Ben-Ami added that although he has asked to meet with Netanyahu during his stay in Israel "to introduce ourselves and explain how we can work together as allies," he was rejected. "Yet, as you may have read, while the Prime Minister doesn’t have time to meet a movement that now represents over 170,000 pro-Israel, pro-peace supporters, he has time to host Sarah Palin for dinner Monday night," Ben-Ami wrote.I don't know in what way J-Street represents 170,000 people, and he doesn't explain; nor am I convinced they're all pro-Israel in any recognizable way. So far as I can tell, however, there are tens of millions of pro-Israel people who listen approvingly to much of what Sarah Palin says, and will be eager to hear her tell about her trip, including the meeting she had with Netanyahu.
So who's the numerically-challenged one in the story?
14 comments:
Given the snubs Netanyahu has gotten from Obama each time he's visited Washington - one can't help but suspect with behind the scenes encouragement by JStreet - it's only fair.
Its about the numbers, stupid.
J-Street represents a minority of leftist post-Zionist and anti-Zionist Jews. It clear they do not speak for the American Jewish mainstream.
And the policies J-Street advocates would undermine Israel's Jewish identity, weaken its ability to defend itself, contribute to its continued delegitimization and perpetrate a Second Holocaust upon Israel's Jews.
And Jeremy Ben Ami wonders why Israel's Prime Minister won't receive him.
Go figure.
I watched at the opening session of the J-Street conference on their web-site. The first 45 min. is a speech by Dennis Ross, which is now out-of-date, because he is talking about Egypt - and really doesn't say much, except a"we don't know what the end result will be."
The 2nd 45 min. or so is a panel discussion with Bernard Avishai, Roger Cohen and Danny Levy. I watched because I wanted to hear the context of Levy's comment "maybe a Israel isn't such a good idea."
My conclusion: They live in a parallel universe. It is much nicer where they are. Israel is not under any threat where they live.
Nycerbarb
Israel is not under any threat where they live.
Indeed.
Moreover, where they live (and as far as what they believe, for what it's worth) it is Israel that is the threat.
Such that, Israel may be attacked, Israel may be threatened, Israel may be targeted; but it is Israel's response that is THE threat.
More simply put: Israel's deterrence is aggression. Or, if you will, Israel's self-defense (or, to the delusional humanist/ progressive end of the spectrum, Israel's distorted perception of its self-defense) is the single biggest problem that the world faces today.
To make it even simpler: Israel's existence is aggression.
And the destruction of Israel is the only way to end the threat to global peace.
Such that the destruction of Israel has become the greatest good.
The absurd has become the Truth.
first I confess that I love EoZ's headline as shown here "Baby-in Chief whines" - yes the Gutmenschen (do-gooders) are good at whining.
But inspired by Nycerbarb I have checked once again JStreet's Site for audio offers
I checked under News and found first on the murder of the Fogel-family members this quite subdued and not overly correct message. It was 3 OF their children - no Baby mentioned, no age for the other two mentioned, one shouldn't get too much into arousing emotions it might be bad for peace n'est-ce pas.
http://jstreet.org/blog/j-street-statement-on-itamar-massacre/
as to audios I couldn't find any on their site and only those videos
http://jstreet.org/j-street-videos-8/
but via a file labeled Jeremy Ben-Ami I found a podcast (audio) offer called "Too Jewish" which says it is hosted by Rabbi Sam Cohon and Friends.
http://itunes.apple.com/de/podcast/too-jewish/id391627329
J-street and it's ilk are the equivalent of those rashas that did not deserve to leave Eqypt. They are self hating Jews, who are too self absorbed to recognize that you can't make peace with savages, who murder 3 month old babies.
Oh dear. Let me say this clearly. I am not anti-Zionist. I am not a self-hating Jew. I support Israel's existence, even more so as I have family members in the Israeli Army.
I am a J Street supporter.
Your brushes are quite broad, my friends, and your assumptions are highly inaccurate, generalizing, blind, and unquestioning.
J Street does, indeed, represent an important voice that cares deeply for Israel's existence, Israel's flourishing, Israel's peace.
Anita,
Please feel free to explain in what way J-Street cares. I, for one, promise to listen respectfully. So far, most of what I've seen coming out of J-Street hasn't been successful in convincing me they care about the real Israel, only about a figment of their imagination. But I'm willing to hear where I"m wrong.
All the other points aside, there's more than a little chutzpah in Jeremy Ben Ami pouting "he's got time for a previous US vice-presidential candidate and future presidential hopeful, but he hasn't got time for moi." (Which is not to say I rate either her prospects or desirability very highly, but then I think the same of him.)
Silke -
You can listen to the J-Street conference at vimeo.com
http://vimeo.com/20480316
is the address for the opening session. The panel discussion starts at around 43 minutes, if I remember.
Nycerbarb
Frankly, Ben Ami shouldn't be allowed back in the country.
thanks Nycerbarb - tonight will be the night at least for part of it
Silke -
I hope you have a strong stomach.
Nycerbarb
Nycerbarb
due to an internet malfunction I've listened only today. Besides all you correctly said about it I am shocked for yet another reason.
Of the three I "know" only Roger Cohen and know that he is a somebody. I assume the other two are also. Fortunately I listen to lots and lots of podcasts by other Americans and know that you have lots and lots of people worth listening to but would I have listened to just those 3 I would subscribe to what my colleagues in Paris said about Americans i.e. that they have no "culture". They are incoherent nutters and illusionists, knowledge and compassion free romantic ramblers incapable of making even one argument worth considering and the crowd cheers.
Today I heard a piece on German radio, sorry no transcript, from an Egyptian Copt who is deeply depressed about the choice of those who will work on the constitution. It has all been changed from what was planned. That council of 7 has 3 members of the Muslim Brotherhood and just one Christian with no clout. The referendum and the time limit imposed by it also favour the Muslim Brotherhood because it doesn't give sufficient time to other groups to get their act together.
and those idiots keep dreaming the dream (and bashing Israel in the most disgraceful way.)
The other day I listened again to this talk by Noah Feldman from 2008 about his then new book for which he got the heat which judging from the talk I can't understand. It is not an interview but a talk followed by a Q&A and he is completely pessimistic about how they handle Sharia these days and how it has changed during its history to lose all that may have been respectable about it once upon a time but is still desired by the masses in its perverted contemporary shape? (no he doesn't say that the old system can be resurrected.) Given how he describes the relation these days between the clerics and the state having changed through modernization, a council where almost one half is from the MB (estblishing a code) bodes nothing justifying hope. Shouldn't the talkers know what Feldman tells? Shouldn't they know that the council belies all Cohen thinks will come out of Tahrir Square.
And most terrible I learnt that that windbag Cohen is not only a columnist but the foreign editor? of the NYT which I suppose means that he has some influence and Jeffrey Goldberg still defends those JStreeters every now and then and has never again after that first time asked for a colonoscopy into their finances.
Thanks for giving me the link - it sure depressed me.
http://intrepidliberaljournal.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=351284#
Shari'a and The Muslim World: An Interview With Author Noah Feldman
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