Friday, June 4, 2010
J Street has just published its fifth column on the Gaza Flotilla incident. Let's see how the group is expressing its "Pro Israel" mission following the confrontation in the Mediterranean Sea. In a familiar, accusatory "open letter", Ben Ami displays his obsequiousness to an administration openly hostile to Israel:
"We mourn the latest loss of life in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as we mourn the countless deaths and lives destroyed by this tragic conflict over these past decades on both sides of the conflict.
Our deeply-held values demand that we speak out against the death and destruction that accompany this conflict, and the suffering inflicted on both the Palestinian and Israeli people over the decades.
We support an immediate end to the blockade of civilian and humanitarian items from entering Gaza, subject to inspection and screening to prevent the import of arms and weapons. We also call for the immediate release of Corporal Gilad Shalit. (emphasis added)
We urge all parties to go the extra mile now for peace before it is too late: talk to your enemies, open the door to compromise, prepare your people for the compromises that ending the conflict will require. Without this effort, the road ahead is paved only with further violence and destruction.
Most important, Mr. President, take immediate action, using the full power of the United States, to achieve a two-state resolution that protects Israel and frees the Palestinian people."
Ben Ami makes no mention of the fact that the "humanitarian" aid aboard the flotilla amounted to less than a day's free shipment of goods by Israel. The afterthought on Gilad Shalit is too self-serving to comment on.
Another of J Street's important constituent groups, The New Israel Fund, put out this statement yesterday:
"In light of the violent events that occurred on Sunday when the IDF forces took control of the flotilla boats on their way to Gaza, and in light of past experience, the New Israel Fund calls for Israel's government authorities to act responsibly and with restraint and to to allow legitimate and legal protest of citizens across the country. The events at sea were serious and tragic enough, and it is important that they not escalate to further violence."
Must have missed the NIF's call to Turkey and the Free Gaza Movement to "act responsibly and with restraint". Never one to miss an opportunity to impute war mongering motives to Israel, Dan Sokatch's group has clearly joined the ranks of the so-called "International Community" in siding with the Jihadists. Ominous and predictable is their call "to allow legitimate and legal protest of citizens across the country." NIF is obviously planning anti-Israel protests across the U.S. and Israel and wants to preempt any criticism of its support for terror. In spite of the overwhelming video and eyewitness evidence that those aboard the Mavi Marmara were bent on violence and murder, the NIF never saw a terrorist or terrorist sympathizer that was unworthy of justification.
Another group allied with J Street, Americans for Peace Now, released the following statement:
"Washington, DC; Americans for Peace Now (APN) is deeply dismayed at the tragic results of Israel's interception of the international Gaza aid flotilla today and calls on Israel to thoroughly investigate the operation and to reassess its policy toward the Gaza Strip."
Again, no criticism or even mention of the Turkish, IHH terrorists and terrorist supporters on board the Marmara; only demands that Israel investigate its own clearly implied transgressions. Israel is "guilty until proven guilty."
Ameinu, another self-styled Progressive organization tied to J Street had this to say:
"Ameinu believes that Israel's inflexibility regarding the blockade of Gaza enables tragedies such as this to occur...Ameinu calls upon the international community to refrain from placing blame on any party until all the facts have come to light, as early eyewitness reports indicate that the so-called peace activists on the Mavi Marmara betrayed their stated non-violent intentions and escalated the situation, which resulted in death and serious injury. Ameinu also calls upon the government of Israel to convene a commission of inquiry to study these tragic events."
With a slight attenuation of J Street's and NIF's messages, this group also points its angry finger at the government of Israel.
Not officially affiliated with J Street, the Union for Reform Judaism and its leader, Eric Yoffie issued a sort-of-support statement for Israel:
"We are deeply saddened by the events off the coast of Gaza. We greatly regret the loss of life that resulted from the clashes between activists on the flotilla and Israeli forces.
We note that the Hamas government, which is committed to Israel's destruction and which has long been responsible for attacks against Israeli forces and civilian centers, cannot expect to have open borders. We also note that humanitarian aid sent to Gaza in the past has often been used as a cover for delivering weapons and military supplies. In light of these factors, Israel has responded as a sovereign nation must, by exercising her right to self-defense.
We urge the Government of the United States to work with Israel in addressing Israel's security concerns while examining as well the plight of those living in Gaza who require additional humanitarian assistance. Recent events underscore the need for real progress in addressing both sets of concerns."
Yoffie has vacillated in his support for J Street, at first repudiating the group, but later, warming to its agenda when he lavished praise on the group at its 2009 Washington conference. Yoffie remains a stalwart of the two state solution, forcible removal of settlers and is convinced that the majority of Palestinians are moderate and peace-loving.
J Street U, the campus arm of J Street has maintained a distinct silence on the Flotilla incident. Not surprisingly, since the group removed "Pro Israel" from its description.
As for individuals associated with J Street, notably, members of its Advisory Council, we have the following:
Robert Malley: (incredibly, he sits on J Street's Council):
"For the Obama administration, this crisis presents an opportunity to demonstrate concern both for the well-being of Palestinians and the safety of Israel. Its goal should be to immediately lift the siege, open Gaza's crossings with Israel and Egypt, dispatch its own large-scale provision of goods and facilitate a credible international presence to verify what comes into Gaza and monitor its end-use."
And try this nouveau-Kingston Trio homage to the"humanitarians" of the flotilla by M. Cherif Bassiouni, another J Street Advisor:
If they weren't so cowardly and duplicitous, J Street and its fellow travelers would qualify as the world's best stand-up act.
[Martin Solomon adds: All the leftist groups have taken the opportunity to bash Israel. This from so-called "pro-Israel" groups like J Street. Take a look at their flotilla resource page. It is a litany of anti-Israel material. Concerned J Street members who turn to their organization for education on what's happening not only emerge more ignorant than when they went in, but probably angrier at the Israelis as well. Shameful.]
