Today, J Street Executive Director Jeremy Ben-Ami released the following statement:
J Street strongly endorses comments today by Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor calling for an independent Israeli investigation into Israeli Defense Forces activity in the Gaza Strip during last winter’s Operation Cast Lead. This is the right response to a report which raises deeply troubling charges, but grows from a mandate that was flawed and was referred to bodies which are deeply biased against Israel. Meridor is precisely correct when he says that “the best means of defense is for a state to investigate itself.” This has been the recommendation of the Obama administration. It has been the consistent recommendation of J Street. We hope the government of Israel will heed Deputy Prime Minister Meridor’s advice.