Jewish Liberals Form Lobbying Group to Counter AIPAC

[subsuelo]

a group of prominent Jewish liberals have formed a new lobbying group and political action committee that they hope will be a counterpoint to AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. The new initiative will be called J Street. Part of its mission will be to push for an Arab-Israeli peace settlement.

Democratic fundraiser Alan Solomont said, “We have heard the voices of neocons, and right-of-center Jewish leaders and Christian evangelicals, and the mainstream views of the American Jewish community have not been heard.” The Washington Post reports J Street will be hard-pressed to match AIPAC’s influence in Washington. AIPAC has more than 100,000 members, eighteen offices around the country and an endowment of more than $100 million. The first year budget of J Street will be about $1.5 million.

link

[subsuelo]

1. Damn those liberals

... pushing for peace and everything. No doubt that peace lover Jimmy Carter will approve such a vile organization

:sarcasm:

[fascisthunter]

2. YES!!!!!!! Bravo

I'm sick of hearing the right wing try to represent Israel and flood their crap all over the internet.

[seafan]

3. Thanks for posting this.

Also posted yesterday, and it received little attention, interestingly.


Newly formed, J Street looks to Obama to advance progressive cause of Israeli-Palestinian peace

[oberliner]

4. Lots more info on this group from The Jewish Week

http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c39_a5882/News/International.html

Hope that is helpful/informative!

[Crunchy Frog]

6. This line here is interesting.

Several activists with ties to Democratic presidential contender Sen. Barack Obama are on the panel, as well. They include Robert Malley, whose involvement in Obama’s broad foreign policy advisory team has generated criticism from Republicans and some pro-Israel groups, and Alan Solomont, a top Obama fundraiser and major player in Democratic politics.

Maybe we'll see a genuine shift in the approach to this issue in an Obama administration.

[subsuelo]

8. and this

And the new group will face aggressive attacks from the Jewish right.

“I’m a realist; these people will get hammered and accused of being anti-Israel,” Wald said. “A lot will have to do with the way they actually frame their arguments.”

[LeftishBrit]

5. Good

A group that lobbies for peace initiatives - that sounds like the sort of lobbying that I'd support.

[villager]

7. How liberating! And just in time for Pesach!

:thumbsup: