Israel Matzav

Defining pro-Israel

The New America Foundation's Steve Clemons wrangled some regular Israel critics and some, like Peter Beinart, who come from a somewhat different place, into an open letter from senior ex-diplomats and writers that called for the U.S. to support a U.N. resolution condemning Israel's settlement in the territories, while affirming "our strong commitment to Israel's security."

This drew dismissive reference by the Washington Post's very hawkish new blogger, Jennifer Rubin, to "the usual crowd of Israel bashers" -- which is of course what Clemons had sought to avoid seeming. [Having Walt and Mearsheimer sign on certainly supports the notion that these are just Israel bashers. CiJ]

And he writes a bit plaintively today:

I would like to know from Jennifer Rubin and from her editor -- and from the Chairman of the Board of the Washington Post -- what I have ever said, what I have ever written, what I have ever organized that deserves the characterization I received from Jennifer Rubin today at the Washington Post. What does she consider makes me an Israel-basher?

I believe that she and I have a serious disagreement about what Israel's interests are -- and I believe that the Netanyahu wing of the Israeli political establishment regularly places short term interests over long to mid-term interests. But I don't call those who support Netanyahu Israel-bashers even though I believe that as patriotic as they may be as Israelis or as pro-Israel as they may be as Americans they are harming Israel's interests. That could be a constructive debate -- something where both sides could learn something, perhaps.

Calling someone as Israel-basher is akin to calling them an anti-Semite or a bigot, and that can't go without response....

There are two fights underway at the moment: One is defining the politically acceptable space in Washington for debating Israel policy; the other is the push by Bill Kristol and his allies to identify support for Israel explicitly with the Republican Party. That latter effort, ironically, has some of the same goals of the former, which would like to see the Democratic Party soften its hard line.

UPDATE: Former AIPAC spokesman Josh Block emails:

Steve is a friend and a very smart guy, so he probably knows this already, and while I have no dog in this particular hunt, having read neither his post nor Ms. Rubin's, just yours, given his "plaintive" question, perhaps it is worth pointing out the obvious.

Working to isolate Israel in the United Nations, and calling on the United States to abandon our policy of opposing unbalanced, anti-Israel Security Counsel resolutions, is the DEFINITION of anti-Israel activism, as is bragging or promoting in widely circulated emails one's letter being signed by the likes of Walt/Measheimer, Chas Freeman and a like crowd of mostly anti-Israel actors and critics. [Emphasis mine. CiJ]

Labels: Ben Smith, Jennifer Rubin, Josh Block, pro-Israel, Steve Clemons

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:45 PM