Comment: J Street is simply an anti-Israel lobby posing as a pro-Israel lobby.
Last I heard, the purpose of a lobby is to advocate for the needs of its constituents, not weaken it. If the members of J Street really had the interests of our democratic ally at heart, they'd be meeting with European leaders to help them understand what it means to be under daily rocket fire, not trying to drive a wedge between two great friends and allies. They'd be discussing concessions the Palestinians must make for peace, not just what Israel must do.
General George Keegan, a former head of Amerca's Air Force Intelligence, once stated that Israel was "worth five CIA's based upon the intelligence Israel provided her ally and benefactor, the United States." There is a two-way friendship and loyalty based on similar values. It's ironic that a group of misguided Jews would, although unintentionally, serve to harm that relationship.
A Firmer Hand
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What's your budget and where does the money come from?
Our operating budget for 2008 is $1.5 million. We now have several hundred donors, some large, some small. Small online donors are starting to come in through our website.... We're hoping the notion that a large number of small donors can begin to change the dynamic the way it has with Obama's campaign and with groups like MoveOn.org will apply to this issue as well.
Have you read the Walt Mearsheimer book [titled The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy] and what's your view on it?
I have read it and I think that it's relatively simplistic. I think one thing they certainly get right is that there is a problem here and it is the problem that I alluded to earlier, which is that there is an array of forces that have combined to hold American policy hostage. But Ithink they overplay the importance of any one group. It's not purely a group of people who are American Jews who are interested in Israel. It's a broader array of the neo-cons and their view of the
world and the Christian Zionists and their view of eternity together with some relatively conservative Jewish leaders.
Your father was part of the Revisionist movement in Israel, which by today's standards would be something like the hawkish Likud party. What would he say about J Steet if he were alive?
I hope that his view would be that he's happy I really do still care about the state of Israel and that I share with him the hope that this is a state that will one day find peace and will find its place in the community of nations. We probably disagree on the path of how to get there but I think we share the same goal.
There's a sector of the Jewish community that refers to your initiative as a betrayal. How does that affect you?
I think it's unfortunate to resort to name-calling. I have no problem having an argument on the merits. This is a democracy and we have every right to say these things.
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