Check out J Street Executive Director Jeremy Ben-Ami's message to J Street supporters after he joined other Jewish American leaders for a meeting with President Obama:
I just left an extraordinary meeting with President Barack Obama, which he called to meet with the leadership of the American Jewish community.
A dozen organizations - including J Street - were at the table.
It was made clear to the President and his team the strong support that exists among American Jews and the broader public for a strong push to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, for a two-state solution, and for a regional and comprehensive approach to the peace process.
The President said such a resolution was in Israel’s interests. In the interests of the Palestinian people. And clearly in the interests of the United States.
Afterward, the President expressed his gratitude, as did many of his aides, for our attendance.
You should feel great. After little more than a year - and through your online advocacy and donations - J Street has arrived. We are your political voice when it comes to Israel and the Middle East - representing you in Washington and in the national political debate.
In recent days, much has been made in Jewish media of supposed concerns and reservations in the Jewish community about President Obama and his approach to the Middle East.
And today I had the opportunity to take our message of support directly to the White House - that there’s a big difference between the views expressed by a vocal minority on behalf of the Jewish community - and what that community really thinks and supports.
First, let me assure you that the President couldn't have been clearer: making progress towards peace in the Middle East is a fundamental American interest - and essential to Israel's security and stability.
He framed the issue as a strategic challenge in which the U.S. must pursue numerous goals simultaneously - ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ensuring Israel's security, dealing with Iran, and addressing the legacy of anti-American sentiment in the region.
He recognized that the United States isn't going to see eye-to-eye with either the Israelis or the other parties in the region on every issue. When some Jewish leaders argued (as they did in the meeting) that progress toward peace is only made when there is no daylight between Israel and the United States, the President responded correctly that for eight years - when there was no daylight between us and Israel - there was no progress toward peace. The hard decisions weren't made on either side - and the prospects for peace only diminished.
In talking to The New York Times, I described the President's approach as "pushing while hugging" - his way of helping all parties reflect on whether their actions are really advancing their interests or not. Further Israeli expansion of settlements on the West Bank, and ongoing incitement against Israel in the Palestinian Authority, are good examples of actions that he sees as setting the process back.
To the extent that he's asking for hard steps from the Israelis on issues like settlements, he's going to be equally clear in what he's asking of the Palestinians and Arabs. To those who say he's being tougher on one side or the other, he maintains that he is taking a balanced approach and believes that pressure on both sides will be needed to move toward a resolution of the conflict.
President Obama is very aware that he's talking about reversing decades of mistrust and working within a narrow window of opportunity to align interests in the region and reach a comprehensive resolution.
As he said, "This isn't easy - if it were, we'd be talking about health care."
I left the room feeling we are at a truly historic moment of opportunity. There may never be another American President who so clearly gets the issues strategically and has the political capital to try to pull off an agreement.
To succeed, I really believe J Street is going to be critical in demonstrating political support for the President and to those in Congress who support his efforts.
If you're inspired by the President's leadership - and our presence at the table after only 15 months - here are a few things you can do right now to get involved:
1) Send this message to 3 friends and family and show them what we are creating here together at J Street. The larger our community of activists, the better we can fight for pro-Israel, pro-peace policies. They can sign up for our email list here.
2) Make a financial contribution. Give J Street the resources to provide President Obama the political support to achieve a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by clicking here.
3) Come to our October Conference. To learn more about J Street's first national conference - where you'll hear from prominent American and Israeli politicians, attend thought provoking discussions, meet like-minded people, learn new skills for taking J Street's message back to your community, and so much more - click here.
Here are more links where you can get more of a flavor of what happened at the meeting:
- "U.S. pressing Arabs, closing settlement 'gaps,' Obama assures Jewish leaders," by Ben Smith. Politico. July 13, 2009.
- "Obama talks of progress on Israeli settlements." Reuters. July 13, 2009.
- "Obama meets with Jewish leaders on Israel, Iran," by Phillip Elliot. Associated Press. July 13, 2009.
- "At White House, U.S. Jews offer little resistance to Obama policy on settlements," by Ron Kampeas. JTA News Service. July 13, 2009.
- "Obama's first meeting with Jewish leaders includes more left-wing groups," by Hilary Krieger. Jerusalem Post. July 14, 2009.
- "Obama to U.S. Jewish leaders: Israel must engage in self-reflection," by Barak Ravid. Haaretz. July 13, 2009.
- "Despite Jewish Concerns, Obama Keeps Up Pressure on Israel," by Tony Karon. TIME, July 14, 2009.
- "J Street's Ben-Ami on the Big Obama Meeting," by Tali Yahalom. The Atlantic, July 14, 2009.
