~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| America: a Beacon, not a Policeman | Israeli & U.S. Jewish Peace Groups Who and Where They Are--What They Do | Americans Against World Empire, Inc Homepage |
The case of the young American Jew, Adam Shapiro, working in Palestine with the Peace Groups and having his family in New York threatened with death should remind us all that most Jews in America are not Likudniks. We conservatives hear almost nothing about Jewish peace groups, those opposed to Sharon, the Likud, the settlements (the "abominable settlements" in the words of NY TIMES columnist Thomas Friedman), unending war and making America into the enemy of the Moslem world. Besides Shapiro there are many unsung principled Jews such as he. More recently there was Rachel Corrie ,run over by an Israeli bulldozer as she protested the razing of Palestinian homes.
Most Jews, American and Israeli, want peace and are willing to compromise with Palestinians. The AMERICAN PROSPECT published a long report on polling of Jewish views and how the Likud Lobby works to intimidate those who oppose it. The study shows that it is just two large Likudnik groups in Washington that foment the settlements and Sharon, that make up the much feared "Israeli Lobby" that terrifies most Congressmen, the American Israeli Political Action Committee (named by FORTUNE the most powerful lobby in Washington) and the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations. The Conference is dominated by small, radical groups each of which has a vote carrying the same weight as 700,000 member large organizations which want peace. These two count on the image of a Jewish Monolithic Power to intimidate journalists and congressmen to support Sharon and the settlements.
Their greatest venom is directed against fellow Jews who favor peace and compromise, see THREATS AGAINST TIKKUN, (and link below on "Self Hating Jews") precisely because they threaten the image of monolithic Jewish political power. The lobby's overwhelming power also comes from another, far less known element, fundamentalist Christian Dispensationalists, or Christian Zionists, especially those who have moved from forecasting Armageddon to actively trying to bring it about. And lastly it comes from old conservative cold war warriors (who miss having an enemy) and empire wanters who envision America ruling the world with Israel's help.
The NEW YORK TIMES published an article http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/29/opinion/29GOLD.html by the editor of FORWARD, the major Jewish weekly newspaper, explaining that most American Jews favor compromise with the Palestinians, and financial pressure on Sharon to force a compromise. Almost never is such information reported to American Conservatives who, mainly from the WALL STREET JOURNAL op-ed, NATIONAL REVIEW, THE WASHINGTON TIMES (although it publishes columnists with opposing views), only get Sharon/Likud occupation views. See (long) List of Pro-Likud Conservative journalists http://www.msnbc.com/news/730905.asp?cp1=1
See Myth of Israel’s ‘generous offer’ Damages Truth, Peace http://natcath.org/NCR_Online/archives/030102/030102u.htm
Israel and American Religious Fundamentalism history of Jewish assimilation since Spain, dangers of growing fundamentalism, God only put on coins by Lincoln, not before, Israel's Threat to Jews in the world, much more--very interesting AMERICAN PROSPECT
Jews Buy Ads to Denounce Zionism as Threat to all Jews and as Secular not biblical
- Jewish Against Sharon-Zionism -list of 75 groups Israeli Chief of Staff Says Sharon Policies only breed hatred, prevent peace & Sharon / Christian Zionists creating new anti-semitism in Europe
- 4 Israeli Former Security Chiefs Oppose Occupation Policies
Orthodox Jews Protest Christian Zionist Attack on Road Map for Peace
Jewish Warning of Coming Decline of Israeli Lobby by Elliot Abrams
The Likudnik Factor Mickey Kaus in SLATE --Jewish resistance to Bush-Sharon axis
Long List of Sites, mainly peace ones, but including Likud, settlers lobbies, etc
Following are links to American Jewish sites opposed to the West Bank settlements and occupation of Palestinian lands and homes-----
American Council for Judaism http://www.ACJNA.org/ One of the oldest, most authoritative, more than 50 years old, maintains the concept that Judaism is a religion, not a nationality. The council believes that Americans of Jewish faith are American by nationality, and Jews by religion, just as other American are Baptists, Catholics, etc. It was founded by a group of reform rabbis, its first Director was Rabbi Elmer Berger.
J-Street "Israel’s Sake, Moderate American Jews Must Find Their Voice" "pro-Israel" in Washington means for wars, occupations, alliance with war party, neocons and Armageddon wanters by Jeremy Ben-Ami Exec. Director J Street and JStreetPac New influential group
Americans for Peace Now very large Israeli and American operation, good website, lots of info and activism
Jewish Voice For Peace Various activities, information and contacts, Report on National Conference
MuzzleWatch-- Tracking efforts to stifle open debate about US-Israeli foreign policy.
Not in My Name Seeking a just peace between Palestinians and IsraelisThe Divine Wind by Israel Shamir Sharon and Israel going too far --no word in Hebrew for "nemesis" and "hubris"
March for Justice March Weekly --Florida group
Norman Finkelstein, Author of "The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering" article in COUNTERPUNCH
UK Chief rabbi criticizes Israeli government policies
http://www.jewsnotzionists.org/ Orthodox Jews against Zionism
Gush Shalom (Israeli Peace Bloc) Activists visit West Bank --dialogues with Palestinians, pictures. You can get on English update email list by asking -- info@gush-shalom.org
T A ' A Y U S H http://taayush.tripod.com Israelis working with Palestinians in occupied territories - Pictures
TIKKUN, http://tikkun.org/ the main anti-Zionist Jewish Liberal magazine . A typical report "MORE JEWS SAYING "No" TO THE OCCUPATION" http://tikkun.org/index.cfm/action/current/article/83.html Rabbi Michael Lerner, whose California-based Tikkun magazine promotes the view that “Jews did not climb out of the gas chambers of Europe to oppress another people,” routinely gets death threats," reports Holger Jensen, Rocky Mountain News (Denver) 4/6/02
Jews United Against Zionism Jews United Against Zionism Neturei Karta "Jews and Zionism are not the same thing"
http://www.progressive.org/ features Jewish writers opposed to Middle East war
Jewish Friends of Palestine -- a new site with lots of linkshttp://jppi.org Jews for Peace in Palestine and Israel (JPPI)
Rabbis for Human Rights Israeli group
Also see American Jews for a Just Peace: Re-Claiming Our Community's Principles, National Conference in Washington, DC, April 26-29 We believe that as Jews outside of Israel, we have both a right and obligation to speak out in favor of an Israel that pursues peaceful, ethical, just, and democratic policies
http://www.peacelobby.org/ The Jewish Peace Lobby
Haaretz is one of Israel's largest newspapers. It reports all sorts of information generally suppressed in America's conservative media.--http://www.haaretzdaily.com
http://www.jvao.org/ Jewish Voices Against the Occupation See copy below of their ad from NEW YORK TIMES op-ed 3/17/02
Jewish Peace Groups Yahoo search--many
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a39ff7e01262f.htm A report on conditions of Palestinians and Settlers
The Israeli Committee against House DemolitionsRussian Leftist Links incl. articles by Israel Shamir, Israeli Peace activist
Jews Against Zionism --long list of websitesHere are just a few.
1.. Jews NOT Zionists http://www.jewsnotzionists.org/
2.. Not in My Name: www.nimn.org
3.. Jewish Peace Fellowship
http://www.jewishpeacefellowship.org/index.htm
4.. Neturei Karta Homepage
http://www.netureikarta.org
5.. Yesh Gvul, The movement for IDF men refusing to
serve in the Occupied Territories. http://www.diak.org/Haayesh-
gvul.htm
6.. Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions
http://www.salam.org/activism/home_demolitions.html
7.. Bat Shalom, Israeli Women for Peace http://www.batshalom.org/
8.. Deutsch-Isrelischer Arbeitskreis fur Frieden im Nahen Osten (DIAK)
http://www.batshalom.org/
9.. Eda Haredit, A hundred thousand anti-Zionist
Hasidim all at one place.
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/7891/satmar.html
10.. B'Tselem http://www.btselem.org/
11.. "Occupied Territory" http://www.occupied.org/
12.. Rabbis for Human Rights http://www.rhr.israel.net/indexa.html
13.. Not in Our Name Coalition http://www.diak.org/not_in_our_name.htm
14.. Oz v'Shalom - Netivot Shalom (religious Zionist anti-Occupation)
http://www.ariga.com/ozveshalom/index.asp
15.. The Hidden History of Zionism by Ralph
Schoenman:
http://www.balkanunity.org/mideast/english/zionism/
16.. Association for Civil Rights in Israel http://www.nif.org/acri/
17.. Gush Shalom http://www.gush-shalom.org/
18.: Jews United Against Zionism:
http://www.netureikarta.org/index.htm
New List of General Groups -- Includes some duplications with above groups (posted 12/07/07)
Challenging Christian Zionism (USA)
Filosemitisme (Google)
Israel lobby in the United States (Wikipedia.org)
The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy (Wikip.)
Israel lobby watch (Electronic Intifada)
Een Ander Joods Geluid (NL)
Onderzoek en Informatiecentrum Israel-Palestina
Conflicts Forum-links
Electronic Iraq
Electronic Iran
Iran Focus
Think Progress - IRAN (USA)
Think Progress - IRAK (USA)
The Arabist
PalestineRemembered.com
Electronic Intifada
The Origin of the Israeli-Palestine Conflict
Jews for Justice for Palestinians (UK)
European Jews for a just Peace (EJJP)
The Alternative Information Center (Israel/Palest.
Americans for Peace Now
MuzzleWatch (VSA)
Mondoweiss (USA)
Muslim Bridges.org (USA)
If Americans Knew..
Jewish Voice for Peace (USA)
US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation
The Arab American Institute (USA)
Rise of Religious Right in Republican Party
Peace Now (Israel)
Israel Policy Forum
Gush Shalom - Israeli Peace Bloc
International Solidarity Movement
Jews Against Occupation (American Jews)
Jews not Zionists
Ynetnews-Opinion from Israel
LINKS ---UPDATES
2/17/11 J-Street Group Plans 2nd Washington Conference 3 days in February, thousands expected, top speakers--Jews against more wars, Likud imperialism, & Christian fundamentalist death wanters
7/21/10 Israeli Volunteers Take Busload of Palestinian Children For First Trip to Beach normally not allowed through myriad Israeli check points
6/10/10 Attitudes of Younger American Jews Towards Israel by Peter Beinart in New York Review of Books --extraordinary analysis of disaffection of American Jews towards Israel today
6/08/09 Philip Weiss on Netanyahu and Neoconservatives' well funded Think Tank in Israel , Shalem Center See also many article, highlights from MondoWeiss
12/29/08 More Journalists Dare to Challenge Israel (Likud) Lobby Joe Klein in TIME, Glen Greenwald at SALON.COM etc. J Street give courage, clout and disperses message
12/05/08 Congress Welcomes J-Street "AIPAC had become one of the most feared, and secretly loathed, presences on Capital Hill."
11/13/08 J Street Show Political Strength in Elections --helps defeat two Republican Likudniks, Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon and Michigan's 8 term representative Joe Knollenberg
7/24/08 Anti-War Movement Successfully Pushes Back Against Military Confrontation With Iran House Bill calling for naval blockade
7/24/08 "The Previously Silent Majority" J-Street write up in Haaretz
6/07/08 New J-Street Group Fights AIPAC-LIKUD domination of Washington Mid-East Policies The American Conservative
4/25/08 For Israel’s Sake, Moderate American Jews Must Find Their Voice "pro-Israel" in Washington means for wars, occupations, alliance with war party, neocons and Armageddon wanters by Jeremy Ben-Ami Exec. Director J Street and JStreetPac
4/17/08 New Group Tries to Oppose AIPAC to organize a contrary Jewish voice in Washington, J Street Group plans 1.5 million budget
3/27/08 U.N. Taps American Jewish Critic of Israel as Rights Expert Former Princeton professor of international law know for criticism of occupation actions
1/27/08 Israeli Peace Activists more than a thousand attempt symbolic breach of blockade of Gaza with trucks of essential supplies
1/02/08 Polls show most Jews oppose Israel Lobby/Neocons/War Party Hawks 68% unimpressed by "the surge," 67% opposed invading Iraq, wholesale rejection of Bush-Neocon Agenda-- AIPAC, etc are unrepresentative and 'Bad for the Jews'
11/20/07 One Million Voices to End the Conflict signing up a million Israelis and Palestinians --trying to bring some rationalism and moderation to both sides
11/16/07 Holy Land Studies Journal Various interesting synopsis of articles on Zionism and Jewish history
3/06/07 Norman Finkelstein Web Site Jewish Community Worried About Iran Backlash
2/17/07 Israeli Lobby Under Pressure -- more questioning by other Jews of minority who push Likud settler agenda
2/08/07 Independent Jewish Voices English Jewish leaders speak out for peace settlement with Palestinians against Likud settlers' abuses, etc.
12/14/06 Holocaust Conference in Tehran includes Rabbis from Neturei Karta using platform to express opposition to Zionism, use of holocaust to justify Israeli occupations of Arabs lands in contrary to God's will
11/24/06 Soros Sits In as Fledgling Dovish Coalition Sets Out To Raise Millions to include Morton Halperin and Jeremy Ben-Ami
10/29/06 Hard Right Attacks Soros, Peter Lewis & Bronfmans Newsmax, a Republican site of the Bushites and Neo-cons, funded by Scaife interests, attacks Jews trying to form a group to counter the Likud Lobby
10/09/06 Anti-Zionist Jews Prevented from Speaking by Zionist Lobby Two major American Jewish organizations helped block a prominent New York University historian from speaking at the Polish consulate here last week, saying the academic was too critical of Israel and American Jewry. The historian, Tony Judt, is Jewish and directs New York University's Remarque Institute......."Self Hating Jews" --thousands named --term used for Jews who support freedom, justice, rule of law, peace, international harmony, in other words oppose religious fanatics, Likudnik settlements or who criticize militant Zionism
11/26/04 U.S. Jewish Groups Press for Peace -- dispute policies of "Israeli Lobby"
6/2 TIKKUN Lobbies Congress to show evidence that AIPAC (Sharon-settler lobby) doesn't represent all Jews
Jewish Voices Against Israel's Occupation of Palestinian Territories | ||||
| The occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem is killing Palestinians and Israelis alike and destroying Israel from within. There can be no peace or security for either until Israel completely evacuates its settlements in Palestinian territories, ends its military occupation, and returns to its pre-1967 borders. | ||||
As Jews, we call upon Israel:
As Jews and U.S. taxpayers, we call upon the U.S. Government:
| We urge Israel to acknowledge that it bears significant historical responsibility for the dispossession of the Palestinian people, and to work toward a just solution to the plight of Palestinian refugees. Finally, deeply distressed over the lives lost in desperate attacks by Palestinians, we call upon the Palestinian Authority to make every effort to curtail acts of violence against civilians in Israel. Israel's security policies harm all the peoples of the Middle East and make Israel less secure, not more.
| |||
| This is an abridged version of a more comprehensive statement written by Jewish Voices Against the Occupation (JVAO). The full text and its signers can be seen on www.jvao.org or received from JVAO, P.O. Box 11606, Berkeley, CA 94712. | ||||
