This is only one example of the selective presentation of information. Israel is constantly described by U.S. policitians as a democracy that shares American values. The average American sees it on TV, and thinks it looks like California.

But as a survey conducted by Haaretz reveals, Israel's values could not be more different than America's. Haaretz reports that nearly 50% of Israeli Jews would object to Arabs living in their neighborhoods (and that's down from 70% in last year's survey). Thirty-five percent of Jews would object to Arabs in Jewish high schools.

http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/963698.html

The shocker is not the percentages, but the fact that most Americans have no idea that modern-looking Iarael is a segregated, apartheid society. Jews and Arabs have separate neighborhoods, separate schools, separate laws governing military service, immigration, and numerous other aspects of life.

Polls such as this used to be conducted in the US in the 1950s and 1960s, asking "Do you approve of racial integration?" and "Would you approve of your child going to school with Negroes?" All that ended 40 years ago here. But in Israel, apartheid lives on. It's very misleading to describe Israel as a democracy, which is perhaps its least salient feature in comparison to other democracies. As ol' James Carville would say … "IT'S THE APARTHEID, STUPID!"

In the post-Civil Rights era, I think there's a particular obligation for black politicians to address why billions of U.S. dollars should be sent to an apartheid state which explicitly discriminates on the basis of ethnicity. Zionism is racism, Mr. Obama. You need to get yourself and your people off of old Ehud's plantation. That "Land o' Zion" crap from them old spirituals done messed wit' your mind.

Who is in the lobby, for the purposes of definition? Am I? Is Dan Fleshler? Is Americans for Peace Now (actual members of AIPAC)?

For example, in both the Walt/Mearsheimer book and article the Bronfman's were identified as prime supporters/participants in the lobby, AND as dissenters from the lobby.

The second question is about actions of "the Lobby".

How do you distinguish a good action, from an acceptable action, from a bad action of the lobby?

Are their principles that define your categorization, your characterization?

Is it actions of the lobby that you object to, or that there even is some potentially definable support network at all, existence?

Do you see "the lobby" as static in its views and approaches, or does it change?

(For example, as you referred to the comments about Dan Fleshler, "the lobby" at one point dismissed/suppressed the concept of two states, then later dismissed/suppressed the concept of two peer states.

Where are they now?

If they come to adopt two peer states as their chosen agenda, will you still use the term "Israel lobby" with ONLY its anti-semitic implication, but no implication of bad policy or action?

http://www.nrg.co.il/online/1/ART1/483/521.html

Arabs in Israel have equal voting rights; in fact, it is one of the few places in the Middle East where Arab women may vote. Arabs hold seats in the Knesset. Israeli Arabs have also held various government posts. There are approximately 1.4 million Arabs (mainly Muslims) in Israel. More than 300,000 Arab children attend Israeli schools. The sole legal distinction between Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel is that the latter are not required to serve in the Israeli army. This is to spare Arab citizens the need to take up arms against their brethren. Nevertheless, Bedouins have served in paratroop units and other Arabs have volunteered for military duty. Compulsory military service is applied to the Druze and Circassian communities at their own demand.

Haaretz reports that nearly 50% of Israeli Jews would object to Arabs living in their neighborhoods (and that's down from 70% in last year's survey). Thirty-five percent of Jews would object to Arabs in Jewish high schools.

http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/963698.html

The shocker is not the percentages, but the fact that most Americans have no idea that modern-looking Iarael is a segregated, apartheid society. Jews and Arabs have separate neighborhoods, separate schools, separate laws governing military service, immigration, and numerous other aspects of life.