AIPAC has some new competition. It's called J Street and it bills itself as a "pro-peace, pro-Israel political voice," in contrast with AIPAC, which the folks at J Street clearly perceive as a pro-violence, anti-Israel political voice. I took part in a conference call today with J Street's founder and executive director, Jeremy Ben-Ami, and several of its advisers, all of whom made clear their disdain for AIPAC and its "right-wing agenda." Victor Kovner, former corporation council for the city of New York, had this to say:
For many years, those of us who are active in support of Democratic candidates for office have been frustrated, to say the least, at the presumption held by so many...that we are somehow supportive of initiatives of AIPAC, and those who presume, have presumed basically right-wing agendas. It is embarrassing to have to say, as I've had to say so many times, I'm not with AIPAC, I do not support AIPAC. I support a different vision for the Middle East. And in creating J Street, I think we're going to be able to, working together, make that message clear, so that no longer will that presumption be in place.
The problem with all this is that AIPAC doesn't have a right-wing agenda, it simply has an unabashedly pro-Israel agenda. AIPAC assumes the Israelis are capable of deciding what is in their own best interests as a democratic and sovereign nation. Conversely, the folks at J Street think that they know better than the Israelis what is in Israel's best interests--and they believe a halt to settlement construction, negotiations with Hamas, and the peace process offer the only viable way forward. Ben-Ami said J Street will "advocate that it is always better to find paths to diplomatic engagement with those with whom we have disagreements." They don't care what the question is, talking is the answer, and they will pressure American politicians to rein in the Israelis regardless of popular opinion inside Israel. Said Ben-Ami, "it can be pro-Israel to hold views that are not necessarily in accordance with the sitting government of either the United States or of Israel. That's a democratic right and part of what this effort is about." No one would dispute that it is a democratic right to hold dissenting views of whatever sort, or to differ from the views of the government of the United States and/or Israel. But those are both democratically elected governments, and the J Street guys are going to have to explain why they know better than both. The truth is they think they know better because they are left-wing ideologues, and want to persuade people that a leftist agenda is in the interest of the U.S. and Israel. Not a promising prospect. And if you're wondering how they arrived at the name J Street, amusing speculation here.