that Senator Sherrod Brown, D-OH, and ELCA Lutheran, and Cong. Mary Jo Kilroy, D – OH and west side of Columbus, were a couple of the very few members of Congress in attendance. I sat at the table with a number of people from Churches for Middle East Peace. Keynote speaker was former US Senator from Nebraska Chuck Hagel, who is excellent on international global security issues and the Middle East.

Wednesday morning - Congressional visits on Capitol Hill -- Talking points --- message was clear and concise - Ask members of Congress if they will take a public position, a public stand, make a public statement encouraging the President to continue to offer strong leadership in support of a two – state solution. We wanted member of Congress to encourage strong US engagement and leadership on resolving the Israeli – Palestinian conflict. We said it a variety of different ways, but basically emphasizing that the Middle East, the Israeli Palestinian conflict cannot be solved without US leadership. Therefore, Congress needs to take it responsibility seriously by stepping up and making public statements, getting statements in the Congressional Record, writing letters – messages to their respective constituencies and even writing opinion articles for newspapers. We asked members to take a stand in favor of resolving the Israeli – Palestinian conflict.

Final note - we had 8 people in the Ohio Team – we were led by a retired couple who are members of Brit Tzedek V’Shalom from outside Boston (Massachusetts liberals, and your neighbors John!!) They were insistent about keeping us right on message, we were making “an ask” and did not want to cloud the waters. There was some rebellion to that intense focus, especially by an activist (retired software engineer) from Cleveland. She complained to me a couple of times that we need to talk more about issues as well as make the ask!!

We visited Senators Brown and Voinovich, and Cong. Members Kilroy, Sutton, and Driehaus from Cincinnati. I was especially personally pleased that the foreign affairs staffers for Brown, Voinovich and Driehaus all three recognized me immediately. I have been there too many times on this issue now!! We were all especially taken with House Staffer Aaron Wasserman in Cong. Driehaus’s office. Jewish, right, probably so. He was quite fluent on the issue, wanted us to define the difference between J – Street and AIPAC. We had great fun with that.

Two more final notes – in the group of 8 – Cleveland, Dayton, Yellow Springs (a student who grew up there) and the leaders from Boston, I was the only Christian, the rest were Jewish, with deep roots in Israel. I contributed to the conversations, but listened a lot, and liked everything I heard. They carried the message that I have carried to Congress and that I share when teaching in congregations about the travesty of the settlements, the urgency of realizing a two-state solution, the rights and dignity of the Palestinians and on and on. I thanked them profusely at the conclusion of our 5-hour trip around Capitol Hill, for the opportunity to be with them. It was a great time, productive and inspiring!

Final – final note – and yes, I am anxious about the local Jewish community, and do not particularly want them here to know about my expedition with J Street. I am also liaison to the Jewish community from the seminary, a very important relationship for me, and my work.

Ok, enough, more than you ever wanted, I am sure, but I was so glad to be at the J Street conference and to conclude with time on the Hill visiting the Ohio delegation.

Advocacy - Does it Make a Difference?
The other day someone in our Ohio Advocacy group posed an interesting question about our legislative advocacy on the Israeli - Palestinian conflict arguing for a Two State Solution and speaking on behalf of the Palestinians. "Does it really make a difference?" he asked. A lot can be said in response to this, but a good place to start is with the polling data on the Middle East conflict which is displayed above.

According to 2006 polling data at the Pew Research Center, the US public is consistently pro-Israel (First box). The Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project demonstrates a strong plurality of opinion in favor of Israel, while support for the Palestinians is consistently in the low teens. In contrast, their polling data indicates significantly higher support for the Palestinians in other countries, and lower support for Israel.(Second box-Mideast Sympathies) For example, France splits the difference with 38% for each side while Great Britain indicates higher support for the Palestinians than for Israel with 29% indicating sympathy for the Palestinians in contrast to 24% for Israel.

Polling numbers like these suggest that it is very difficult to make a case for the Palestinians, for the concern over the growth of settlements, and for the continuing domination of their territory, at least in the United States where much of the Jewish- Israeli power resides. While it is true that various administrations have at least raised concerns over the continuing growth of settlements, they have gotten no results either with the U.S. Congress or the Israeli government. Israel continues to get grants of unconditional financial and military aid, and Israel continues to build settlements and expand their presence in the West Bank. The lack of sympathy for the Palestinians, and strong support for Israel is not by accident. In addition to AIPAC and the broader pro-Israel lobby, there is a whole range of other organizations and operations that work to rally support for Israel, and generally at the expense of the Palestinians.
*Polling Data Bibliography Jodie T. Allen and Alec Tyson, “The U.S. Public’s Pro – Israel History: In Mid East Conflicts, Americans Consistently Side with Israel,” The Pew Research Center Publications, July 19, 2006. http://pewresearch.org/pubs/39/the-us-publics-pro-israel-history

Does it make a difference, our letters, notes and phone calls to Congress arguing the case for a Two - State Solution to the Israeli - Palestinian conflict, and speaking in defense of the dignity, rights and well being of the Palestinians? Clearly, the polling data make a strong case for the need for Congress to hear something other than an exclusive, unequivocal, unapologetic advocacy for Israel only.

Imagine this scenario. You are running for political office, a Congressional seat, for example. In a public forum you express concern for the rights and well being of the Palestinians. In most Congressional districts you would quickly lose a lot of viability as a political candidate. On the other hand, in many Congressional districts, you would be expected as a candidate to demonstrate strong support for the security and well being of Israel. Palestinians are one half of the equation for peace in the Middle East. However, as the data suggests, they are either ignored, forgotten, and/or vilified by the media and in public discourse.

Does it make a difference? This is a critical time in the Middle East conflict, and especially because we now have an administration that is demonstrating a more balanced approach to the key adversaries in the Israeli - Palestinian conflict. President Obama has made a strong endoresement for the realization of the Two State Solution, and he has made it very clear that the growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank must stop. It is important now for members of Congress to hear another voice speaking on behalf of the Palestinians and of the need to resolve the conflict with the realization of a two - state solution.

A more recent discussion of attitudes and opinons toward Israel and the Palestinians is available at this link.
http://people-press.org/report/482/israel-hamas-conflict This was written in light of the Gaza military action by Israel in Gaza, and the subsequent crisis that has developed there. The date is Jan. 13, 2009.

Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky GAP Organizer
Churches for Middle East Peace - CMEP