Peter Beinart’s book — “The Crisis of Zionism” — is a book that has to be read. It outlines the major ills that befall Israel and the Jewish world today: an Israel that is unethically embedded in the Palestinian territories, and a Jewish world that is complicit in the status quo. How do we find the way out? Just how bad is it? This is an analysis of his book, but most importantly, takes out his prescriptions for how we, and Israel, can change. These are uncomfortable things to talk about, but they’re necessary for the future of Jewish-democracy in Israel.
Tags: AIPAC, American Jewry, Apartheid, Ariel, Australian Jewry, BDS, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Crisis of Zionism, Diaspora Jewry, Ehud Barak, Ehud Olmert, Gen Y, Hamas, Israel, Jewish day schools, Liberal Zionism, Likud, Occupation, Palestinians, Peter Beinart, Settlement boycott, Settlements, West Bank, Zionism Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/04/19/the-crisis-of-zionism-and-the-diaspora/
Last night’s J Street gala dinner was a controversial one: Should Ehud Olmert have spoken? Should the crowd have booed the (very rude) speech by Israel’s deputy ambassador? All this and more in my final night dispatch from J Street’s 2012 conference.
Tags: AIPAC, American Jewry, Anat Hoffman, Bibi Netanyahu, Diaspora Jewry, Ehud Olmert, Greater Israel, Israel, J Street, J Street Conference 2012, J Street U, Jewish Voice for Peace, Liberal Zionism, Peace Process, Two-state solution, USA Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/03/29/when-olmert-met-j-street/
Chemi Shalev has profiled Peter Beinart ahead of his book launch tonight, and his prominence in this week’s J Street conference. It really highlights why Beinart has become championed by this movement — he’s articulate, insightful and is willing to say what we’re all thinking. I found myself bobbing my head along with each word he said.
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/03/26/excellent-profile-of-peter-beinart-in-haaretz/
Last night’s J Street conference opening was incredible — 2500 people (inc. 650 students) listening to social justice activist Stav Shaffir, Yerucham Mayor Michael Biton, and writer Amos Oz. The videos should be up soon, so if you can, I’d watch the keynotes from last night.
Related reading:Tags: 2011 Israeli social justice protests, AIPAC, Amos Oz, Diaspora Jewry, Israel, J Street, J Street Conference 2012, Liberal Zionism, Michael Biton, Peace Process, Peter Beinart, Settlements, Tikkun Olam, USA, Video, Yerucham Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/03/26/j-streets-2012-conference-making-history/
A great cartoon in this week’s New Yorker.
Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/03/13/if-only-he-was-a-little-more-pro-israel/
Yesterday Jon Stewart took almost his entire first two segments to talk about the whole Iran-Israel shtick. A few choice quotes: “That Obama hates Israel. Even Mel Gibson and John Galliano are like, ‘whoa, Obama, take it down,’” and “The parameters for debate in the United States about Israel range from ‘I unequivocally support them and might bomb Iran’ to ‘I unequivocally support them and will definitely bomb Iran.’”
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/03/09/video-apparently-in-israel-youre-allowed-to-criticise-israel/
A new series of ads released by the Israeli Ministry of Absorption targets American-based Israelis and their parents, and sends a very bad message about Diaspora-Israeli relations. Jeffrey Goldberg writes about them: “The idea, communicated in these ads, that America is no place for a proper Jew, and that a Jew who is concerned about the Jewish future should live in Israel, is archaic, and also chutzpadik (if you don’t mind me resorting to the vernacular). The message is: Dear American Jews, thank you for lobbying for American defense aid (and what a great show you put on at the AIPAC convention every year!) but, please, stay away from our sons and daughters.”
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/12/01/israel-dont-trust-american-jews/
Daniel Levy has an excellent analysis in Foreign Policy on the UN bid for statehood in September. The US, in figuring out policy with the rest of the Quartet, appears to be trying to pull a swifty — working with Jerusalem to try to put in language unfairly favourable to Israel, and even removing the UN as a legitimate tool to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, something very inconsistent with the role the UN should be taking.
Related reading:Tags: AIPAC, Barack Obama, Bibi Netanyahu, Daniel Levy, Diaspora Jewry, Hamas, Israel, Palestinian Authority, Palestinian UN statehood declaration 2011, Palestinians, Peace Process, Quartet, UN General Assembly, United Nations, USA Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/07/25/are-washington-and-jerusalem-trying-to-outmuscle-the-quartet-on-the-palestinian-un-resolution-in-september/
President Barack Obama speaking overnight at the AIPAC Policy Conference, elaborating on his address Thursday which was greeted with disdain from Bibi Netanyahu: I said to Prime Minister Netanyahu, I believe that the current situation in the Middle East does not allow for procrastination. I also believe that real friends talk openly and honestly with one another. And so I want to share with you some of what I said [...]
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/05/23/obamas-speech-has-no-reason-to-make-people-uncomfortable/
I think I should stop being surprised. No sooner than President Obama offered up a chance for Bibi and his government to take a chance on peace, guided by their best friend in the world, has Bibi shot him down. It couldn’t have been a more foolish response. It’s been well documented and reported now that President Obama set forward his vision for peace in the Mideast: a two-state solution [...]
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/05/20/unsurprisingly-bibi-shoots-down-obamas-offer-of-help-for-peace/
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