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.

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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.