J Street Opinions

The following is a selection of recent opinions published by members of J Street’s Advisory Council and by its staff and friends. If you have a piece you’d like us to post, contact us at info@jstreet.org.

 

• "A requiem for Israel’s Labor Party," by Daniel Levy. Foreign Policy, January 17, 2011
• "Choose Peace," by Barbara Kates.  Bangor Daily News, January 6,
  2011.
• "Support For New START Good For U.S. and Allies," by Rabbi
  Susan Bulba Carvutto and Rabbi Hillel Katzir.  The Portland Press
  Herald, December 18, 2010.
• "Obstructing a Middle East Rescue Effort," by Daniel Levy.  The
  Jewish Daily Forward,  December 15, 2010.
• "Viewpoint: March For an Inclusive Israel," by Yonah Lieberman.  The
  Michigan Daily, December 9, 2010.
• "BDS Won’t End the Occupation," Gil Kulick.  The Meretz USA Blog, December
  8, 2010.
• "Columbia’s Hillel Is Wrong: Lecturing Can Lead To Learning, Just Ask
  Any Professor," by Irwin Wall.  The Jewish Daily Forward,
  December 17, 2010.
• "Crunch Time For Mideast Peace," by Jeremy Ben-Ami.  Post-Gazette, December
  13, 2010.
• "Why Yossi Likes Jeremy," by Charles Radin. The Jewish Advocate,  December
  10, 2010.
• "The Palestinians Won This Round," by Daniel Levy.  The National
  Interest, December 10, 2010.
• "Bibi’s Betrayal," by Rabbi Andy Bachman.  The Jewish Week,
  December 10, 2010
• "Why We Need J Street," by Andrew Luger.  TCJewfolk.com, December
  10, 2010.
• "Surprised By Rabbi’s Remarks," by Stan Fleischman.  The Jewish
  Advocate, December 10, 2010.
• "Misstating Our Mission," by Toba Spitzer and Andy Vogel.  The Jewish
  Advocate,December 10, 2010.
• "We Love Israel, Too," by Janette Hillis-Jaffe.  The Jewish Advocate,
  December 10, 2010.
• "Interview: Jeremy Ben-Ami," Charley Levine. Hadassah, December 2010.  
• "A Plan for Engagement: Listening to the Prophetic," by Drew Cohen. Jewschool, December 2, 2010.
• "Optimism Now, Apocalypse Later," Rabbi Joshua Hammerman. The Jewish Week, November 30, 2010.
• "Politics and the Mideast," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. The New York Times, November 30, 2010.
• "Key Debate Over What It Means to Be Pro-Israel," by Jillian Slutzker. The Boston Globe, November 24, 2010.
• "J Street’s Work Toward Peace Speaks For Itself," by Josh Tenenbaum. The Boston Globe, November 24, 2010.
• "Invest in Israel — Not the Occupation," by Moriel Rothman. The Huffington Post, November 23, 2010.
• "Hillel Must Engage in Israel Security Debate," by Abby Schuster. Columbia Spectator, November 22, 2010.
• "Jewish Vote Still Democratic," by Debra Hirshberg. Cleveland Jewish News, November 19, 2010.
• "J Street is Dedicated to Peace," by Donald Greenberg. Jewish Ledger, November 17, 2010.
• "The Aftermath of the Midterm Elections: What the Future Holds," by Rabbi David Teutsch. Jewish Exponent, November 11, 2010.
• "Bibi, Tom Friedman, and U.S. Jews Divesting from Israel," by Bradley Burston. Haaretz, November 8, 2010. 
• "The Only Win-Win Path to Peace in the Mideast," by Yael Dayan. Gazettenet, November 8, 2010.
• "Why the Midterms Weren’t a Referendum on Obama’s Middle East Policy," by Amy Spitalnick. The Boston Globe, November 5, 2010.
• "Why the Midterms Weren’t a Referendum on Obama’s Mideast Policy," by Amy Spitalnick. The Boston Globe, November 5, 2010.
• "Exclude Me At Your Own Peril," by Abby Backer. New York Jewish Week, October 28, 2010.
• "Whither the Bipartisan Consensus on Israel?" by Hadar Susskind. The Huffington Post, October 27, 2010.
• "Why This Zionist Opposes Israel’s Loyalty Oath," by Moriel Rothman. The Huffington Post. October 21, 2010.
• "Shut Out of the Pro-Israel Tent," by Amy Spitalnick. The Huffington Post, October 12, 2010. 
• "A Time For Peace," by Michael Felsen & Donna Spiegelman. Geneva Initiative, October 8, 2010.
• "West Bank Settlement Must Be Settled For Peace," by Max Socol. The Washington Post, October 3, 2010.
• "J Street Strives For Two-State Solution," by Stan Fleischman. The Jewish Journal, September 30, 2010.
• "Netanyahu’s Choice," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. JTA, September 21, 2010. 
• "We don’t have the luxury of being pessimistic," by Michal Micner. The Boston Globe, September 13, 2010.
• "Here we go again," by Jim Gerstein. Politico, September 3, 2010.
• "On the Eve of the Mideast Talks,"  by Gil Kulick. The New York Times, August 30, 2010.
• "Two-state solution is the only course," by Stan Fleischman. The Boston Globe, August 29, 2010. 
• "Frenetic Drive to Show Support for Israel Endangers Israel," by Hadar Susskind. The Huffington Post, August 10, 2010.
• "Making the Case for ‘Yes’," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. JTA, July 25, 2010.
• "Overcome Denial in Israel Advocacy," by Jeremy Ben-Ami and Debra DeLee. JTA, July 2, 2010.
• "Shifting Gears on Pro-Israel Congressional Sign-On Letters," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. The Huffington Post, June 22, 2010.
• "The Flotilla’s Lesson for Mideast Peace Advocates," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. CNN, June 9, 2010.
• "Hamas, not Israel, is served by the blockade," by Hadar Susskind. The Hill, June 8, 2010.
• "The Tide is Turning," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. Foreign Policy, May 21, 2010.
• "An Open Letter to the Conference of Presidents: What Does Yitzhak Rabin’s Legacy Really Mean?" by Jeremy Ben-Ami. The Huffington Post, May 13, 2010.
• Pro-Peace IS Pro-Israel," by Harvard J Street U Leaders. The Huffington Post, May 10, 2010.
• "Alan Dershowitz Is Wrong," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. The Huffington Post, April 22, 2010.
• "A Few Wishes on Israel’s Birthday," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. The New York Times, April 20, 2010. 
• "Who speaks for American Jews," by Isaac Luria. The Huffington Post, April 15, 2010. 
• "A moment to seize in the Mideast," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. The Washington Post, April 13, 2010.
• "Putting American Ideas on the Table," by Isaac Luria. The Huffington Post, April 7, 2010. 
• "Netanyahu must lead toward peace," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. Special to CNN, March 24, 2010. 
• "Our Unwavering Commitment," by Hadar Susskind. The Jewish Journal, March 23, 2010.
• "Enough is enough," by Hadar Susskind and Lara Friedman. The Jerusalem Post, February 22, 2010.
• "Pro Mideast in America: Getting past ‘Pro-Israel’ and ‘Pro-Palestine’," by Bradley Burston. Haaretz, February 17, 2010. 
• "CUFI’s dead end," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. JTA, February 15, 2010.
• "Before Fascism Strikes," by Haim Oron. Maariv, February 5, 2010.
• "Fear of peace will be the death of Israel," by Bradley Burston. Haaretz, February 3, 2010.
• "Making the case for a two-state solution from the ground up," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. The Jewish Chronicle, January 29, 2010. 
• "J Street Pro: It’s Time to Stand Up and Be Counted," by Steve Masters. Jon Grabelle Herrmann and Elliot Ratzman, The Jewish Exponent, January 28, 2010.
• "Being Israel’s ambassador," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. The Jerusalem Post, January 6, 2010.
• "Pro-Israel Activists on Campus Need to Adjust to Reality," by Rachel Lerner. The New York Jewish Week, December 29, 2009.
• "Letter to the Editor: Jewish and Democratic," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. International Herald Tribune, November 11, 2009.
• "An open letter to Michael Oren," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. The Jerusalem Post, October 13, 2009.
• "Changing our campuses from polarized to pro-peace," by Lauren Barr. JTA, September 14, 2009.
• "Making a Turn Onto J Street," by Hadar Susskind. The Forward, September 9, 2009.
• "In Machers vs. Obama, the Youth Have Voted," by Isaac Luria. The Forward, July 15, 2009.
• "Netanyahu’s cold peace," by Daniel Levy. Haaretz, June 19, 2009.
• "Haaretz Q&A with J Street director Jeremy Ben-Ami." Haaretz, June 11, 2009
• "How Diplomacy wit Iran Can Succeed," by Jeremy Ben-Ami and Trita Parsi. The Huffington Post, June 11, 2009.
• "The Big Question: Obama’s Mideast Policies," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. The Hill, May 18, 2009.
• "Tel Aviv, Then and Now," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. International Herald Tribune, April 9, 2009.
• "2 Jews, 3 opinions," by Isaac Luria. The Huffington Post, March 27, 2009.
• "On Israel, a Fork in the Road," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. The Forward, March 18, 2009.
• "Avigdor Lieberman’s Makeover Won’t Work," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. The Huffington Post, March 3, 2009.
• "The Big Question: Obama’s New Envoys," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. The Hill, January 23, 2009.
• "The Big Question: Clinton’s First Call," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. The Hill, January 16, 2009.
• “On Gaza Morality, and the Jews,” by Jeremy Ben-Ami. Huffington Post, January 12, 2009.
• "Obama Must Seize Opportunity From Crisis," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. The NY Jewish Week. January 7, 2009
• "Diplomacy is crucial," by Rep. David Price. Miami Herald. January 6, 2009
• "Five comments on the Gaza crisis and what to do," by Daniel Levy. TPM Cafe. January 5, 2009
• The Hill‘s "The Big Question," response by Jeremy Ben-Ami.  The Hill,  December 9, 2008.
• "In Obama’s Election, Hope for Israel’s Future," by Jeremy Ben-Ami.  Talking Points Memo, December 9, 2008.
• "Middle East Priorities for January 21st," by Brent Scowcroft and Zbigniew Brzezinski. Washington Post, November 21, 2008.
  
• "The Time for Peace is Now," by Sidney Topol. Boston Jewish Advocate, November 21, 2008.
• "Obama must get involved in peace talks before they atrophy," by Paul Katz. Haaretz, November 17, 2008.
• "Let Truth Trump Fear in Our Community (PDF)," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. South Florida Jewish Journal, October 30, 2008.
• "The ‘previously silent’ majority," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. Haaretz, July 24, 2008.
• "Bush’s Bluffing Has Made Mideast Peace a Bad Bet," by Michael Shtender-Auerbach. The Forward, June 12, 2008.
• "Say it ain’t so, Joe," by Eric Alterman. The Nation, May 29, 2008.
• "Our Hagee Problem Has Yet To Be Addressed," by Leonard Fein. The Forward, May 30, 2008.
• "Rosner’s Guest: Jeremy Ben Ami." Haaretz, Week of May 26, 2008.
• "Don’t brand J Street as anti-Zionist," by David Kimchi. The Jerusalem Post, May 2, 2008.
• "Reclaiming the Pro-Israel Mantle," by Hannah Rosenthal. The Jewish Week, April 23, 2008.
• "Reclaiming Pro-Israel Peace and Stability," by Daniel Levy. The Huffington Post, April 16, 2008. Levy is the Senior Fellow and Director of the Middle East Policy Initiative of the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation and lead Israeli drafter of the Geneva Initiative.
• "For Israel’s sake, Moderate American Jews must find their voice," by Jeremy Ben Ami. The Foward, April 15, 2008. Jeremy Ben Ami is the Executive Director of J Street and JStreetPAC.
• "Bush’s so-called new Middle East is uninspiring," by Shlomo Ben-Ami. Taipei Times, April 8, 2008. Ben-Ami takes apart the Bush myth of a Middle East remade in his image. Ben-Ami, a former Israeli foreign minister, is the vice-president of the Toledo International Centre for Peace.
• "The settlements are the biggest impediment to security," by Yossi Alpher. bitterlemons, April 7, 2008. In this article, Alpher talks about how settlements are an obstacle to peace and security. He is former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University and a former special adviser to PM Ehud Barak.
• "A liberal Israel lobby? If you will it, it is no dream," by Gershom Gorenberg. Prospect Magazine, April, 2008. Gorenberg lays out how a new liberal Israel lobby could affect American policy in the MIddle East. Gorenberg is an Israeli expert on settlements and the peace process in general.
• "The Next President and the Middle East," by Daniel Levy. The American Prospect, March 31, 2008. In this article, Levy offer some policy pointers to the incoming American President. Levy is the Senior Fellow and Director of the Middle East Policy Initiative of the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation and lead Israeli drafter of the Geneva Initiative.
• "Rescuing Annapolis," by Shlomo Ben-Ami. Daily Times, March 23, 2008. Ben-Ami calls for a cease fire with Hamas and a return to a Palestinian Unity government to advance the peace process. Shlomo Ben-Ami, a former Israeli foreign minister, is the vice-president of the Toledo International Centre for Peace.
• "The Israel litmus test: Why do so many American Jews demand unwavering commitment to Israel from their politicians,"by Aaron David Miller. Los Angeles Times, March 9, 2008. In this article, Miller questions the status quo of American Jewish support for Israel. Miller is the former Advisor to six Secretaries of State on Arab-Israeli Negotiations.
• "Why Do We Fawn Over John Hagee," by Leonard Fein. The Forward, March 3, 2008. This article takes the friendship of some Jewish community leaders with Rev. John Hagee to task. Fein is a leading Jewish writer and activist.
• "Middle East Triangle", by Hussein Agha and Robert Malley. The Washington Post, January 17, 2007. Agha and Malley go over the consequences of a Hamas and Fatah split. Agha is Senior Associate Member of St. Antony’s College, Oxford and the author, with A.S. Khalidi, of A Framework for a Palestinian National Security Doctrine. Malley was a special assistant to President Clinton for Arab-Israeli Affairs during the Camp David negotiations in 2000.
• "Better Safe Than Sorry for Candidates on Israel," by Leonard Fein. The Forward, January 16, 2008. Fein looks at the Presidential candidates uninspiringly safe positions on Israel. Fein is a leading Jewish writer and activist.
• "Last chance for two states?" by Steve Masters. The Philadelphia Enquirer, January 29, 2008. Masters is President of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, a leading pro-peace, pro-Israel organization.
• "For Israel’s Sake, Replace Politics of Either/Or With Both/And," by Leonard Fein. The Forward, October 31, 2007. Fein calls for a ‘both, and’ perspective from the Jewish community around Israel. Fein is a leading Jewish writer and activist.
• "How about a Peace Lobby?" by Daniel Levy. International Herald Tribune, October 19, 2007. Levy calls for the formation of a new peace lobby for Israel in the US. Levy is the Senior Fellow and Director of the Middle East Policy Initiative of the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation and lead Israeli drafter of the Geneva Initiative.
• "The time has come to talk," by Marcia Freedman and Diane Cantor. Washington Jewish Week, March 21, 2007. Marcia Freedman was the founding president of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom.
• "The Syrian Litmus Test," by Daniel Levy. The Huffington Post, December 21, 2006. Levy elucidates how neo-conservative policy makers in Washington, DC have prevented Israel from making peace overtures to Syria. Levy is the Senior Fellow and Director of the Middle East Policy Initiative of the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation and lead Israeli drafter of the Geneva Initiative.
• "Bad for the Jews", by Eric Alterman. The Nation. December 20, 2007. Alterman argues in this article that there is a very large gap between the current Israel lobby leadership in Washington and mainstream American Jews. Alterman is an English Professor at the City University of New York, and Journalist Professor at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. He is also a frequent political commentator in The Nation.
• "5 myths on who’s really pro-Israel," by Jeremy Ben-Ami. Washington Post, May 11, 2008.
• "The Road from Mecca," by Hussein Agha and Robert Malley. New York Review of Books, May 10, 2007. In this article, Agha and Malley argue for an increased US role in the negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Agha is Senior Associate Member of St. Antony’s College, Oxford and the author, with A.S. Khalidi, of A Framework for a Palestinian National Security Doctrine. Malley was a special assistant to President Clinton for Arab-Israeli Affairs during the Camp David negotiations in 2000.
• "Is the "Israel Lobby" distorting America’s Mid-East Policies?" by Michelle Goldberg. Salon, April 18, 2006. In this article, Goldberg describes the enforced silence that surrounds the actions of the Israel lobby on Capitol Hill. Goldberg is author of Kingdom Coming: The rise of Christian Nationalism.