Interestingly, Jeremy Ben-Ami was just named a trustee of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, which is known for funding anti-Israel outfits like JVP: https://www.rbf.org/about/people?role_id=69
Edit: This was meant to be a response to Nina’s comment below.
You are a jew who doesn’t see the forest for the trees.. I see this a lot by Israeli leftists who don’t understand the difference between criticism from within Israel of the government and what’s actually happening from western or diaspora‘criticism’ which plays a VERY different role in relation to both jews and Israel.
When I asked my Sabra cousin if I should go to the Israel Day Parade, he said, "Only if you're going to protest." It is absurd to suggest that I undermine Israel if I refuse to endorse or remain quiet in the face of its atrocious government's destroying everything worth treasuries and celebrating about Israel as a nation. All so a criminal schmuck can stay in power and avoid prison. If you love Israel with a blank check of endorsement, you don't love Israel at all. And you are a fraud as a Jew, since we are the people of the Prophets, who speak truth to power.
There is no “blank check “ but you don’t understand that you are not endorsing‘criticism’ of the government- you are fueling those with the agenda to wipe Israel off the map. That is what your rhetoric is supporting in Western and diaspora media and social media. You’re supporting the complete destruction of the Jewish state and the ethnic cleansing of jews in Israel.
Israelis don’t understand what’s happening right now in the diaspora.
You are not reading what I am writing. I am a Zionist. Full stop. I treasure Israel. Full stop. It is where my heart lives. Which is why I am horrified, disgusted, and terrified by what Bibi's government is doing to Israelis IN Israel. He is Prime Minister first of all for himself, then for the endlessly greedy and selfish Haredim. Then for the unhinged subset of settlers and other religious crazies. That is a betrayal of Zionism. Full stop. He is not Pri.e Minister for anyone who disagrees with him, for anyone who is not Liked or more extreme. He is openly hostile toward and dismissive of Israel's 2 million Arab citizens. None of that is worth celebrating. It demands instead that we oppose it fully. While at the same time support Israel in every other way possible, to help it not sink further under the suffocating weight of its heinous govt. Making that distinction is what mainstream pro Israel types have refused to do. And that leaves criticism in the hands of those who do seek Israel's end. I am NOT one of those people. I never will be.
This is a shameful attack. And your "tell" is the claim that calling to condition arms sales to Israel means one cannot be pro-Israel. That is nonsense. Israel is being destroyed from within by a megalomaniac prime Minister and a stunning cast of cruel, corrupt ministers, some of whom want Israel--the so called lone "democracy" in the Middle East to be a theocracy of Jewish extremism. A PM who refuses to take any responsibility for Oct 7th, who enthusiastically supported funneling billions to Hamas via Qatar, who indulges the endlessly greedy, selfish, non-serving Haredim is the greatest stain on and threat to Zionism and Israel. And you think America's job is to give that schmuck a blank check? My family and friends who serve in the IDF, who spent hundreds of days in Gaza, Lebanon and the West Bank post Oct 7th despise Bibi and know what a corrupt bastard he is. And how he, Ben Gvir, Smotrich, etc. are destroying everything good, worthy, and truly Zionist about Israel. And you're offended by JStreet?!?!
It’s better for the IS to simply go all in on support for Ben-Gvir, Smotrich and the squatter terrorists. American taxpayers simply aren’t sending enough billions of dollar to prop them up.
As if J Street is the problem! Because, of course, all Americans of Jewish faith should be totally subservient to what AIPAC and the foreigner Adelson want.
I'm as familiar with the views of J Street as anyone (outside of J Street!) I've been reading their statements and posts - and attending every one of their National Policy Conferences since their first. I respond frequently to columns by Jeremy Ben Ami and some of their actions. And posts. And point to what's missing. I remember the news of the Soros money after J Street had denied it.
I don't like the use of the term cancer. I'm not sure that it's either appropriate - or efficacious - for the Israeli Ambassador to engage in such an attack - and to do so at this audience. If he really want to persuade American Jewry (which I'm not sure is possible); should have done it elsewhere. Obviously not the first Israeli Ambassador to US to denounce J Street. And finally; what's the point? J Street have the ear of most Democratic Senators and Congressmen. Need to persuade; to show not to engage in ad-hominems. Show where they are wrong. Show how they associate with Israel's "non-Friends". And so forth.
As I responded earlier today
"Strong attack on J Street from Israel’s Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter calling J Street a “cancer within the Jewish community” and J Street responding). As reported by JNS.
Personally, I’m going to continue my “critiques” of J Street and pointing to what I see as “weaknesses” in their arguments. but I don’t see the point of the Ambassador’s attack or what it’s going to achieve. Who is the Ambassador going to influence in the American Jewish community? Which Democratic politicians, or who in the broader American society. Regarding J Street and the American Jewish community that “train has, pretty much, already left the station.”
Yup. No convincing anyone, especially non-Orthodox Jews like myself, who find that kind of Bibi-esque rhetoric hilarious, given who Bibi is and what he and his officials represent out in the world. Spoiler: nothing good.
JStreet was originally funded by Soros. The Soros family does not fund any group that is proIsrael.
Interestingly, Jeremy Ben-Ami was just named a trustee of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, which is known for funding anti-Israel outfits like JVP: https://www.rbf.org/about/people?role_id=69
Edit: This was meant to be a response to Nina’s comment below.
You are a jew who doesn’t see the forest for the trees.. I see this a lot by Israeli leftists who don’t understand the difference between criticism from within Israel of the government and what’s actually happening from western or diaspora‘criticism’ which plays a VERY different role in relation to both jews and Israel.
When I asked my Sabra cousin if I should go to the Israel Day Parade, he said, "Only if you're going to protest." It is absurd to suggest that I undermine Israel if I refuse to endorse or remain quiet in the face of its atrocious government's destroying everything worth treasuries and celebrating about Israel as a nation. All so a criminal schmuck can stay in power and avoid prison. If you love Israel with a blank check of endorsement, you don't love Israel at all. And you are a fraud as a Jew, since we are the people of the Prophets, who speak truth to power.
There is no “blank check “ but you don’t understand that you are not endorsing‘criticism’ of the government- you are fueling those with the agenda to wipe Israel off the map. That is what your rhetoric is supporting in Western and diaspora media and social media. You’re supporting the complete destruction of the Jewish state and the ethnic cleansing of jews in Israel.
Israelis don’t understand what’s happening right now in the diaspora.
You are not reading what I am writing. I am a Zionist. Full stop. I treasure Israel. Full stop. It is where my heart lives. Which is why I am horrified, disgusted, and terrified by what Bibi's government is doing to Israelis IN Israel. He is Prime Minister first of all for himself, then for the endlessly greedy and selfish Haredim. Then for the unhinged subset of settlers and other religious crazies. That is a betrayal of Zionism. Full stop. He is not Pri.e Minister for anyone who disagrees with him, for anyone who is not Liked or more extreme. He is openly hostile toward and dismissive of Israel's 2 million Arab citizens. None of that is worth celebrating. It demands instead that we oppose it fully. While at the same time support Israel in every other way possible, to help it not sink further under the suffocating weight of its heinous govt. Making that distinction is what mainstream pro Israel types have refused to do. And that leaves criticism in the hands of those who do seek Israel's end. I am NOT one of those people. I never will be.
I’m glad to hear it. Just remember that wise speech involves knowing the right time as well as place to say something
This is a shameful attack. And your "tell" is the claim that calling to condition arms sales to Israel means one cannot be pro-Israel. That is nonsense. Israel is being destroyed from within by a megalomaniac prime Minister and a stunning cast of cruel, corrupt ministers, some of whom want Israel--the so called lone "democracy" in the Middle East to be a theocracy of Jewish extremism. A PM who refuses to take any responsibility for Oct 7th, who enthusiastically supported funneling billions to Hamas via Qatar, who indulges the endlessly greedy, selfish, non-serving Haredim is the greatest stain on and threat to Zionism and Israel. And you think America's job is to give that schmuck a blank check? My family and friends who serve in the IDF, who spent hundreds of days in Gaza, Lebanon and the West Bank post Oct 7th despise Bibi and know what a corrupt bastard he is. And how he, Ben Gvir, Smotrich, etc. are destroying everything good, worthy, and truly Zionist about Israel. And you're offended by JStreet?!?!
100%
Pretty crazy that the “dark money” claims are actually true, but about people trying to *end* Israel.
It’s better for the IS to simply go all in on support for Ben-Gvir, Smotrich and the squatter terrorists. American taxpayers simply aren’t sending enough billions of dollar to prop them up.
As if J Street is the problem! Because, of course, all Americans of Jewish faith should be totally subservient to what AIPAC and the foreigner Adelson want.
Jesus. Nina really doesn’t get it. Nina is having a totally separate conversation.
I'm as familiar with the views of J Street as anyone (outside of J Street!) I've been reading their statements and posts - and attending every one of their National Policy Conferences since their first. I respond frequently to columns by Jeremy Ben Ami and some of their actions. And posts. And point to what's missing. I remember the news of the Soros money after J Street had denied it.
I don't like the use of the term cancer. I'm not sure that it's either appropriate - or efficacious - for the Israeli Ambassador to engage in such an attack - and to do so at this audience. If he really want to persuade American Jewry (which I'm not sure is possible); should have done it elsewhere. Obviously not the first Israeli Ambassador to US to denounce J Street. And finally; what's the point? J Street have the ear of most Democratic Senators and Congressmen. Need to persuade; to show not to engage in ad-hominems. Show where they are wrong. Show how they associate with Israel's "non-Friends". And so forth.
As I responded earlier today
"Strong attack on J Street from Israel’s Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter calling J Street a “cancer within the Jewish community” and J Street responding). As reported by JNS.
Personally, I’m going to continue my “critiques” of J Street and pointing to what I see as “weaknesses” in their arguments. but I don’t see the point of the Ambassador’s attack or what it’s going to achieve. Who is the Ambassador going to influence in the American Jewish community? Which Democratic politicians, or who in the broader American society. Regarding J Street and the American Jewish community that “train has, pretty much, already left the station.”
Yup. No convincing anyone, especially non-Orthodox Jews like myself, who find that kind of Bibi-esque rhetoric hilarious, given who Bibi is and what he and his officials represent out in the world. Spoiler: nothing good.