Liberal Zionists denounce AIPAC

[Joanne98]

Liberal Zionists denounce AIPAC
http://www.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/breaking/100589.html

A liberal Zionist group denounced the America Israel Public Affairs Committee for adopting "radical hawkish positions" at the powerful lobby’s annual policy conference. In a statement Wednesday, Ameinu National President Kenneth Bob said AIPAC’s 2007 Action Agenda represents a major policy shift that runs counter to the security interests of Israel and the United States. Ameinu is a member of AIPAC’s executive committee and voted against the measure.

"AIPAC, which presents itself as ‘THE pro-Israel lobby’ representing the entire American Jewish community, has now adopted highly partisan new policies on the pursuit of Palestinian-Israeli peace," Bob said. "The new approach aligns AIPAC more closely with neoconservatives, placing it in sharp opposition both to the Bush administration and the Israeli government."


AIPAC at its major annual gathering this week in Washington ran afoul of other liberal groups for urging lawmakers to sign a letter calling for a continued American boycott of the Palestinian Authority until it had met international preconditions: renouncing terrorism, recognizing Israel and accepting past agreements with the Jewish state. Brit Tzedek V’Shalom, Americans for Peace Now and Churches for Middle East Peace protested the letter, arguing that the United States must engage moderate Palestinians or risk strengthening extremist elements.
http://www.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/breaking/100589.html

[Ghost Dog]

1. Link to "Ameinu":

http://www.ameinu.net/

[cascadiance]

2. James Zogby was pointing out recently on his show that AIPAC is out of synch...

... with many Israelis. He noted that AIPAC is behind a lot of the lobbying to keep America having Iran in its cross hairs for an attack, despite Zogby polls that show that most Israelis don't want a war with Iran to happen!

[Tom Joad]

3. This group is being marginalized...

I disagree fundamentally with its goals of supporting occupation and militarism.

I am still shocked by its extremism it openly exhibited this week. Its going to be more and more difficult for Democrats to march to aipac and sing it praise while

a) It lets a rightwing anti-Muslim, fundamentalist nutcase serve as Keynote speaker. Rev Hagee... even Pat Robertson has shown more sense than Rev Hagee.
See this link
http://www.americaabroad.tpmcafe.com/blog/richards1052/2007/mar/13/aipacs_deal_with_the_christian_zionist_devil#comment-219684

b) Clear and strong opposition voiced by aipac, and Prime Minister Olmert for ending the US illegal and immoral and costly occupation of Iraq. Dems will have to choose to listen to aipac or listen to US voters...

c) booing the Democratic leader will not help its cause, especially booing her when she presents a view that is overwhelmingly popular with US voters, (and Jewish Voters)

d) its refusal to support real diplomacy with Iran. They like the approach of John Bolton (who could not even find favor with a Republican Senate!) who hopes for greater confrontation and escalation with Iran, not diplomacy that yields a fair solution. Listen and read this exchange between Bolton and aipac
http://www.stopaipac.org/boltontape.htm

The Democrats have to show they are going to stand up to special interest groups of all kinds.

[rodeodance]

11. Peolosi caved ridht after Cheney gave his Hate/Fear speech the other day.

[Tom Joad]

4. Jewish Voice for Peace, US based organization

http://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/

[rateyes]

5. Good. I hope they can give some spines

to others.

[regnaD kciN]

6. Why do they hate Israel...???

:sarcasm:

[oberliner]

7. Interesting article from Ameinu, perhaps relevant to some DUers

Here is an excerpt from an article that can be found on the Ameinu website.

They are the liberal Zionist group that denounced AIPAC according to the above-linked article.

"The mainstream machers of American Jewry correctly assert that some of the rhetorical excesses of Israel’s critics, particularly on the far left, can foster outright antisemitism. But when these organizational leaders and academics recently claimed that provocative denunciations of Israel’s occupation or calls for a binational state were beyond the pale, all they succeeded in doing was bolstering the widespread conviction that powerful Jewish groups want to stifle all public criticism of Israel.

Indeed, if you search on the Internet for “Israel lobby” and “thought police,” more than 30,000 entries show up, many of them quite recent. Next to some of the people who post these entries, including radical lefties, Henry Ford seems like a UJA supporter.

Rather than adding more fuel to this fire, the usual Jewish organizational suspects should step back and take note of a more promising way to lower the flames. Outside of the media glare, in isolated and uncoordinated efforts, American Jews who support Israel’s peace and human rights camp are reaching out to progressive counterparts. They are criticizing the tone and substance of left-wing discourse on the Middle East, but they are also trying to find common ground.

This has been happening in dialogues between Jewish peace activists and divest-from-Israel groups in Chicago, Philadelphia and elsewhere. It is happening on scores of college campuses under the umbrella of the Union of Progressive Zionists, which gives a home to Jewish students who are equally alienated by the Israel-right-or-wrong crowd and by those who equate Ehud Olmert with Darth Vader. It is also happening in leftist neighborhoods in the blogosphere, where I and other Jews who are often critical of Israel, but care deeply about it, have begun to venture."

Rest of the article: http://www.ameinu.net/perspectives/america.php?articleid=156

[IndianaGreen]

8. Israel is a country with many diverse political and religious opinions, yet

in America, only the views of the most rightwing and extremist elements are aired as being representative of Israeli Jews (and by extension, American Jews) as a whole.

Saying that AIPAC is "THE pro-Israel" lobby is like saying that Tom Donohue's Catholic League speaks for all Catholics.

[rcdean]

9. Perhaps. But those Israeli voices of reason are an ineffective minority.

When it comes to elections, Israeli majorities, in the last dozen or so years, opt for the far right.

Before that the "liberal" Israeli leader, Rabin, tried to move toward peace and was assassinated by the far right.

Since then, Sharon, the one far right Israeli leader who could have made a difference, all of a sudden saw the light, adopted a program of phased withdrawal from the occupied territories, and wound up with a sudden stroke.

The Israeli rightists accomplsh--with a hidden hand--what they can't "democratically."

Like US neocons, they are utterly ignorant of the need for "others" in the world to live like human beings in a positive environment where hope prevails. They believe only in a zero sum game.

In both cases, religious fundamentalists are political allies. In Israel, I wonder what percentage of Jews actually believe that the god of creation "GAVE" the ancient Hebrew tribes and their progeny "the land" of Israel to rule in perpetuity.

That's the essence of Zionism. So long as that deluded pretension flourishes, there will be no withdrawal from the settlements, and hence no peace.

Yes, there are many on the other side who are equally deluded by religious tenets and equally opposed to accomodation. But it is up to those who control events--not to the controlled--to act like rational adults and lead the way to peace.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProudDad]

12. From their lips

to God's ears...


On edit: An interesting finds...

"Socialism had great impact on Zionism, and in early stages of Jewish immigration to Palestine, a large part of the immigrants were Marxists. The system of kibbutzes was formed after Socialist ideas. The kibbutzes were frequently used when Jews came to Palestine and settled, and they served as mini-states, where people could live, work, go to school and have health services. The kibbutzes were central in Jewish immigration right up until the formation of the State of Israel."

Too bad Zionism got hijacked by capitalists and terrorists...


Liberal Zionism does appear to be an oxymoron...

[Ghost Dog]

13. kick, and thanks for keeping this out of the dungeon.

Truth will out.

[rcdean]

16. Yes, indeed! Thank you, Mods.

It's great to be able to debate these vital issues in a civil manner among intelligent participants.

[Bushfire]

14. Jon Stewart on TDS had a great segment with Cheney at AIPAC this week

with Cheney being introduced with this over the top music being blared as he walked to the stage. Cheney is obviously the lapdog for AIPAC's agenda after seeing that.

[Bushfire]

15. Here's the video

http://www.crooksandliars.com/category/culture-life-entertainment/the-daily-showjon-stewart/

Thank you Crooks and Liars!