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A LIBERAL ISRAEL LOBBY?
The UK Prospect (no relation) has a cover story about a "New Israel Lobby" by TAP Senior Correspondent Gershom Gorenberg. Most of the piece is a nice analysis of why America's policy on Israel is so hawkish. Gorenberg explains why a counter-lobby to AIPAC and friends is needed, and what a liberal Israel lobby should, in fact, be lobbying for. This point is interesting:
Realistically, even a liberal Israel lobby will be more timid than progressive Israelis. Few US Jews will feel comfortable asking for American pressure on Israel. Publicly, the lobby's task will be to increase support for diplomacy and a two-state solution. But it will also allow more politicians—particularly liberal ones—to say what they really think about Israel/Palestine, safe in the knowledge that there is an alternative lobby to back them with money and votes.
I think it's important to distinguish between the limits of a lobby and the personal positions of prominent jewish Americans. Many of the most outspoken American critics of Israeli policy in recent years, from Tony Judt to George Soros to Richard Cohen to Eric Alterman, have been Jews. Heck, even Thomas Friedman has called for negotiations with Hamas, which would put him to the left of Barack Obama on the issue. As Gorenberg points out in the story, the bulk of US Jews are much more dovish on Israel than American policy in the region would suggest. I can't imagine American Jews would be hesitant to raise their voices about pushing for a just peace between Israel and the Palestinians if they could do so knowing they would have some institutional and community support. It's more of a chicken and egg problem -- you can't have a lobby without support and few people will feel comfortable expressing that support without a strong lobby.
---Jordan Michael Smith
COMMENTS (7)
Tony Judt and George Soros count as Jews when Israel is being discussed exactly as much as I count as I count as Christian when gay people and abortion are being discussed. I doubt that grants can change that.
Posted by: Tom from the Bx | April 10, 2008 1:28 PM
Yes, but a large problem is that the new lobby would have to be made up of Jews, because unless the political climate changes any non-Jewish person who believes Israel needs to get serious about peace and settlement evacuation is labeled a Jew-hater and an avid reader of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.
AIPAC and its ilk are super strong in part because they have the support of the money and votes of the large Christian crazy population which wants to see Jews convert or die in the end-times. The American political climate is going to have to change before more and more prominent non-Jews are going to feel comfortable enough, or know that their reputations won't be tarnished, if they speak their pro-peace mind about Israel.
Posted by: Steve W. | April 10, 2008 3:58 PM
That's the problem of not being able to preview comments. I meant to say a problem is that the lobby would have to be made up exclusively of Jews until the political culture changes. Nothing against Jews or groups for Jews, but it would be a lot easier if their numbers could be supported by non-Jewish folks of like mind, just as the Christian Zionists join the AIPAC folks.
Posted by: Steve W. | April 10, 2008 4:02 PM
Richard Cohen? Critics of Israel? SERIOUSLY?
(I'll give you the other 3.)
Posted by: Mischa | April 10, 2008 4:32 PM
"AIPAC and its ilk are super strong in part because they have the support of the money and votes of the large Christian crazy population which wants to see Jews convert or die in the end-times."
Yeah, I've been waiting for someone to come out that for an excuse.
"The dog ate my homework."
Posted by: Anonymous | April 10, 2008 8:02 PM
Well it has to be noted that Jews are turning on the concept of Zionism in larger numbers everyday. They are starting to see what such a sick, sadistic ideology it really is, as opposed to the flowery version they were given as children. So I think that as soon as Jewish-America becomes majority opposed to Zionism, then we'll not only see a lobby but a unified network alongside social justice groups take shape to force Israel to give up it's dream of ethincally cleansing Palestine and creating an all-Jewish state. Believe it or not, those Jewish groups exist today, but they need to be foritified financially and politically. Hopefully we'll one day see a peaceful end to such a violent beginning.
Posted by: Ramsey | April 10, 2008 8:24 PM
The views of Judt, Soros, and Alterman on these issues aren't going to convince the majority of American Jews, even liberals, except maybe in the opposite direction. They're at least as far out of the mainstream as Kristol, Podhoretz, et al. ... maybe more.
Posted by: larry birnbaum | April 12, 2008 10:13 AM