Not all Israelis are fear and war mongers as some threads suggest

tmarket · Oct 28, 2009

If you read some of the threads concerning Israel here you would think that all Israelis are neocon fear and war mongers. The truth is more revealing in the formation of a new pro-Israel lobby group who represent a "broad segment of the American Jewish community and other friends of Israel who believe that peace and an end to the conflict is essential for Israel's security and survival".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8329441.stm

As new pro-Israel lobby group J Street holds its first national conference in Washington, BBC Diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus looks at the opportunities and challenges facing an organisation set up to represent the liberal voice of US Jews.

The victory of Barack Obama has been crucial to the emergence of this new lobbying effort. The liberal wing of the Jewish community feels emboldened and listened to. A clear sign was the fact that the keynote speaker at this conference was General James Jones, the US National Security Advisor.

'Absent values'

He drew rapturous applause when he told the audience that he was happy to be there and that this administration would be present at all future J Street conferences.

Interestingly Israel's ambassador to Washington refused an invitation to attend. The Israeli Embassy here put out a statement saying that it had privately communicated "its concerns over certain policies of the organization that may impair the interests of Israel". Nonetheless it would send an observer.

"I think it is a serious mistake on his part and on the part of the government of Israel," said Mr Ben Ami. "We are representative of a very significant part of the American Jewish community."

Opinion in Israel seems divided though; Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni and President Shimon Peres both both sent J Street warm messages of support.
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Not all Israelis are fear and war mongers as some threads suggest

tmarket