Mondoweiss 08 Gennaio 2009

Spaccatura fra ebrei americani. Ambasciata Israele coordina pioggia di telefonate ai dissidenti.

I believe we will look back on Gaza as the turning point in American Jewish identity/the life of the lobby. I said this ten days ago, I'm saying it again. And yes I'm a dreamer. Isn't that why you're reading this site? Wow, here is the Jewish Week, which knows its stuff. A hugely important piece. There are truly cracks in the Israel lobby!! And send Obama the news!

But others say J Street... has prompted such a strong response because the group is seen as having at least the potential of reaching a significant number of lawmakers on Capitol Hill — and the incoming Barack Obama administration — with a message that differs from that of the pro-Israel establishment.

“Other peace groups issued statements, but they’re not seen as serious people,” said the leader of a major pro-Israel group this week. “But J Street includes serious people with serious connections with the new administration, and people are very worried.  They don’t have much power now, but there’s a feeling that they could gain a lot of influence in the new Congress and with the new administration.”

Here's the story's last paragraph. This is the crisis in Jewish identity. It is all about dual loyalty. It didn't come with the neocons and Iraq because the liberals hid the neocons. But J Street's not hiding them.

The new organization’s stance was not significantly different from statements by Americans for Peace Now, Brit Tzedek v’Shalom and the Israel Policy Forum. But several major Jewish leaders were so angered by the J Street statement that they made unsolicited calls to reporters to blast the group. When asked whether the calls were orchestrated, several sources said they believed the campaign was being mounted by major pro-Israel groups and by the Israeli Embassy in Washington.

Source >  Mondoweiss | Jan 08