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Lobby days in Washington with the non-AIPAC delegation
BY: ALAN FEDERMAN Special to the CJN
I recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to take part in a lobbying campaign with Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, a Jewish peace advocacy group.
A few weeks earlier, AIPAC, the powerful Israel lobby, had its annual policy conference, so one might ask, “Why another effort. Isn’t AIPAC influential enough to represent Israel’s interests?”
The answer lies is in how you define the best interest of Israel. The continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank, blockade of Gaza, and hundreds of blocked roads in the West Bank are all part of current Israeli policies. Brit Tzedek asserts these are contrary to Israel’s long-term best interest and are roadblocks to peace. We were in Washington to let our representatives know that a sizeable segment of their Jewish constituency, while strongly pro-Israel, also wants Israel and the U.S. to do more to advance the peace process.
Keynote conference speaker was Yossi Beilin, a member of Knesset, one of the chief architects of the Oslo agreement and more recently, co-author of the Geneva Accords, a blueprint for resolving the Israel/Palestine conflict. Addressing the crowd in the historic Eye Street Synagogue, Beilin urged us not to fall into the “wait until the next President” mode, given the current administration’s lackluster efforts toward peace.
He pointed out that Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of Fatah, will step down from power next year. While Abbas is admittedly a weak leader, it is unlikely that his successor will be as opposed to the use of violence and as deeply committed to the peace process as Abbas. Beilin feels that in the absence of real progress toward peace in 2008, there will be violence in 2009.
Yet, without far more serious U.S. involvement in the negotiations, prospects for peace diminish with each passing day. Settlements continue to be built, and Palestinian anger at the conditions they are subjected to under occupation increases. “It’s a false belief that you can be a benevolent occupier, even with the best heart,” Beilin concluded.
Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, meaning “a covenant for justice and peace,” believes that it is not enough to be just pro-Israel n we also have to stand for the values that are intrinsic to Judaism, and we expect Israel to hold those standards as well. Many in the Jewish community reflexively justify every roadblock, civilian casualty, demolished house and general suffering inflicted on the Palestinian population as necessary for Israel’s security or self-defense. In its refusal to do this, Brit Tzedek distinguishes itself from its counterparts in AIPAC.
One final note: While we were in Washington, Al Stern, a longtime activist for an Israeli/Palestinian peace agreement, passed away. I didn’t know Al well, but I admired his ability to be an early advocate for positions that, like a two-state solution and negotiating with the Palestinian Authority, are accepted today but were resolutely opposed by the Jewish leadership at the time. In the best Jewish tradition, Stern was out front on issues of justice and peace and actively worked to bring them to fruition. This is the path to security for the state of Israel that we seek.
Alan Federman is the founder of Tikkun Cleveland and an adjunct professor at Lakeland Community College and Baldwin-Wallace College.
A few weeks earlier, AIPAC, the powerful Israel lobby, had its annual policy conference, so one might ask, “Why another effort. Isn’t AIPAC influential enough to represent Israel’s interests?”
The answer lies is in how you define the best interest of Israel. The continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank, blockade of Gaza, and hundreds of blocked roads in the West Bank are all part of current Israeli policies. Brit Tzedek asserts these are contrary to Israel’s long-term best interest and are roadblocks to peace. We were in Washington to let our representatives know that a sizeable segment of their Jewish constituency, while strongly pro-Israel, also wants Israel and the U.S. to do more to advance the peace process.
Keynote conference speaker was Yossi Beilin, a member of Knesset, one of the chief architects of the Oslo agreement and more recently, co-author of the Geneva Accords, a blueprint for resolving the Israel/Palestine conflict. Addressing the crowd in the historic Eye Street Synagogue, Beilin urged us not to fall into the “wait until the next President” mode, given the current administration’s lackluster efforts toward peace.
He pointed out that Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of Fatah, will step down from power next year. While Abbas is admittedly a weak leader, it is unlikely that his successor will be as opposed to the use of violence and as deeply committed to the peace process as Abbas. Beilin feels that in the absence of real progress toward peace in 2008, there will be violence in 2009.
Yet, without far more serious U.S. involvement in the negotiations, prospects for peace diminish with each passing day. Settlements continue to be built, and Palestinian anger at the conditions they are subjected to under occupation increases. “It’s a false belief that you can be a benevolent occupier, even with the best heart,” Beilin concluded.
Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, meaning “a covenant for justice and peace,” believes that it is not enough to be just pro-Israel n we also have to stand for the values that are intrinsic to Judaism, and we expect Israel to hold those standards as well. Many in the Jewish community reflexively justify every roadblock, civilian casualty, demolished house and general suffering inflicted on the Palestinian population as necessary for Israel’s security or self-defense. In its refusal to do this, Brit Tzedek distinguishes itself from its counterparts in AIPAC.
One final note: While we were in Washington, Al Stern, a longtime activist for an Israeli/Palestinian peace agreement, passed away. I didn’t know Al well, but I admired his ability to be an early advocate for positions that, like a two-state solution and negotiating with the Palestinian Authority, are accepted today but were resolutely opposed by the Jewish leadership at the time. In the best Jewish tradition, Stern was out front on issues of justice and peace and actively worked to bring them to fruition. This is the path to security for the state of Israel that we seek.
Alan Federman is the founder of Tikkun Cleveland and an adjunct professor at Lakeland Community College and Baldwin-Wallace College.
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