Today Jeremy Ben-Ami, Executive Director of J Street, has an article in the Huffington Post that could have been ripped from the pages of Mondoweiss. In his post "Avigdor Lieberman's Makeover Won't Work" Ben-Ami addresses the wedge that Avigdor Lieberman is driving through the American Jewish community:
Underneath [American Jewish support for Israel] lay the recognition that despite whatever might divide us, shared democratic values and national interests cemented our relationship.The question posed by both the Lieberman phenomenon and the rightward drift in Israeli politics is: what happens when Israeli and American values and interests start to diverge?American Jews are rightfully proud of their historic role in this country's struggle for minority rights and social justice. The election of Barack Obama — with 78 percent support from the Jewish community — is seen by many as a crowning achievement for the decades long fight for Jewish values and against racism, intolerance and discrimination.Meanwhile, the new Obama administration is stating more clearly than ever before that America's national interest includes ending the Arab-Israeli and Palestinian-Israeli conflicts once and for all.Should Israel choose the Lieberman path, limiting the democratic rights of its Arab citizens, it will run directly counter to profound American Jewish values.Should Israel rebuff American diplomatic efforts and continue building settlements and cementing the occupation of Palestinian territory, it will run directly counter to the stated national interest of the United States.
Ben-Ami asks the question "what should we American Jews and supporters of Israel do about Lieberman's rise?" but he never answers it. This is a question that J Street will have to face head on. How will J Street treat a Netanyahu/Lieberman government that flouts US policy? What guidance will J Street offer its liberal supporters who see Israel as antithetical to their values?
This article would seem to indicate that they still hope they can avoid these questions, but unfortunately it's too late. Regardless of the fact that the incoming Israeli government doesn't support the two-state solution, Israel's ongoing siege of Gaza and colonization of the West Bank has already rendered it impossible. In addition, although Lieberman's proposals are extreme, Israel has been limiting the democratic rights of its Palestinian citizens since the state was founded. These facts will remain whether Lieberman is in the government or not. Lieberman's success has only highlighted the fact that Israel's values and interests have been diverging from the US's for a long time.
Phil and I have been asking the question – "will Lieberman's success alienate Obama-voting American Jews?" Seems that Ben-Ami is wondering the same thing. We are all waiting for an answer.
