After Israel envoy snub, Livni lauds J Street conference

I am so disappointed in Livni who I had long admired and supported in her quest for leadership of the Israeli people. I can't believe her justified opposition to Netanyahu would lead her to go so far to the other extreme. This group is dangerous and it's leader seeking personal publicity. If they had been equally critical of the murderous history of Palestinian terror, murder and violence against Jews, Israeli and otherwise, they would have validity in my eyes, but that is not the case. You would think the Palestinians, including Hamas were helpless, innocent victims enduring unprovoked attacks by Israel. Livni, look again, please!!

It's another American feel-good recipe, that benefits those who partake in it, but is divorced from Middle Eastern realpolitik. It is a massage to self-righteous people's views, more that a tribute to Israel and its so many woes and challenges. They certainly have all the right to manifest, and thrive and feel good about themsleves. But Israel is another issue altogether. Israel is not Connecticut, Palestione is not Rhoide Island, Lebanon is not New Hampshire, Syria is not Maine. And Iran is certainly not Mexico.

Israel has been critical, and rightly so, of American Jews interfering with Israeli policy. Now Livni pulls this stunt, legitimizing a bunch of self-hating fools and their Iraninan backers who do not deserve to sit at the same table with those of us in the American Jewish community who daily work our hearts out for the sake of Israel. Haveriim, please start using your God-given brains!

and its practical approach to peace.

J streters do not vote in Israel.She talks to the wall, not the Israeli electorate. She appears to me more incompetent, and lacking a moral compass weekly. A looser

At the time of the VietNam peace negotiations, many mocked the fact that a primary dispute was over the shape of the table. However, those who sneered were naive: that issue of seating had in it the heart of the negotiations themselves. Now, the negotiations for settling the Arab-Israeli conflict unfold in the very substance of how such negotiations are approached. There is no question of the right of public debate, but the public posturing of the J Street Lobby serves (likely, most often without that intention) of undermining Israel's negotiating power. If the J Street views were to try to influence Israeli positions (always a dubious ethic for people who do not actually live in the country under threat) - If that is their wish, then it still is destructive for them to lobby Congress and the American media. They seem more moralistically self-righteous than oriented to a peaceful resolution.

If she supports J Street, imagine what a mess Lieberman has to untangle. Thanks goodness she's not PM or FM.

She doesn't care that "J" Street is another Soros front, the same Soros that claims all Antisemitism is caused by Jews, and had it not been for Jews there would be peace. She doesn't care that on their advisory board is a Shoah revisionist!; and she doesn't care about the relationship between "J" Street and ACORN, the promoters of child prostitution, and tax and election fraud. Livni is seeking to bring Chicago-style politics to Israel, where the most abusive and degenerate take power!! http://not-haaretz.com/5401.html http://www.makethemaccountable.com/drobny/030216_AmericanJewsIsraelAndIraq.htm http://judaism.about.com/library/2_americanjewry/bl_soros.htm http://biggovernment.com/tag/acorn-prostitution/

Kadima need a new party leader fast. Mrs. Livni is proving she is a reactionary, out of touch with main stream and void of foresight. Mofaz needs to make his move soon to save the part!

J Street will slowly become the second or third most predominant voice on Israel in the American Jewish community, with or without Lauder/Netanyahu/Oren support. J Street gets respect for giving one last pro-Israel voice to Jews who cannot reconcile Israel's behavior and occupation with their progressive world view. Yeah JStreet, and good for you Ms. Livni!

At last count, 17 speakers who had been scheduled for the J Street conference have dropped out. That's good news -- Jews and Christians who truly want the best for Israel are distancing themselves from this evil, duplicitous organization.

... or he would if were here today. In June 1967, at the Beit Berl conference center of the Labor Party, Ben Gurion declared: "that if Israel did not now give back, immediately, all the territory that it had captured in recent days-with the exception of E. Jerusalem - it would be heading for historic disaster." Ben Gurion was uttering a solemn warning against the delusions of power, against becoming occupiers. In today's toxic atmosphere even Ben Gurion himself would be called "anti-Israel"!

Thank you opportunistic Livni. It has been said many times that the Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. It can be said of Livni that she never miss an opportunity to stoop to the lowest level in pursuit of personal ambitions. Livni who is known to be at her silent best when Israel is being attacked always finds her voice when it comes to Politiking. We we are grateful - As Meretz have gone to the wilderness of 3 MP so will you lead Kadima - please talk and send more letters - every time you do it is another nail in the Coffin of Kadima. It is OK we understand that Kadima is just a bunch of mates put together at the last movement - no policies , no shared vision - so you need to ruffle feathers to be noticed - it is better then to be noticed for lack of coherent policies

Next we will read that Livni backs goldstone ... she obviously will support anyone who is against the governement and it is also obvious that she is a spoiler who cannot accept that she lost the election. Everywhere we turn we see her trying to undermine the governmet, everyday a new nasty word for Bibi, now she is sucking up to a pro iranian, pro palestinian lobbying group who has become the court jester jews for obama ... she is a disgrace and should never be elected Prime Minister.

AIPAC in the US and the Likudniks in Israel have long trampled over and lambasted anyone who opposes their views. They aren't the first political clique to try to impose censorship on their opponents, the Stalinists did that very well. The Israeli right may have won a narrow majority of the votes at the last election, it doesn't mean the other 44% have to agree with them or take a vow of silence! After all, 'the duty of the opposition is to oppose'. Close to 70% of US Jews voted Democrat and they should certainly be asking about Oren's partisan, political refusal to attend. Livni shows herself to be a democrat by welcoming a 'broad church' of opinion. Support for Israel is not helped by having a rather extremist, manipulative, old boys' body like AIPAC fronting up for it in US affairs.

that peace with Pals is so elusive. The status quo for many years has been for AIPAC to spend lots of money on congress to push its agenda. The problem is that this agenda has been biased and selfish to the point that it has clearly hurt Israel as well as the Pals. Unfortunately for you the world is changing not just because of Obama but also because of shifts in the balance of power. Obama, as well as many countires that were previously unimportant (China, India, and others) see, rightfully so, that the US policy towards the ME has been biased, unfair and ultimately detrimental to the interests of the US and for peace. Instead of knocking J street, it is time to see the big picture..the days of unconditional support for Israel, at thee expense of the Muslim world, is over.

My dear friend Mark, not only do American Jews or Issraeli Jews have input into the US policy for Israel--all Americans, all Am. Taxpayers and voters do. It's US policy. Times have changed and US international security interests include peace between Israael and Palestinians.

Well - you all - thanks for the kind recommendation on J Street. I have so much respect for your views that I'm sending them a big fat check to help them along - the folks who really care what happens to Israel. Stew in your bitter right wing juices.

J Street wishes Israel's downfall.

Do you ever get the feeling that Livni can't do anything right? She should have been PM had she played her cards right. Now she wants to support J Street-which she thinks is a pro-Israel group. It is anything but. It is a pro-Palestinian group- it wants a Palestinian State- that is J Streets first priority. If it was pro-Israel its first goal would be the security of Israel as a Jewish State- sovereign in its capital of Jerusalem. Anyone who wants less for Israel is not pro-Israel.

I don't expect the Israeli/Jewish right wing to ever understand that peace, and only peace, based on mutual respect for others' views, is in Isreal's best interest. The paranoid right wing's desired state of perpetual war will eventually result in Israel's destruction. If peace fails because of the other side's intransigance, we must take that risk, and deal with the consequences when they arrive. I think that the real view of Gentile Americans is that they will defend Israel but not the settlements. J Street offers a forum for Jews (me) and others to communicate, while AIPAC only offers aggression, neo-colonialism, and intolerance. I applaud Livni for her courage.

You can`t work against a country and call yourself "pro" that country.-Jacob By that definition, AIPAC is not pro American.

... that we hear so little from her... ... what does she actually DO in her spare time as the so-called head-of-the-opposition...?

Chas Freeman who was to be obama's top intelligence official when he left blamed the jews and this is who j street supported.

According to J Street, Israel's economy, military, democracy, and justice system are in ruins because of "the settlements". Funny, last I checked Israel's economy was booming, we weathered the economic crisis better than most western countries, our military is strong as ever, our democracy is the envy of the downtrodden Arabs of the middle east, and our justice system is still working pretty darn good for both the Jews and the Arabs. Livni should look closer at J Street, and who is funding them (apparently they have Arab backers too....why would any Arab back a Jewish organization unless there was some anti-Israel angle to it?!?!?).

This woman is unbelievable! She has no shame. She wants to lead, she can't do anything but stab Bibi in the back. She is a coplete joke.

Hopefully, she will never again be able to damage Israel the way she did with 1701.

It's about time, someone from mainstream Israell polictical affiliation recognizes the J Street conference and its potential help for the "big picture." J Street is very credible and will only become more so...Many Congressional members are also supporting this pro-Israel pro-peace agenda.

with current.Towards perdition if others should decide it for her.

Livni is correct when she argues that discussion "should be inclusive and broad enough to encompass a variety of views." AIPAC is afraid of a free and open debate of U.S. policy in the Middle East, which to date has been dominated by AIPAC. It is not the only national Jewish organization to target J Street, although AIPAC stands the most to lose as ?the? Israel lobby. We should not be surprised by this AIPAC smear campaign against J Street. AIPAC defector Gregory Slabodkin revealed details in an August 1992 Village Voice article that AIPAC operates a covert section that monitors and keeps files on politicians, journalists, academics, Arab-American activists, Jewish liberals, and others it labels "anti-Israel". The National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council has condemned McCarthy-like tactics used by some Jewish organizations emphasizing the right of dissent on Israeli policies. AIPAC should adhere to that standard of open debate based on tolerance and civility.

Enough Orwellian double-speak! J Street advocates positions that are AGAINST Israel's self-described political and security interests, promotes REDUCTION of Israeli or Jewish influence in Washington. You can't work against a country and call yourself "pro" that country.

What would you expect from someone who told the Palestinians to reject Olmert's peace offer? Does Livni really think Israeli's want her to be their leader? Does she realize who she is supporting when she sends a letter to JStreet?? What do you call a Jewish organization that takes full page ads out in American newspapers asking the President of the United States to pressure Israel, that calls the IDF war criminals, and supports a boycott against the State of Israel? The answer: JStreet. Before you consider donating any money to this group please speak to residents of Sderot and Ashkelon who have endured thousands of rockets raining down on their houses, schools, and hospitals, to families who have lost loved ones to terror, and to the familes who lost soldiers fighting Hezbollah in 2006.