Binyamin Netanyahu's speech before Congress, secretly orchestrated last month by Boehner and Israeli officials, is fast approaching. As Democratic members of Congress pledge to boycott the speech, and as a majority of Americans voice their displeasure with what is about to transpire, an historic opportunity has presented itself.
An opportunity for the nation's highest office to amplify liberal and progressive Jewish voices in America which stand opposed to AIPAC, Netanyahu and their collective hawkish interests. For this reason, I'm re-posting my open letter to President Obama (below).
Dear President Obama,
You don't know my name, though you know the names of those who represent hundreds of thousands of American Jews who, like me, publicly support your diplomatic efforts with Iran.
And while you don't know my name, you know that I and those like me represent 52 percent of U.S. Jews who support your diplomatic efforts over those presented by Congressional Republicans and Israel's Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, who are now shamelessly working in concert, behind your back, to undermine your administration's historic gains.
As the leader of Israel, Netanyahu has claimed that he will be speaking on behalf of the "entire Jewish people" before Congress. As you know, he will not. Indeed, there are over three million American Jews for whom he does not speak. Over three million voices in the American Jewish community who reject current efforts to scuttle historic nuclear negotiations with Iran. Who reject efforts to undermine peaceful diplomacy. And who reject John Boehner's outrageous breach of protocol by inviting a foreign leader to deliver a response to your State of the Union address.
I know you are rightly outraged, viewing Netanyahu as having spat in your face after your consistent defense of Israel on the international stage. I know that you and officials in your administration feel as though there should be consequences for what is about to transpire on March 3, when Netanyahu will rise before Congress as the leader of a foreign 'ally' and publicly reject your diplomatic efforts for political gain back home.
This, in my view, should be the consequence: the amplification of 'pro-Israel' voices like mine in the American Jewish community who reject Netanyahu, be it for his desire to bomb Iran, his desire to continue Israel's occupation of the Palestinians or his expansion of settlements and rejection of peace.
I'm not actually asking for a personal invitation to the White House, though I would certainly not turn one down. What I'm asking is that you invite American Jewish leaders and activists to the White House on March 3 to publicly amplify those liberal and progressive voices Netanyahu claims to represent. You could even invite the dozens of Democratic members of Congress who will be boycotting Netanyahu's speech. I'm asking that you use this as an opportunity to reveal to the American public that most American Jews see Netanyahu as a harmful force, both in Israel, in the Middle East and in the world. I'm asking that you give us a chance to support your diplomatic efforts with Iran passionately and eloquently as Congress rises repeatedly to applaud Netanyahu's damaging rhetoric.
And after you have done so, I ask that you invite civil leaders and activists in the Iranian-American and Palestinian-American communities in order to amplify their pro-diplomacy, pro-peace voices.
The New York Times calls what Israel and the GOP have done, organizing this speech behind your back, to be a disrespectful "breach of sense and diplomacy." What NYT editors did not say is that this breach is an opportunity, now that the hole is gaping, for you to counter Netanyahu's voice with powerful ones which exist within the nation you lead.
I ask that you let us help you lead.
Best,
An American Jew
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David Harris-Gershon is author of the memoir What Do You Buy the Children of the Terrorist Who Tried to Kill Your Wife?, recently published by Oneworld Publications.