MJ Rosenberg picks up an incident I’ve failed to note: the Israeli gov’t refusing to meet six congresspeople who visited Israel at the behest of J Street, and calling J Street "anti-Israel."
Anyway, at about the same time [deputy Foreign Minister Danny] Ayalon attacked J Street rhetorically, he also refused to meet with a group of six House members who were visiting Israel on a trip sponsored by J Street. He also urged other Israeli government officials not to meet with the visiting legislators.
This is almost unprecedented. Israeli government officials invariably meet with any Senator or House member who asks to meet with them. The reason is not mere courtesy. Until this episode, it was understood that dissing the people who provide more than $3 billion a year for Israel is simply…not very smart.
Of course, one could excuse this incident on the grounds that the blunder was committed by Danny Ayalon. He is the "diplomat" who came up with the idea of seating the Turkish ambassador to Israel in a kindergarten chair during a meeting to emphasize his displeasure with the Turkish government….
J Street’s message is that it is possible to be pro-Israel while opposing official policies that are clearly detrimental to Israel. Even more, it holds that opposing those policies is precisely what friends of Israel should do.
And this is what stings Ayalon, Oren and various like-minded types here.
As it becomes increasingly clear that maintaining the occupation, expanding settlements and continuing the blockade of Gaza not only seriously harms Palestinians but also Israel’s prospects for survival, Israel’s supporters are bound to look for ways to support Israel other than simply playing lemming.
RE: “Israeli Government Unhinged By J Street” – M.J. Rosenberg
MY QUESTIONS: Is there a ‘method to the madness’? Is “madness” actually the method? Or is it just unadulterated lunacy?
One can hope that this diplomatic diss can lead to withdrawal of the “aid” israel gets.
What pisses me off the most, is that there aer people starving, 3 billion people and 6 billion goes to this tiny country. Fucked Up is all I can say.
One can hope!
But this wasn’t really an act by “the Israeli government,” just one of its rogue ministers.
Pingback: Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry Planting Pro-Israel Shills at U.S. Events | Tikun Olam-תקון עולם: Make the World a Better Place
It seems Israel has been making a number of mistakes. If we’re lucky they will continue. I do believe people are questioning what Israel does, how they do it and the US involvement. If the American public knew how much Israel receives in aid, our tax dollars, they ‘d do more than “tea party” There’s not a ground swell yet…but blind acceptance the US/Israel relationship and our policies are being questioned more frequently every day.
J Street and the six 6 Congressman are deserving of congratulations and thanks for breaking with tradition and heading to Israel without AIPAC. Ayalon’s vindictive and stupid actions are reflective of the country he serves. Has it been in the media? I haven’t seen it.
Below is link to an editorial I believe is worth reading….implementing many of the proposals would bring positive change, even with comments on mondoweissm,
link to onlinejournal.com
Common activist errors and some proposals to rectify them
By Yousef Abudayyeh, Mohamed Khodr, Mary Rizzo, Haitham Sabbah and Saja
A Palestine Think Tank Editorial
Feb 18, 2010, 00:19
You are on the right track in terms of ferreting out the injustice of political reality as it pertains to the I-P situation.
The tea parties are not fake grass roots–they have yet to eye the I-P situation as they arose from the domestic situation (bail0ut of banks with no strings) and the lack of transparency of the stimulus package and health care reorm. It’s coming (I hope).
what is most interesting is watching israel flounder about so … clearly they have no backup plan … as the reins of power begin to slip more and more from their fingers as Americans finally finally wake up they are going to be in for rude awakening when the day comes when America says No
Couldn’t they have just used the low-slung sofa, and have been done with it?