General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAlan Dershowitz: Death Knell For J Street
Any pretense that J Street is a pro-Israel organization has been destroyed by that organizations refusal to participate in a solidarity rally for Israel during the recent crisis in Gaza.
The Boston Jewish Federation worked hard to create a rally that included all elements of its diverse community. Its goal was to send a single and simple message: at a time when so many in the world are united against Israels efforts at defending itself from Hamas rockets and terrorist tunnels, the Boston Jewish community stands in solidarity with the nation state of the Jewish people. In order to assure that this message of unity was sent, no signs were permitted except for the unity message that was intended to be sent. That message was: Stand With Israel. Simple and straight forward.
Speakers were limited to those who were part of the broad Jewish consensus including Rabbis, political and business leaders and the highly regarded head of the Federation, Barry Shrage, whose commitment to peace and the two state solution is well known.
Initially J Street agreed to be a co-sponsor of this unity event, but thenpresumably after receiving pressure from its hard left constituency, which is always looking to bash Israel and never to support itJ Street was forced to withdraw its sponsorship. The phony excuse it offered was that the rally offered no voice for [J Street] concerns about the loss of human life on both sides and no recognition of the complexity of the issues or the need for a political solution.
This is total nonsense and an insult to those who spoke at the rally. The executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council spoke of the suffering of the people of Gaza and how painful it is to see innocent people dying, including children.
more...
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Death-knell-for-J-Street-368362
stranger81
(2,345 posts)then they are A-OK by me.
I care slightly less than nothing about what a right-winger like Dershowitz thinks.
Larkspur
(12,804 posts)So J Street was right to withdraw.
This was a rally to promote Israeli propaganda that defends abuse against Palestinians.