What happens when U.S. Jews forward the peace process?

WASHINGTON - When Ron Kampeas, the Jewish Telegraph Agency's Washington bureau chief, wrote the story, he knew he had dynamite in his hands, and was not surprised by the force of the response. Yesterday morning, he had to make some changes to the story he published a day earlier; but on the whole, what he wrote was very interesting: A group of Jewish Americans, some well known, are seeking ways to express the support of the majority of the Jewish community for the peace process. Moreover, this group is seeking ways to press the Bush administration and U.S. Congress into becoming more actively involved in the search for a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. The group is also looking for funding - because without funds, nothing will budge.

The real fuss surrounding the new group stems from the perceived challenge it poses to AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee), the prominent pro-Israel lobby group whose character is perceived by some of its more dovish members as being overly on the right. But the denials vis-a-vis the perceived challenge have been extensive, and it is still not clear whether there is any real reason for all the excitement.

Some of the leaders of the group have met with wealthy members of the Jewish American community in the hope of raising funds for their cause, but it is still uncertain whether they have met with any success.

The most intriguing donor whose assistance the group will try to solicit is financier George Soros, who will meet them later this month. A Soros aide, Morton Halperin, took part in the group's meeting.

So far, Soros has only promised to meet, and it is not clear whether his views on Israel will not prove to be an obstacle. Some consider Soros anti-Zionist, and in the past, he has accused Israel's policies of fomenting anti-Semitism in Europe.

Edgar Bronfman denied any connection with the new initiative, while it is not clear whether his brother, Charles Bronfman, will participate in a meeting of potential donors.

So far, there are three identifiable groups involved in this new initiative - the initiators, those with political influence, and those with the money. The first are the ideological driving force; the second group comprises those who took part in the meeting but have not made up their minds yet; and the third group still does not exist.

Party to the deliberations are members of groups such as the Israel Policy Forum (IFP), which pushes for a two-state solution, Americans for Peace Now, a sister-organization to Peace Now, and also the more radical Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace.

It is fair to say that American Jewry leans toward the dovish end of the political spectrum. It can also be said, and to a great extent proved, that AIPAC does not always rush to represent this dominant dovish sentiment. Many are angered by this omission, but others agree that this is not enough to undermine an institution whose existence and success they consider important.

This dichotomy is at the root of the new initiative, and part of the reason for the panic over its presentation as a "competitor" to AIPAC.

Yesterday, David Elcott of the IFP called Howard Khor, executive director of AIPAC, and promised that he would not support any initiative whose purpose is to challenge AIPAC.

Khor is certain that the damage has already been done: Presenting AIPAC as an organization that does not represent the overall Jewish community necessarily unermines its power.

Either way, nine of those involved in the initiative were interviewed by Haaretz yesterday, most anonymously, and all adopted the same stance: We do not oppose AIPAC, but want to act alongside it and further a cause we consider important - namely, encouraging a growing U.S. involvement in finding a solution to the conflict.