J Street: Gov Perry Playing a ‘Reckless and Dangerous Game’ with Israel

September 20, 2011

WASHINGTON—J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami issued the following statement in response to Governor Rick Perry’s press conference this morning on Israel and the US-Israel relationship:

The relentless right-wing pandering on display today at Governor Rick Perry’s press conference is at the heart of what is warping US policy and politics when it comes to Israel.

From sharing the podium with an extreme right-wing Knesset member who calls for the outright annexation of the West Bank, to urging an end to Palestinian aid and paying lip-service to the two-state solution while undercutting moves to achieve it, Perry is cynically attempting to turn Israel into a partisan football for his own very narrow gain.

This is a reckless and dangerous game Perry and other right-wing presidential candidates are attempting to play with the American Jewish and larger pro-Israel constituency— one which threatens both Israel’s survival as the democratic, national home of the Jewish people and fundamental American interests around the world. It is one of the most irresponsible things I have ever seen in my three decades in American politics.