J Street Pushes Pro-Peace Letter to Obama

By JTA March 26, 2012

J Street is backing a congressional letter urging President Obama to actively pursue Israeli-Palestinian peace and a bill that would direct him to appoint a special Iran envoy.

The two initiatives will be on the agenda of some 2,500 J Street activists attending this week’s conference when they visit Capitol Hill on Tuesday for meetings with lawmakers.

The letter circulating among members of the U.S. House of Representatives says that Israel “cannot afford the absence of diminution of U.S. leadership in the urgent quest for peace.” It implicitly attacks Republicans who have accused Obama of having involved himself too deeply in the process, which they claim undermines the U.S.-Israel alliance.

“Some on the national political stage have argued that the United States should not play a lead role in the peace process, even denying the existence of the Palestinian people,” the letter says, a reference to comments by Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich that stirred controversy. “Far from undermining Israel’s enemies, such rhetoric empowers them, and threatens Israel’s long-term security and survival.”

Reps. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) and Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) initiated the letter.

Also on the J Street legislative agenda is a bill initiated last week by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) that would direct the president to appoint a special envoy “for the purpose of ensuring that the United States pursues all diplomatic avenues to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, to avoid a war with Iran, and for other purposes.”

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO