Comments on: Baruch Ha-Ba: A Real Pro-Israel Lobby Arrives

By: tangentlama

tangentlama — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:05:53 +0000

AIPAC leaders love Christian bigot-zealots like John Hagee–American Jews, not so much.

Understatement of the year!

Jews On First: Christian Zionist leader Hagee depicts Jews as Christ killers

By: Norman Weinstein

Norman Weinstein — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:38:25 +0000

The bearer of that ferocious warrior name, bar_kochba132, declares that “AIPAC does represent, more or less, the majority of American Jewish opinion.” I can’t even imagine where said declarer obtains such nonsense. Most of my friends and acquaintances are Jewish, most more religious than I, and range politically from somewhat conservative to very liberal, and with only one exception consider AIPAC a right-wing propagandistic organization more harmful than beneficial to the Jewish cause. Of course “cause” needs defining, but I would strongly suggest to Mr. Bar_kochba132 that he restrict himself to simply being a warrior and let others do the polling.

By: Richard Silverstein

Richard Silverstein — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:09:39 +0000

AIPAC does represent, more or less, the majority of American Jewish opinion

With the emphasis on ‘LESS’ rather than ‘more.’ AIPAC represents the real values of American Jews about as much as the Vatican represents the real sexual practices of American Catholics. AIPAC is in favor of war with Iran. American Jews, not. AIPAC members generally support Republican candidates like John McCain–American Jews, not. AIPAC leaders love Christian bigot-zealots like John Hagee–American Jews, not so much. AIPAC opposes withdrawal fr. settlements–American Jews support this. The majority of Israelis support negotiating with Hamas–AIPAC opposes this. So how does AIPAC reflect views of the mainstream? It doesn’t. It’s a radical fring that just so happens to have lots of money, lots of time, & lots of obsessive energy to put its point across in the community.

Besides, I’d trust Gershom Gorenberg’s views on this subject far more than yours & he agrees with me & not you. He’s an Orthodox Israeli-American btw.

the number of security roadblocks, even though these are proven ways of preventing attacks.

Proven by whom? Can you provide any concrete evidence to support yr assertion? I thought not. The only entity which makes this claim is the IDF & its right wing supporters like you. Even many Israelis utterly reject this contention. The only result of 550 checkpoints is to make Palestinian life an utter misery & terror attacks are fueled by such misery.

Bar Kochba, it’s you who are in the minority. You have your friends in AIPAC. But you don’t represent anyone other than the rich Republican fatcats and Orthodox zealots & settlers.

By: bar_kochba132

bar_kochba132 — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:12:41 +0000

AIPAC does represent, more or less, the majority of American Jewish opinion. The fact that polls may show that a majority agrees with you that about supporting a “2-state solution” does NOT mean that they support “overlooking” Palestinian terror and the direct or indirect support the Palestinian Authority and HAMAS rulers of Gaza give it. Although this “progressive” lobby says it is for “Israeli security” in addition to “pushing forward the peace-process”, most Jews in Israe and the US now realize after years of painful experience that if “pushing the peace process forward” means making Israel make ‘gestures’ and concessions that directly affect the security situation, they will NOT support it. For example, one concessoin that “progressive” are always pushing for is reducing the number of security roadblocks, even though these are proven ways of preventing attacks.
In any event, among Jews active in communal affairs and in pro-Israel activities (inculding donating money, personally sending letters to Congress, sending children for extended visits and study in Israel), “progressives” are a minority and will be asked to show this isn’t true when they go to members of Congress and try to persaude them not to listen to AIPAC.

By: americangoy

americangoy — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:03:13 +0000

“AIPAC is not a real pro-Israel lobby. It is a pro-Likud lobby.”

This needs to be hammered home, again and again and again.

AIPAC does not represent Israel, nor the majority of Israeli Jews, nor does it represent the majority views of American Jews.