WASHINGTON - Will the "Obama effect" that enabled Democratic candidates to ride the party's presidential candidate into Congress also contribute toward changing the map of Jewish influence on Capitol Hill? J Street, the "pro-Israel, pro-peace" lobbying group and Political Action Committee (PAC) formed just last April and seen as the left's answer to the veteran American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), is counting on it.
Though only about six months old, J Street already managed to raise $570,000 for 41 Congressional candidates, most of them Democrats. Six of them lost their races, and three are still awaiting the final results.
Lobbyists on the right imply that the new group is a passing trend that merely hitched a ride on the "year of the Democrats." It has been accused of splitting the "Jewish vote," thereby damaging the message of unity and the effectiveness of pro-Israel lobbying.
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For example, Morris Amitay, who was head of AIPAC from 1974-1980 and is currently founder and treasurer of the Washington Political Action Committee, wrote in his blog: "J Street was formed to give a political voice to the more established 'blame Israel first' groups, such as Americans for Peace Now, Brit Tzedek V'Shalom and the somewhat less critical Israel Policy Forum. To no surprise, J Street's creation was heralded as a 'much needed, important new development' by American Arab lobbyist and fanatical Israel critic James Zogby of the Arab American Institute."
Amitay further noted: "A large number of J Street PAC-endorsed members of Congress have some of the poorest Israel/Middle East related voting records in the House. As a matter of policy, the Washington PAC has decided not to contribute to Members of Congress and candidates who accept endorsements by J Street PAC. We hope that truly pro-Israel political contributors will do likewise."
AIPAC declined to comment, but there, too, J Street's success is viewed as the result of a passing trend. In any event, when Barack Obama addressed AIPAC, he saw it as a milestone in his campaign.
Talking to Israel's worst enemies
The view from J Street, of course, is different, as Executive Director Jeremy Ben-Ami explained to Haaretz. "J Street is premised on our belief that we speak for the majority of American Jews when it comes to Israel. Our poll conducted this summer provides the basis for this belief."
According to the poll of 800 American Jews in early July, 76 percent support negotiating with Israel's worst enemies, 58 percent are for withdrawal from the Golan Heights in exchange for full peace like the arrangements with Egypt and Jordan, and 59 percent are in favor of a withdrawal from most of the West Bank. In addition, 81 percent of respondents said they "will support any agreement the Israelis make with their Arab enemies."
"J Street will continue to grow and broaden its base of support because its views are in line with the majority of American Jews when it comes to Israel and the Middle East," Ben-Ami said. "Our support is based on the widely shared belief among American Jews that Israel's interests in the long-term are best served by ending its conflicts with its neighbors diplomatically and quickly."
Some people view you as a short-term phenomenon.
"Our rapid growth and success in the elections indicates that far from being a temporary phenomenon, we are filling a vacuum for a voice that represents the views of the majority of Jews on Israel and the Middle East," Ben-Ami said.
J Street is called "dovish," "leftist," etc. Would you use another term?
"We are pro-Israel. We are concerned with Israel's security and survival, and we're concerned with promoting the best interests of the United States in the Middle East. In agreement with the outgoing prime minister of Israel and with so many other of Israel's leading military and security figures, we believe that Israel's security and its future as a democratic, Jewish state are at risk if we don't resolve the country's conflicts with its neighbors now and set it's permanent borders."
Do you agree that an effort to "split" the Jewish influence might actually harm Israel? Do you feel this tension among the pro-Israel lobbying groups?
"There is no reason to avoid an open and vibrant discussion among American Jews about what is in Israel's best interests, when there is a vibrant debate in Israel on that very topic. For too long, the loudest voices from the Jewish community in Washington and in American politics have been far to the right of where the Jewish community actually is. For moderates and centrists in this country to find their political voice will actually strengthen the long-term U.S.-Israel relationship by ensuring that U.S. policies in the region have a broader base of support in the Jewish community," Ben-Ami said.
For now, the policies promised by Obama definitely seem to fit the principles proposed by J Street. But it can be assume that the organization's future will depend significantly on the American Jewish community's satisfaction with Obama's administration.
Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
