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J Street's Ben-Ami: 'U.S. Congressmen live in fear of pro-Israeli intimidation'
William Kristol, head of right-wing Emergency Committee for Israel, stuns debate audience in New York: 'I agree with Obamas Israel policies to a considerable degree.'
West of Eden- - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News
By Chemi Shalev | May.16, 2012 | 3:07 PM | 24
Many American senators and congressmen keep quiet and refrain from criticizing Israeli policies because they live in fear and are intimidated by pro-Israeli groups such as the Emergency Committee for Israel (ECI), according to J Street founder and President Jeremy Ben-Ami.
Ben-Amis bald assertion came during a debate with Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol, a director of ECI, held on Tuesday night at Manhattans palatial Bnai Jeshurun Synagogue and moderated by Jane Eisner, the editor of the Forward. Ben Ami said that because of accusatory ECI ads in the New York Times and other media outlets, members of Congress are afraid of being branded as anti-Israel and are deterred by the ramifications of voicing open criticism of Israeli policies.
William Kristol, head of right-wing Emergency Committee for Israel, stuns debate audience in New York: 'I agree with Obamas Israel policies to a considerable degree.'
West of Eden- - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News
By Chemi Shalev | May.16, 2012 | 3:07 PM | 24
Many American senators and congressmen keep quiet and refrain from criticizing Israeli policies because they live in fear and are intimidated by pro-Israeli groups such as the Emergency Committee for Israel (ECI), according to J Street founder and President Jeremy Ben-Ami.
Ben-Amis bald assertion came during a debate with Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol, a director of ECI, held on Tuesday night at Manhattans palatial Bnai Jeshurun Synagogue and moderated by Jane Eisner, the editor of the Forward. Ben Ami said that because of accusatory ECI ads in the New York Times and other media outlets, members of Congress are afraid of being branded as anti-Israel and are deterred by the ramifications of voicing open criticism of Israeli policies.
is a comprehensive peace initiative first proposed in 2002 at the Beirut Summit of the Arab League by then-Crown Prince, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, and re-endorsed at the Riyadh Summit in 2007.[1] The initiative attempts to end the ArabIsraeli conflict, which means normalizing relations between the entire Arab region and Israel, in exchange for a complete withdrawal from the occupied territories (including East Jerusalem) and a "just settlement" of the Palestinian refugee crisis based on UN Resolution 194 (which calls for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict and resolves that any refugees "wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors" should be able to do so or, if they otherwise wish, should be provided with compensation).[2] The Initiative was initially overshadowed by the Passover Massacre, a major terrorist attack that took place on March 27, 2002 (the day before the Initiative was published) and that had been claimed by the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing.[3] The Arab League has since readopted the Initiative on several occasions, including during the 2007 summit.
