Israel Matzav

Dennis Ross will be there, Michael Oren won't

Dennis Ross, the senior adviser to President Obama on Middle East issues, has agreed to address J Street's conference. Israel's ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, won't be there, and has barred all members of the embassy's staff from being there. The conference of the pro-Obama organization, which masquerades as pro-Israel, will take place from February 26 (yes, of course it opens on the Sabbath) to March 1 in Washington.

Ross, seen as an administration hard-liner on Iran and as arguing for greater consideration of Israel's needs in peace negotiations, would be a coup for the group, which consistently has come under fire from the right and from some Democrats for not being sufficiently pro-Israel.

White House officials confirmed J Street's announcement.

...

Oren's spokesman, Jonathan Peled, told JTA that the decision stemmed from J Street's urging the United States not to exercise its veto if and when the U.N. Security Council considers a resolution condemning Israel's settlement policy. A number of other groups and a range of Congress members of both parties have urged a veto.

J Street opposes bringing the settlement issue to the United Nations in part because of the body's anti-Israel bias, but also says a veto would damage U.S. credibility because the resolution is written to hew closely to U.S. policy, which also opposes settlements.

Oren called J Street director Jeremy Ben Ami last week to give him his decision, Peled said.

"The ambassador said he is open to continued conversation with J Street on ways it might support Israel," he said.

J Street has suffered a number of reversals in recent months.

Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.), one of the highest-profile Jewish lawmakers taking J Street donations, cut off the group over the issue of the U.N. veto, and last year The Washington Times revealed that Ben Ami had misled reporters in denying that liberal financier George Soros had donated money to the group.

Mark January 20, 2013 on your calendar. It's the day that J Street will - God willing - cease to exist.

Labels: Dennis Ross, J Street, Michael Oren, pro-Israel pro-peace

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:33 PM