This morning, partisan bloggers and organizations seized on a report originating in the Israeli newspaper Maariv that Israeli nuclear scientists were being denied visas to the United States. Turns out the story isn’t true and is now being denied by both Israel and the United States. Many of the same partisan bloggers and organizations encouraged and spread similarly untrue and vicious smears about President Obama and his approach to the Middle East during the 2008 election, and have apparently continued that troubling trend today.
Anyone who breathlessly reported this story without checking the facts should do their readers a service and correct the record. And, moreover, they should stop playing fast and loose with the truth in order to score cheap partisan points against a sensibly pro-Israel President.
In addition to providing a political home for mainstream pro-Israel Americans who believe strong U.S. leadership to achieve a two-state solution – like what President Obama is embarking upon at this very moment – is critical to advancing American and Israeli interests, J Street aims to repair what we believe is a broken political conversation on Israel and the Middle East in this country. And with some intent on poisoning the well no matter the facts, we certainly have our work cut out for us.