Ask Senators For Balance In MidEast "Dear Colleague" Letter (Updated)

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Monday July 27, 2009 · 7:15 PM PDT

2009/07/27 · 19:15

On July 23rd, a "Dear Colleague" letter was written by Senators Evan Bayh (D,IN) and James Risch (R,ID) urging President Obama to press Arab nations to take dramatic steps to normalize relations with the people and the government of Israel. This letter, which has the support of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), has been circulated through the Senate since last Friday. While there certainly are many positive ideas in this letter, it appears to be one-sided. According to Americans For Peace Now's (APN), Lara Friedman:

The letter, which is the top item on the "Take Action" page on the AIPAC website, focuses exclusively on President Obama’s call for Arab states to take steps to normalize relations with Israel, making no mention of the president’s call for Israel to stop settlement activity (and implying that steps Israel has already taken - like removing some checkpoints and PM Netanyahu’s belated support for the two-state solution - are sufficient demonstration of Israel’s commitment to the peace process).

Due to this imbalance, APN has written to Senators urging them not to sign the letter until it has been changed to include the steps that President Obama has asked Israel to take.

rbguy

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Wednesday July 22, 2009 · 5:36 PM PDT

2009/07/22 · 17:36

Last week, the Center For American Progress released a report titled "Window Of Opportunity For A Two-State Solution: Policy Recommendations To The Obama Administration On The Israeli-Palestinian Front". The authors of this paper believe that President Obama has 6-12 months to build support among people in Israel, Palestine, and the broader Arab world for support in the two-state solution.

From the Executive Summary,

The Obama administration needs to win over more Israelis to its strategy for the region and consolidate a Palestinian leadership able to negotiate an enduring agreement in order to achieve a two-state solution. To address this stalemate, the Obama administration needs to take four concrete steps in the coming months:

~ Plan for the possibility of Palestinian elections in the coming year.
~ Develop an integrated program to strengthen Palestinian institutions in a broad range of sectors to lay the foundations for statehood.
~ Take immediate action to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
~ Conduct a pubc outreach and strategic communications effort in the Middle East outlining U.S. regional strategy, with increased attention to Israeli public opinion.

rbguy

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Monday July 13, 2009 · 8:28 PM PDT

2009/07/13 · 20:28

"Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?" (Isaiah 58:6)

Last Tuesday, Rabbi Brant Rosen of the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston Illinois and Rabbi Brian Walt of Rabbis For Human Rights-North America coordinated an organized Jewish communal response to the continued blockade of Gaza and the cruel punishment of its people. This initiative, "Ta'anit Tzedek - The Jewish Fast For Gaza", follows the Jewish tradition of holding a communal fast in times of crisis, both as an expression of mourning and a call to repentence.

At the beginning of last week there was an initial group of 13 Rabbinic participants. By tonight, there are over 360 people, including over 50 Rabbis, Christian and Muslim clergy, people of various faiths, and people of conscience. The members come mostly from America, as well as Israel, Palestine, Germany, Iran, China, Mexico, England, France, Ecuador, Canada, Australia, Lebanon, Scotland, and Portugal.

rbguy

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Thursday July 09, 2009 · 7:34 PM PDT

2009/07/09 · 19:34

"If you cannot engage young people and give them a complete horizon to their expectations and to their dreams, then I don't know that there would be any future for Palestine" then-Secretary Of State Condoleeza Rice, May 30 2008

Last week, the Israeli human rights organization, Gisha,the Legal Center For Freedom Of Movement, released a report detailing the difficulties facing Palestinian students in Gaza. Their report,"Obstacle Course: Students Denied Exit From Gaza", describes the Israeli governmental measures that prevent these innocent students from obtaining educational opportunities in other nations. As a result of these rules, Palestinian students in Gaza who seek to achieve academic advancement and those hoping for these future leaders to bring that knowledge back to help re-develop their society have had their dreams destroyed.

rbguy

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Thursday July 02, 2009 · 8:24 PM PDT

2009/07/02 · 20:24

Presently, there is an unintentional debate at the NY Jewish Week between Editor and Publisher Gary Rosenblatt and Washington Correspondent James Besser concerning the American Jewish community's concerns about and support for President Obama. Yesterday, the Jewish Week, the largest Jewish newspaper in America, made Mr. Rosenblatt's op-ed, "Whispered Worries About Obama", available on its website. Today, Mr. Besser's blog article, "Obama Angst Points To Widening Jewish Leadership Gap", was published. This conversation is very important for the American Jewish community, as well as other parts of our society, as our President deals with Israel, Palestine, and the larger Middle East.

rbguy

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Thursday June 25, 2009 · 6:35 PM PDT

2009/06/25 · 18:35

This Saturday, Jewish communities throughout the world will be reading the Torah portion, Korach (Numbers 16:1-18:32). This parashah, or weekly portion, contains one of the more famous events in the Torah, the challenge to Moses' authority by a rebellious group of Israelites led by Korach. On the surface, Korach and his 250 followers believe that Moses is abusing and monopolizing his powers. As a result, they attempt to create a more democratic society. However, a closer reading of the text reveals that these high ranking rebels are trying to remove Moses from power in order to satisfy their own selfish motives.

Rabbis, educators, and communal leaders use this story to discuss the role of authority figures and dissenters in societies, great and small. Many of these commentaries conclude that the ideal form of both rule and dissent involves a desire to help those who need it, rather than a quest for personal profit and position.

rbguy

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Saturday June 20, 2009 · 7:11 PM PDT

2009/06/20 · 19:11

On Sunday June 14th, Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu delivered his long awaited speech on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Of the many controversial statements in his address, I wanted to focus on the idea of the need for Palestinian recognition of Israel as the State of the Jewish people.

From Netanyahu's 6/14/09 Speech:
* Palestinian moderates are not yet ready to say the simple words: Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people, and it will stay that way.
* The Palestinian leadership must arise and say: "Enough of this conflict. We recognize the right of the Jewish people to a state of their own in this land, and we are prepared to live beside you in true peace."

I am yearning for that moment, for when Palestinian leaders say those words to our people and to their people, then a path will be opened to resolving all the problems between our peoples, no matter how complex they may be.
* Therefore, a fundamental prerequisite for ending the conflict is a public, binding and unequivocal Palestinian recognition of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people.
* I have already stressed the first principle - recognition. Palestinians must clearly and unambiguously recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people.

rbguy

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Saturday June 13, 2009 · 6:39 PM PDT

2009/06/13 · 18:39

On April 27th, actress/activist Mia Farrow began fasting in solidarity with the people of Darfur, who face even worse suffering since Sudanese President al-Bashir expelled numberous aid organizations from the country. Since then, numerous elected officials, activists, and celebrities from over 35 countries have joined the fast. Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism (RAC) and Newsweek Magazine's most influential American Rabbi, will be undertaking a three day fast to spotlight the grave humanitarian situation in Darfur. This week, the RAC sent out an Action Alert for its members to ask their Rabbis to join Rabbi Saperstein on the last day of his fast, Thursday June 18th.

rbguy

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Wednesday June 10, 2009 · 7:43 PM PDT

2009/06/10 · 19:43

On June 1st, a Politico.com article about Congresswoman Donna Edwards (MD-04), "Should Edwards be shvitzing?", was published. The article states that there are some members within her district's Jewish Community that are not pleased with her stance on Israel. As a result, there is speculation that these constituents may try to back a primary challenger whose positions on Israel are more in line with former Congressman Al Wynn.

Yesterday, Jeremy Ben-Ami of J Street announced a fundraising appeal to support Congresswoman Edwards against any pending challenger. Within the first four hours of the appeal, there were contibutions from 270 people totaling $15,000. Within the first 24 hours, there were over 500 donors contributing $25,000.

Donna Edwards is a true progressive democrat, working for a just peace in the Israeli/Palestinian and the Arab/Israeli conflicts. As a result, she was one of J Street PACs first endorsed candidates in 2008, and a present target of established, "status quo" pro-Israel people. With the continued help of progressive democrats, she can defeat any challenger.

rbguy

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Monday June 08, 2009 · 8:11 PM PDT

2009/06/08 · 20:11

As a religious person who holds progressive views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, I have been subjected to polite and not-so-polite criticism from family members, friends, neighbors, and leaders of religious communities. With experience and focus, I have been able to withstand their accusations of being naive, anti-semitic, anti-Israel, self-hating, and a terrorist-lover. I don't mean to state that those names don't hurt, of course they do. What I do mean is that those words, generally, don't get me into pointless arguments, don't get me to doubt my religious and political views, and, most importantly, don't get me to stop advocating for a more just and equal resolution for the people of Israel and Palestine.

There are many people I know, however, who struggle with the negative reactions to their political and/or religious views within the I/P conflict. This causes many of them to shy away from getting involved in solving the problem. Through my posts, I hope to reach those people who have struggles between what they were taught and what they view with their own hearts and minds. It is my desire to educate them about about the D.C. related aspects to the conflict and help find a way to put their knowledge into constructive action.

rbguy

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Wednesday June 03, 2009 · 7:02 PM PDT

2009/06/03 · 19:02

In the last few weeks, AIPAC backed a Congressional letter that was signed by 329 House members, including 29 of its 31 Jewish members. Of this last group, only Congressmen Barney Frank (MA-04) and Bob Filner (CA-51) did not sign the letter. Reps. Edwards and Filner did, however, sign a recent J Street-backed letter to the President supporting strong U.S. leadership in pursuing a negotiated two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as a comprehensive regional peace.

rbguy

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Thursday May 28, 2009 · 7:37 PM PDT

2009/05/28 · 19:37

With recent Washington visits by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and an upcoming Presidential visit to Egypt next week, the New York Review of Books has just published an article on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by Hussein Agha and Robert Malley titled "Obama And The Middle East". Hussein Agha is a Senior Associate Member of St. Anthony's College, Oxford. He is also the co-author (with Ahmed S. Khalidi) of "A Framework For A Palestinian National Security Doctrine". Robert Malley was a Special Assistant to President Clinton for Arab-Israeli Affairs and Director for Near East and South Asian Affairs on the National Security Council staff from September 1998 to January 2001. He is currently Middle East and North Africa Program Director at the International Crisis Group.

Below the jump is my summary of their article.

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Ask Senators For Balance In MidEast "Dear Colleague" Letter (Updated)

Bringing The Green Elephant Into The Big Tent

Ta'anit Tzedek- The Jewish Fast For Gaza

For Gazan Students, An Obstacle Course To Nowhere

NY Jewish Week- re: Obama and the Jewish Community, Some Oldies and A Goodie

The Name Is Carter,Not Korach

"Recognition Plus": Bibi's Four Corners Offense

Rabbi Saperstein, Please Fast For Gazans, As Well.

J Street: Donna Edwards' Re-election, No Sweat!

The Answer Is Found In The Good Book(mark)

Support Donna Edwards, Barney Frank, and Bob Filner Through J Street

Obama And The Middle East