Here’s the logo for AIPAC’s policy conference that starts today. Notice, no Jewish symbol in the graphic for AIPAC (the American Israel Public Affairs Committee). But a morphing Star of David that becomes the 5-pointed star from a Christmas tree. And “excitement,” that sounds a bit rapturous, doesn’t it? Like a revival tent?
If AIPAC is losing liberal Democrats to J Street, this won’t help. A lot of the messaging is aimed at capturing Christians. Look at this one. The +-sign looks like a cross to me. So do some of the men’s ties.
Here’s Joel Rosenberg, whose organization does Christian outreach for Israel, tweeting an event he attended last night.
Great 2b @ Christian Outreach Dinner tonight @Aipac w/friends Will & Penny Nance & other pro-Israel Christian leaders pic.twitter.com/mNzgO6IeYu
— Joel C. Rosenberg (@JoelCRosenberg) March 2, 2014
And here’s Tim Wachtstetter, an Arkansas Christian, sending his regrets, because he’s in the holy land.
This image tweeted as the policy conference was about to start, from Sarahbeth Budenstein, captures the outreach. What’s that flag? Where’s the Judaica?
But there’s some of that good old time religion. AIPAC tweeted this. Netanyahu and Obama are best friends. We’ll get a lot of liberal Democrats on the stage in the next couple days, don’t worry. Plus a rightwing P.M.
The liberal Zionist organization J Street is reaching out to AIPAC delegates. Writes Alan Elsner:
“As over 14,000 pro-Israel delegates converge on Capitol Hill this week for the annual AIPAC conference, we are challenging them to join Kerry’s ‘great constituency for peace’ and show our leaders that we can’t afford to miss this moment.”
And on Meet the Press today, John Kerry did his own diplomacy, saying that Netanyahu has been “very courageous” and has made “tough decisions” during the peace process.
Code Pink has put up this appalling image from outside the AIPAC conference. “Check out the racism,” they say.
I like this image from Code Pink, too.
Inside the hall, the organization is clearly defensive about the dual loyalty tag. “Israel makes America safer, stronger and better,” AIPAC’s outgoing president Michael Kassen says in the opening speech.
And the second speaker is Masad Barhoum, a Palestinian Israeli hospital director, talking about treating 200+ wounded from the Syrian civil war– “seeking medical salvation at the hands of their sworn enemy… they have been saved by the Israel they have been taught to fear and hate.”
When we walk through the gates [of the hospital], we cease to be Jews, Muslims, or like me an Arab Christian.
There are more non-Jews on the first panel. Senator Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, is interviewed by former CNN anchor Frank Sesno. He is the first to speak. “We must achieve an outcome where Iran has no pathway to a nuclear weapon.” And only after him, former officials: Joe Lieberman and former Mossad head Avi Dichter. Iran’s intentions are clear, Dichter says:
Iran intends to destroy Israel and expel the people who came post-48.
Dichter is slinging Islamophobia. Arabic doesn’t have the expression, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, he says. No their expression is:
Me and my brother against our cousin. And me and my cousin against the stranger.
The AIPAC poster saying all callings are welcome is being parodied effectively. From Abe Greenhouse:
From Hiba Izdahmad:
ugh.
Definitely hearing that twist more…”that Christian organizations are the real problem when it comes to Israel” Israel’s efforts to rebrand, take the focus off of the I lobby here in the U.S. Refusenik Maya Wind was just here in Boulder and said something very close to that. She even went onto say that she “gets a bit mad when she hears Americans say that Aipac is the problem” when it comes to full on support of Israel no matter what they do. She was very dismissive of the fact that Aipac, Jinsa the I lobby have a huge influence on congress. It was one of two stances that I felt she was way off the mark on. She is so bright and full of life and such an honorable commitment to humanity I was a bit taken back by this stance. She seems to be willfully naive about the facts having to do with the influence of the lobby in the U.S. for decades Also I asked both Eran and Maya why they choose not to go talk with congress folks about their powerful eye witness accounts of what is really taken place when they are speaking around the D.C. area. She said she thinks this would be futile. I of course totally disagree. I think she is totally naive about what many of our congress folks really think about this issue. Have heard many Reps say that they would very much like to stand up and do the right thing when it comes to the conflict but are afraid for their positions in congress. That there is other work that they want to accomplish and they can not make this their number one issue. These things were said with other witnesses in the rooms. But the time is coming for a shift in congress…the time is coming.
The imbedding of the hexagram (star of david) inside a pentagram is a clever graphic. To label the pentagram as the star on the Christmas tree, when it is also the star that is on the American flag, seems to be putting a religious rather than a political spin on it.
The entire Washington D.C. milieu with its lobbyists and lingo have been sufficiently skewered on “house of cards” and in Leibovich’s book “This Town”, that to the average observer the whole business stinks.
I wish Netanyahu was serious about peace, so then all the energy of Aipac might be devoted in a positive direction. But combining my dubiousness regarding Netanyahu with the Washington milieu as described, adds up to great distaste.
“Israel makes America safer, stronger and better,” AIPAC’s outgoing president Michael Kassen says in the opening speech.”Kassen.
Do please elaborate mr kassen.
Israel is upset because Obama has not been stronger in dealing with Putin.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/03/02/Netanyahu-s-Lesson-from-Ukraine-Don-t-Trust-Obama-on-Iran
Geez, should he go to war with Russia because a bunch of Israel firsters and Nuttyahoo and co wish it so.
Kick all these traitors out of the USA .
“Israel makes America safer, stronger and better,” AIPAC’s outgoing president Michael Kassen says in the opening speech ? I disagree, as do millions of Americans. The current Israel is making America unsafe, weaker around the world and worse in all respects. Israel is an embarrassment, a pariah and a rogue state supported by a lot of aggressive, ignorant, unsophisticated, and greedy people.