The Pro-Israel Week in Review

"A few good days for J Street. A few bad days for Israel." - A Few Meandering Thoughts.

This has been a good few days for J Street and a bad few days for Israel.

Bad not just for the Government of Israel. Bad not just for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition allies and some of his supporters. But bad for the State of Israel and its population.

This week, nineteen Democratic Senators - over a 1/3 of Democratic Senators, led by Senator Bernie Sanders, voted in favor of the halt of certain US arms to Israel. This was despite the urgings of the Biden Administration and many pro-Israel activists. (Not “just” AIPAC.) And
urging by the Zionist “Leftist” opposition in Israel. A good test for supporting or opposing an action might be what is the broad consensus inside Israel. And this issue is at the very core of Israel’s survival - not some more “marginal” issue one can think of.

Yes; the measure was overwhelmingly defeated. But it established a potential bench mark for future votes. A time when there won’t a Democratic President urging against the action. Who is to say how many Democratic Senators will be less inhibited to speak out against a Trump Administration policies re Israel. Or with a future-Democratic President condemning Israel, when a “profile in courage” will be required for a Democratic Senator to speak out in defense of Israel.

Then throw in the International Criminal Court (ICC) Arrests Warrants. One can completely denounce the ICC action. One can point to all the support for Israel expressed in the United States from the President on down (and from a few - a very few - other countries.) But the fact remains that the current Prime of Israel and the former Defense Minister now have to be extremely careful of where they travel overseas. One would think that all genuine Friends of Israel would unequivocally denounce the ICC action and express opposition and concern. This was J Street’s statement after the ICC action.

My AIPAC years notwithstanding; I have never been an automatic advocate or defender (or even-less, an apologist) for the Netanyahu Government or some of the things it’s doing inside Israel. (I never regarded that as part of my AIPAC job mandate! Just as it was not for me to defend or explain every AIPAC action or statement! Over the decades; I remained tunnel vision; focused on certain, specific matters which seemed to me the most important.)

Probably every Jew living outside Israel has views about Israel’s actions both domestically and in its external actions. For friends of Israel; it’s because we care; really care about Israel’s future.

But of course not everyone who calls himself or herself a “Friend of Israel” might not necessarily be so. Even if they might call themselves that. As much as possible, I focused on words and actions and avoided coming down on whether an individual or organization was ‘pro-Israel” or “Anti-Israel” - and it wasn’t based on whether I agreed with them.

In days of old; there were debates - often vigorous debates - between various Friends of Israel over what was best for Israel’s long-term future. “Talk to the PLO” (and actually some US Jews met with them…“Land for Peace” …Separation vs Settlements. You can argue whether it was appropriate for American Jews who don’t live there; to engage in this debate. since they weren’t the ones who had to face the consequence of them being wrong! But in most (not all) cases, it was Zionist Jews trying to help Israel.

I think it’s fair to offer your views. But there’s quite a difference between offering your views publicly and lobbying for things that even the Left in Israel don’t support. Especially when you’re professing that you’re doing this as a Friend of Israel. It’s even stranger when the arguments you’re making, pertain to issues and concerns that are beyond Israel. It’s not a matter of whether you are right or wrong about Israeli actions. Or even right or wrong about the policies you’re promoting. But it seems hard to argue this is a “Pro-Israel” approach.

I obviously don’t have the power look into the minds of people to know what truly motivates them. I can only look at what they say and what they do. What they speak out on. How actively do they speak out. And what they are silent on. Who are their allies and so forth. And in the case of J Street, look back over their 15 year track record. It certainly makes one wonder. And after years of being on the shoulder-shrugging side as time after time after time after time; J Street would adopt certain positions or say certain things.

Life is complex. Being pro-Israel and defending Israel is not always easy. But very few supporters of Israel believe Israel is always right. Just that it is a beleaguered little country where the majority of the World’s Jews now live. And Jews across the spectrum would do well to contemplate life without Israel. Those who don’t care about Israel’s future. So be it.

But one has to wonder and question why bother to get involved in ostensibly pro-Israel work; if your goal is not ultimately to be pro-Israel (absolutely acknowledging that there is more than one path to be pro-Israel).

As the saying goes; with “Friends like this who needs enemies?”

Shabbat Shalom