Shalom Bay Area Masorti Chevreh,
Pardon the cross-posting, but this email from Bridges to Israel is an important reminder that while we are not going to diminish the volume of our response to government-empowered intolerance of Jews in Israel, we are also fighting for our home's physical welfare. The message below is from Seymour Kessler, cochair of Bridges to Israel.
Kol Tuv,
Rabbi Creditor
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Rabbi Menachem Creditor
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www.netivotshalom.org--
www.shefanetwork.org --
menachemcreditor.orgTo join Rabbi Creditor's email list, send a blank email to
thetisch-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
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| OCCASIONAL NEWSLETTER March 17, 2010 |
| AN URGENT MESSAGE Dear Friends: Whether or not you are a J-Streetnik, AIPACer or neither, you need to be aware that the discourse in U.S.-Israel relations has hit a disturbingly new low. Israel's ambassador to the U.S. has spoken of a "crisis" in relations between the two nations--a crisis which cannot possibly serve the interests of Israeli citizens or advance America's Mideast policies. It is highly likely to destroy the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. Israel has blundered. During the visit of Vice-President Biden, Israel's Minister of Interior announced the approval of building (at some time in the future) some 1600 new apartments in a Jewish section of Jerusalem. It was an affront to Biden and the U.S. and it humiliated the Israeli Prime Minister. Some call it an unfortunate mistake. Others have said it was stupid or worse. Whatever it was, PM Netanyahu apologized to the Vice-President--a total of four times-who accepted the apology. However, the Obama administration made a conscious decision to escalate the damage in full view of the media rather than use usual diplomatic channels. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chewed Netanyahu out on the phone on Friday and on Sunday senior Obama adviser David Axelrod "heaped on more vitriol" in a television appearance. Also yesterday further "leaks" from White House sources painted Israel in a poor light" and suggested the administration was trying to destabilize the Israeli government". In addition Senator Mitchell's trip to restart peace talks was cancelled. The deprecatory diplomatic language used by the administration surprised even the most anti-Netanyahu contingents in Israel. An editorial in yesterday's Washington Post suggested that the administration hopes to extract more concessions from the Israeli government as a prelude to indirect talks with the Palestinians. However, the editorial questioned the President's "quickness to bludgeon the Israeli government" and pointed out that it may "accomplish the opposite of what he intends." In Israel President Obama is perceived as making unprecedented demands on their government while giving the Palestinian and Arab leaders a pass. Intentionally or not, it conveys the message to the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League that they need not even bother to negotiate on their own behalf. The U.S. will "deliver" Israel. Meanwhile, Iran continues to build a nuclear weapon. The time has come to urge the administration to lower the rhetorical temperature. Aluf Benn in today's Haaretz writes: "The severity of the danger requires that this crisis be contained quickly." Many Middle East experts [see the last Bridges Briefing] have reached the same conclusion. Thus I urge you to contact your elected representatives to encourage the White House to defuse rather than intensify the situation. In California, call or write an e-mail to Senators Diane Feinstein (Phone: (202) 224-3841) and Barbara Boxer (Phone: (415) 403-0100) and express your views. Call for a decrease in the tensions between the U.S. and Israel so that both nations can move forward to contain Iran and find effective pathways toward peace. Whatever you feel about settlements or Jerusalem the situation has deteriorated to the point where the long- term interests of both Israel and the U.S. will suffer. So act today. Make that call or write that e-mail. Thanks Seymour Kessler
Bridges to Israel
From: Seymour Kessler | |
