Saturday, June 19, 2010
Jeremy Ben Ami has always denied any current connection with regard to himself and his former employer, Fenton Communications (let the record show), but it certainly is worth remarking upon that J Street's reaction to the "flotilla" matter was (OK, as per usual) an outlier in the Jewish Community. Their reaction has actually been what one would expect from an anti-Israel lobbying group like CNI, AJJP, JVP, or others. That is, rather than standing up for Israel and her fight against Hamas, and helping to explain the hard realities that Israel is faced with and the difficult decisions that those realities engender for her, J Street in fact jumped on the criticize Israel bandwagon. They took the opportunity of an Israel under stress to pile on the pressure and push for more Israeli concessions -- just as if they were really working for the other side.
I'm not stating that they were -- formally -- doing so, but it certainly comes as no surprise that Fenton Communications represents a Qatari-based group that supported the Gaza Flotilla. I wonder how much contact Jeremy has with his old colleagues: U.S. PR Firm on Payroll of Qatari Group that Took Part in Gaza Flotilla - Qatar-based Initiative Encouraged Action against Israel
According the group's director, Al Fakhoora has "launched an advocacy campaign to file legal charges against Israel and change the public perception in the West about its actions."[2]
Al Fakhoora is supported by the office of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, the second wife of the emir of Qatar.[3] According to a document filed by Fenton under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, Her Highness' office agreed to pay Fenton approximately $240,000 for communications services rendered from March 1 - Aug. 31, 2010.[4]
Fenton distributes materials through Al Fakhoora's Web site, which includes a Facebook page[5] and a "Flotilla Action Alert" urging activists to oppose Israel's blockade on Hamas-controlled Gaza.[6]...
...Al Fakhoora's director, Farooq Burney, a Canadian national, was aboard a Turkish ship in the Gaza-bound convoy when passengers attacked Israeli military personnel trying to intercept the vessel May 31.[10] Al Fakhoora participated in the flotilla in partnership with the Insani Yardim Vakfi, or "humanitarian relief fund" (IHH),[11] a Turkish organization that Israel and other countries believe has ties to jihadist groups.[12] The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has said that some of the passengers have connections with Al Qaeda, Hamas and other terrorist organizations.[13]...
Update: Good roundup of info/links on this at Israel Matzav: J Street's al-Fakhoora project, including Legal Insurrection: Suicide Protesters Against Israel, Power Line: The MoveOn/Hamas Nexus, and Memeorandum.
