http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/rosnerBlog.jhtml?itemNo=774079&contrassID=25&subContrassID=0&sbSubContrassID=1&listSrc=Y&art=1
What happens when U.S. Jews forward the peace process?
WASHINGTON - When Ron Kampeas, the Jewish Telegraph Agency's Washington bureau
chief, wrote the story, he knew he had dynamite in his hands, and was not
surprised by the force of the response. Yesterday morning, he had to make some
changes to the story he published a day earlier; but on the whole, what he
wrote was very interesting: A group of Jewish Americans, some well known, are
seeking ways to express the support of the majority of the Jewish community for
the peace process. Moreover, this group is seeking ways to press the Bush
administration and U.S. Congress into becoming more actively involved in the
search for a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. The group is also looking
for funding - because without funds, nothing will budge.
The real fuss surrounding the new group stems from the perceived challenge it
poses to AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee), the prominent
pro-Israel lobby group whose character is perceived by some of its more dovish
members as being overly on the right. But the denials vis-a-vis the perceived
challenge have been extensive, and it is still not clear whether there is any
real reason for all the excitement.
Some of the leaders of the group have met with wealthy members of the Jewish
American community in the hope of raising funds for their cause, but it is
still uncertain whether they have met with any success.
The most intriguing donor whose assistance the group will try to solicit is
financier George Soros, who will meet them later this month. A Soros aide,
Morton Halperin, took part in the group's meeting.
So far, Soros has only promised to meet, and it is not clear whether his views
on Israel will not prove to be an obstacle. Some consider Soros anti-Zionist,
and in the past, he has accused Israel's policies of fomenting anti-Semitism in
Europe.
Edgar Bronfman denied any connection with the new initiative, while it is not
clear whether his brother, Charles Bronfman, will participate in a meeting of
potential donors.
So far, there are three identifiable groups involved in this new initiative -
the initiators, those with political influence, and those with the money. The
first are the ideological driving force; the second group comprises those who
took part in the meeting but have not made up their minds yet; and the third
group still does not exist.
Party to the deliberations are members of groups such as the Israel Policy
Forum (IFP), which pushes for a two-state solution, Americans for Peace Now, a
sister-organization to Peace Now, and also the more radical Jewish Alliance for
Justice and Peace.
It is fair to say that American Jewry leans toward the dovish end of the
political spectrum. It can also be said, and to a great extent proved, that
AIPAC does not always rush to represent this dominant dovish sentiment. Many
are angered by this omission, but others agree that this is not enough to
undermine an institution whose existence and success they consider important.
This dichotomy is at the root of the new initiative, and part of the reason for
the panic over its presentation as a "competitor" to AIPAC.
Yesterday, David Elcott of the IFP called Howard Khor, executive director of
AIPAC, and promised that he would not support any initiative whose purpose is
to challenge AIPAC.
Khor is certain that the damage has already been done: Presenting AIPAC as an
organization that does not represent the overall Jewish community necessarily
unermines its power.
Either way, nine of those involved in the initiative were interviewed by
Haaretz yesterday, most anonymously, and all adopted the same stance: We do not
oppose AIPAC, but want to act alongside it and further a cause we consider
important - namely, encouraging a growing U.S. involvement in finding a
solution to the conflict.
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