PrintOctober 13, 2009
Israeli embassy takes Obama to task for Middle East policy
The Israeli Embassy may have unwittingly telegraphed Israel's concerns regarding the policies of Barack Obama. The Embassy has taken issue with the policies being promoted by J Street - a putative pro-Israel lobbying group that has drawn criticism for policies that are inimical to Israel and to the American-Israel alliance:
The Israeli Embassy informed J Street of its concerns that the new lobbying group advocates policies that could "impair Israel's interests," an embassy spokesman has told The Jerusalem Post.
The message, Peled said, is that "while recognizing the need for a free and open debate on these issues, it is important to stress concern over certain policies that could impair Israel's interests."
J Street has taken several positions at odds with the Israeli government in recent months, including arguing against the immediate imposition of additional sanctions on Iran even as Israel pushes for greater action, and backing US President Barack Obama's call for a complete settlement freeze in the face of Israeli opposition.
Follow the logic. Israel finds that the policies being advocated by J Street - the same policies being pushed by President Obama (settlement freeze with no quid pro quo from Israel adversaries, a complacent attitude towards sanction-are harming Israel and the prospects for peace in the region). The parallel can be extended because J Street itself says that it was serving as a blocking back for Barack Obama's Middle East policies.
The New York Times published a fawning portrait of J Street a few weeks ago that contained this gem, "J Street shares the Obama administration's agenda ." James Kirchick, the assistant editor of the New Republic, also has called J Street "Obama's Lobby" to the Jewish community in America and wrote that " J Street will prove to be of great value to Obama" that will serve to put a 'stamp of approval' on Obama's bizarre hectoring and moral equivalence".
Barack Obama has empowered J Street by giving the group access and influence in the White House while disregarding other more established players in the Middle East debate, such as the Zionist Organization of America and the Republican Jewish Coalition of America.
When the Israel Embassy warns that J Street and its policy promotion may harm the state of Israel it is logical that it is also subtly saying that President's Obama's policies are doing the same. That is the conclusion to be drawn from the warning broadcast by the Israelis.
