I recently attended a meeting of J Street/Capital Region with Congressman Paul Tonko, to thank him for his work toward peace in the Middle East.
The Jewish community is divided in its position about Israel’s war with its neighbors. J Street describes itself as “The political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans.” Stacey Farber, chair of our chapter, sent me her notes so I could more accurately repeat her description of J Street as a “pro-peace, pro-democracy, pro-Israel, pro-Palestine organization that works with the Jewish community and others who share our core values to advocate for diplomacy-first American leadership and policies. We seek justice, equality, peace, and democracy in Israel, in the wider region, and in the United States.” Stacey added that “The majority of Jews believe you CAN criticize a government while still loving a country and her people. More than 70% of the Jewish community opposes the Israeli settlement movement.”
This commentary isn’t about choosing sides – there’s plenty of blame to go around and blame doesn’t lead to peace. This is about stopping the carnage. With the US, France and others working to get a negotiated peace, it’s impossible to tell where things will be when this is aired, or whether any agreement will hold. As this is written it doesn’t seem that any of the warring parties wants peace, or that diplomacy will suffice. So, Congressman Tonko called for taking a forceful position for peace in the region. When appropriate, I thanked Congressman Tonko for taking the position that “forceful” advocacy was necessary, though without asking him to define it.
Israeli behavior is costing it much of the support it once had after the horrors of Hitler and World War II. It doesn’t seem to accept that international support is contingent, revocable, and Israel’s very existence depends on worldwide responses. Israel’s continued eviction of Palestinians from their homes and continued bombing of civilian areas long after the Hamas’ October 7 attack may prove as suicidal as it’s killing of civilians is unacceptable.
I’ve long been unsatisfied with merely urging a negotiated settlement. Everyone there is too committed to compromise without serious American pressure. Ukraine has been living within guidelines set by the US and Europe, though I would exempt immediate retaliation on the source of drones, bombs or shells, but Netanyahu’s government has been flipping the bird to American wishes.
In making prescriptions, I speak only for myself. But since Israel needs our support, its enemies have a strong interest in our withholding it, and we have every right to put firm conditions on it, we should use our support of Israel to manipulate both sides into settlement.
We should start with fair terms for Middle Eastern peace, condition our aid on them, demand all parties cease-fire by a specified date, that Israel end the displacement of Palestinians, and their replacement with so-called “settlers,” and Hamas return of all hostages. Then we should cease all military support of Israel unless it adheres to those conditions or its neighbors refuse. That gives both sides strong reason to adhere to our terms. If they don’t, they will be responsible for the consequences.
Stacey commented, and I agree, that “military aid cannot be a blank check. International and U.S. laws already exist about the use of military aid. J Street asks that the laws and conditions applied to other countries be equally applied to Israel.”
I confess that I can’t read the future, whether it’s too late to stop the carnage, or whether other conditions may be necessary, but I think nothing less than strong-arming the parties has any chance of success.
Steve Gottlieb’s latest book is Unfit for Democracy: The Roberts Court and The Breakdown of American Politics. He is the Jay and Ruth Caplan Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Albany Law School, served on the New York Civil Liberties Union board, on the New York Advisory Committee to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, and as a US Peace Corps Volunteer in Iran.
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