Rachel Lerner, Associate Executive Director of the J Street Education Fund, issued the following statement today in response to the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s “Breaking Down The Walls” report:

J Street is troubled by “Breaking Down The Walls,” a recent report from the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s Middle East Study Committee. We were particularly surprised to find J Street’s name mentioned in the report’s “Letter to our American Jewish friends.”

J Street was never approached by the Committee, nor have we had any conversations with PC (USA)’s leadership about this or any other study.

We wish more groups, including J Street, were consulted on this document before its publication and that we had been able to relay our strong objections to many of its findings. We are dismayed at the attempt by the Committee to use J Street as political cover for this report.

While we appreciate the Church’s stated desire to achieve peace in the region, and while we do agree with some parts of the study, we have serious disagreements with the Committee’s recommendations, particularly the call for the possible withholding of U.S. aid to Israel.

J Street believes that American assistance to Israel, including maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge, is an important anchor for a peace process based on providing Israel with the confidence and assurance to move forward on a solution based on land for peace.

Moreover, the study document consistently downplays Israel’s very real security concerns, appears to shrug off any Palestinian responsibility for resolving the ongoing conflict, and underplays the Israeli narrative throughout. J Street firmly believes that both Israelis and Palestinians will have to do their part in taking the necessary steps toward achieving a two state solution.

Finally, the letter wrongly lists J Street with other organizations as if we share views and agendas – when in reality what we have in common is that we’re Jewish organizations willing at times to criticize the policies of the government of Israel. To us that is unfair – a kind of stereotyping in its own right that we find distasteful. Had the Committee reached out to us, they might have better understood the important distinctions between us.

For these reasons and others, we sincerely hope that this document is not adopted by the Presbyterian Church (USA) in its current form.

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Today, J Street Executive Director Jeremy Ben-Ami released the following statement:

The recent escalation of tension between the United States and Israel – sparked by Israel’s announcement regarding 1600 housing units in East Jerusalem – is a matter of serious concern to J Street and Israel’s friends generally.

Preventing provocative actions which undermine the peace process and decisions which weaken U.S. credibility in the region is also a matter of fundamental American national security interest, particularly as the U.S. government works to build a broad international coalition to address the Iranian nuclear program.

The United States is Israel’s closest ally. Their special relationship is rooted in shared interests and values and enjoys broad bipartisan support in Washington and across the country.

That is all the more reason why the Obama administration’s reaction to the treatment of the Vice President last week and to the timing and substance of the Israeli government’s announcement was both understandable and appropriate.

As Vice President Biden said, “Sometimes only a friend can deliver the hardest truth.” That is what he, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and White House Senior Advisor David Axelrod have done in recent days – and J Street, along with many friends of Israel, stands solidly behind them.

The important question for us is how the present situation can be turned into an opportunity to tackle a core issue at the heart of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians – the need to establish a border between Israel and the future Palestinian state.

Fixing borders would eliminate the need to deal further with issues related to settlements on the West Bank or building in East Jerusalem.

We urge the United States to take this opportunity to suggest parameters to the parties for resuming negotiations – basing borders on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed land swaps, with the Palestinian state demilitarized and on territory equivalent to 100% of the area encompassed by the pre-1967 Armistice lines.

Too much time has already been lost in getting the two sides into negotiations. We must not lose further time allowing a single development, as objectionable as it may be, to derail progress towards achieving a two-state solution.

Bold American leadership is needed now to turn this crisis into a real opportunity to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is a fundamental American national security interest.

The Obama administration will find vast support among American Jews and other friends of Israel for a bold new approach that aims to advance that interest and guarantees Israel a secure, democratic and Jewish future.

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J Street Director of Policy and Strategy Hadar Susskind released the following statement today:

J Street strongly condemns the decision by the Palestinian Authority to honor Dalal Mughrabi, the leader of a 1978 terror attack that murdered 38 Israeli civilians, including 13 children.

By promoting incitement through the glorification of terrorists and their actions, this decision harms the prospects for a two-state solution and true peace and reconciliation with Israel. The PA’s postponement of the official ceremony to honor Mughrabi and name a public square in her honor does not change the fact that such incitement should not happen in the first place.

Actions such as this only serve to undermine trust between the parties, as well as inhibit American efforts to launch talks at this critical moment.

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J Street Director of Policy and Strategy Hadar Susskind released the following statement today:

J Street joins Vice President Biden in condemning Israel’s announcement of new East Jerusalem construction that only serves to hinder Middle East peace efforts, particularly as the Israelis and Palestinians begin proximity talks. As Vice President Biden said, this is “precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now.”

Continued construction in East Jerusalem and the West Bank only diminishes the chances of achieving a viable two-state solution to the conflict.

Yesterday’s announcement of proximity talks marked an important step forward, following a concerted American effort to engage the parties. Today’s announcement therefore marks a disappointing inflaming of tensions and undermining of trust – and is particularly surprising given Vice President Biden’s present visit to Israel aimed at underscoring the US-Israel relationship and the American commitment to a two-state resolution of the conflict.

We echo Vice President Biden’s call for all parties to refrain from unilateral actions that may inflame tensions and prejudice the outcome of peace talks. If we are to achieve a true resolution to the conflict – and secure Israel’s future as a Jewish, democratic homeland - all sides must demonstrate their commitment to the diplomatic and constructive engagement needed to succeed.

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J Street staff and the J Street community are deeply saddened to learn that former Israeli Foreign Ministry Director General and Mossad official David Kimche has passed away. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and colleagues.

We have lost a truly great man. David is entirely irreplaceable. He was a real leader, both through his work in the intelligence community and his unshakeable, realistic, and forward-thinking commitment to promoting peace between Israel and its neighbors.

David’s memory will always be a blessing for the J Street community and an inspiration for our ongoing efforts to achieve real peace and security for Israel through a two-state solution.

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