White House Chief of Staff calls Israel's existence 'occupation'
On Monday, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, who was representing his boss, told the J Street convention that Israel must end 'more than 50 years of occupation (Hat Tip: Eliyahu P).'
McDonough then described the alternate to a two-state agreement: a
one-state solution based on unilateral annexation and abandonment of
democratic rights for Palestinians that, he warned, “would only
contribute to Israel’s further isolation.” In other words, he said, more
divestment, boycotts and efforts to delegitimize Israel in the
international community.
“An occupation that has lasted more than
50 years must end,” McDonough said, one of several times he brought the
crowd to its feet.
While I have occasionally heard American officials refer to an Israeli 'occupation,' this is the first time I have ever heard an American official refer to an 'occupation' starting before 1967 (2015 - 50 = 1965).
Is the Obama administration now asserting - as Fatah and Hamas do - that Israel's very creation constitutes an 'occupation' of Arab land?
If yes, that's not likely to bring about a whole lot of trust for the Obama administration. And that's the least of the problems.
As to 'pro-Israel' J Street, no one should be surprised to see them applauding that assertion.
Ron Radosh believes that this week's J Street conference might even be their swan song.
Another MK who is attending, Nachman Shai, defended his participation, but took offense at Ben-Ami’s claim that J Street was the equivalent of Kadima in Israel. “He can say that J Street is Kadima,” Shai put it, “but Kadima is not J Street. I am not a supporter of J Street, but I support Jews helping Israel, each in its own way.” He said he is participating because he wants to answer the questions of American young people who are critical of Israel, or else “we may lose them.” As a result, he now plans to change his prepared remarks at the J Street event by focusing on the issue of Israel’s legitimacy, would defend building in Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem and the building of settlements outside of the capital.
Another MK who is attending, Yoel Hasson, said he would criticize J Street for opposing the U.S. veto at the Security Council.
So J Street, it turns out, will not be getting what it sought by inviting Kadima to their conference. Instead of support and affirmation, they will not receive bold criticism.
For those of Kadima who still believe that J Street is not left-wing and is a “legitimate organization that wants to help Israel,” as Hasson does, he will be in for a surprise. He will find that playing a big role in the conference are major opponents of both Israel policy and Israel itself, including Peter Beinart—who is actually being honored as a “hero;” Roger Cohen of The New York Times, New Israel Fund president Naomi Chazan, Benard Avishai, whose recent cover in The New York Times Magazine story was taken apart by Sol Stern, Robert Malley who was so controversial that the Obama administration did not let him advise on the Middle East during the 2008 campaign, Dr. Mustafa Barghouti of the Palestinian National Initiative, Ambassador Maen Areikat of the PLO Delegation to the UN, the contentious critic of Israel from The Nation magazine, Eric Alterman, and the far left editor and founder of the virulent anti-Israel publication Tikkun, Michael Lerner.
As a shrewd observer of the foibles of J Street e-mailed me, it has become political poison not only for pro-Israel Democrats in Congress to align with J Street, but now it is becoming the same for pro-Israel Israeli politicians.
J Street may be getting 2000 attendees this year, and moved its conference from a hotel to the large Convention Center in DC, but judging from the flack it is getting even before the conference starts, this could well be its swan song.
26 reasons you shouldn't cry about J Street's demise
I've written many times why I'd be happy to see J Street go the way of the $2 bill. Now, Lenny Ben David comes up with a list of 26 reasons - can we call them J Street's 26 biggest lies? - why none of us should cry if and when J Street goes down the tubes (my bet is January 20, 2013). It reads like a highlight film of the last two and a half years.
I am an Orthodox Jew - some would even call me 'ultra-Orthodox.' Born in Boston, I was a corporate and securities attorney in New York City for seven years before making aliya to Israel in 1991 (I don't look it but I really am that old :-). I have been happily married to the same woman for thirty-five years, and we have eight children (bli ayin hara) ranging in age from 13 to 33 years and nine grandchildren. Four of our children are married! Before I started blogging I was a heavy contributor on a number of email lists and ran an email list called the Matzav from 2000-2004. You can contact me at: IsraelMatzav at gmail dot com
