Dozens of prominent Israelis sign letter of support for J Street

June 24, 2009

Today, J Street announced the names of dozens of prominent Israelis from the security, military, diplomatic, political and academic fields who have signed a letter of support for J Street.  Keep reading below the fold.

  • Mr. Yossi Alpher bitterlemons; former Senior Member of Mossad; former Director of the Jaffe Center for Strategic Studies
  • Col (Ret.) Shaul Arieli Council on Peace and Security; former Commander Gaza Brigade; former head of the ‘Peace Negotiations Administration’ under PM Ehud Barak
  • Rabbi Arik Ascherman Executive Director, Rabbis for Human Rights
  • Haim Assa Former National Security Advisor to PM Yitzhak Rabin
  • Bernard Avishai Jerusalem Venue for Jerusalem Supporters and Recruitment; External Contact for David Grossman
  • Colette Avital Former Deputy Speaker of Knesset; Consul General
  • Adm (Ret.) Ami Ayalon Former Minister and Member of Knesset; former head of the Shin-Bet, and Navy
  • Uzi Baram Former Minister of Internal Affairs and Tourism; former Secretary General of the Labor Party
  • Shlomo Ben Ami Former Foreign Minister and Public Security Minister
  • David Broza Singer; writer; performer
  • Professor Naomi Chazan Former Deputy Speaker of Knesset; founder, Israel Women’s Network
  • Sidra Dekoven Ezrahi Professor, Hebrew University, Jerusalem
  • Maj Gen (Ret.) Shlomo Gazit Former Commander of IDF Intelligence; former President of Ben Gurion University; member of the staff of Jaffee Center for Stretegic Studies, Tel Aviv University
  • Professor Galia Golan Interdisciplinary Center, Herzlia
  • Micha Harish Former Minister of Industry and Commerce and Secretary General of the Labor Party
  • Dave Kimche Former Director General of the Foreign Ministry
  • Shlomo (Tchich) Lahat Ret. Major General in the IDF and former Mayor of Tel Aviv
  • Maj Gen (Ret.) Amos Lapidot Former Commander of Israel Air Force; former President of the Technion University, Haifa
  • Alon Liel Former Director General of the Foreign Ministry
  • Maj Gen (Ret.) Amnon Lipkin-Shahak Former Chief of the General Staff of the IDF; former Minister of Transport & Tourism
  • Eti Livni Former Deputy Speaker of the Knesset
  • Maj Gen (Ret.) Amram Mitzna Former Chairman of the Israel Labor Party and Knesset Member; former Commander of the IDF Central Command and Planning Branch; former Mayor of Haifa
  • Ambassador Ora Namir Former Minister of Labor and Social Affairs; Former Ambassador to China
  • Brig General (Ret.) Israela Oron Former deputy National Security Council adviser; former Chief of the Women’s Corp
  • Amos Oz Author
  • Brig Gen (Ret.) Ilan Paz Former Head of the Civil Administration in the West Bank
  • Orni Petrushka Businessman and Entrepreneur
  • Rabbi Andrew Sacks Director General of the Rabbinical Assembly in Israel
  • Adv Talia Sasson Former Special Adviser to Prime Minister Sharon; author of Sasson Report on Illegal Settlements
  • Amb. Shimon Shamir Professor, Tel Aviv University; former Ambassador to Egypt and Jordan
  • Colonel (Ret.) Gilead Sher Former Israeli Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff and Policy Coordinator
  • Professor David Shulman Professor, Hebrew University, Jerusalem
  • Abu Vilan Former Member of Knesset
  • Rabbi Levi Weiman Kelman Kehilat Kol HaNeshama, Jerusalem
  • Danny Yatom Former Knesset Member; former Head of the Mossad

To the Supporters of J Street, Congratulations on the initial success of J Street. You could not have chosen a more critical moment to mobilize American support for the two-state solution and to promote a broader conception of what it means to be pro-Israel in the United States. Without diplomatic resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian and Arab-Israeli conflicts, the region faces a future of ever-escalating tension and violence. The remaining window of opportunity for the two-state solution is short. The future of a Jewish, democratic Israel is at stake, as are national and security interests critical to Israel, the United States, the Palestinians and the region as a whole. We need your help to address this existential threat. Israelis and Palestinians have not and are unlikely to resolve this conflict alone. Majorities of both populations still desire a two-state solution, and we welcome J Street’s promotion of strong American leadership in reaching and implementing a comprehensive peace deal. Only serious, sustained international engagement – not simply further process – can forge a regional solution that addresses outstanding claims and results in comprehensive conflict resolution. And only the United States has the stature and prestige to lead an international effort and orchestrate a regional solution. We were pleased that President Obama made resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian and Arab-Israeli conflicts an early and serious priority. We welcomed the appointment of Senator Mitchell as Special Envoy for Middle East Peace and are committed to supporting his efforts. Now, it is imperative that America moves ahead and exert the necessary leadership to help us move forward quickly and meaningfully. We share J Street’s view that there is ultimately no military resolution to the political conflicts between Israel and our neighbors. We appreciate your voice of moral and strategic clarity on this point. We value the political space you are opening in Washington, and we  believe the broad policy discussion you are encouraging there stands to benefit Israel and the  broader Middle East. As Israelis dedicated to our country, its future, security and progress, we support your effort  to promote a safer and more prosperous future for both our countries and the entire Middle  East. As Friends of J Street, we stand behind your goal of advancing regional comprehensive peace and security.