JINSA Report #580 The Double Standard, Part II About Us

JINSA
1779 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Suite 515
Washington, DC 20036

202-667-3900
202-667-0601 Fax

June 29, 2006

JINSA Report #580

The Double Standard, Part II About Us

Before Prime Ministers Olmert's maiden voyage to Washington, we were approached
by people from Israel and from Jewish organizations in the U.S. who wanted
JINSA to participate in a campaign to get the administration to reject Mr.
Olmert's "unilateral realignment" plan for the West Bank. They were genuinely
concerned about the security situation in Israel and genuinely believed that
the U.S. would quash the plan if approached by the right people; we were asked,
for example, to enlist retired American military officers.

"Friends dont let friends drive drunk", they said, arguing for the U.S. to take
control of a situation they believed was out of hand and dangerous.

One of JINSA's immutable principles is not to take positions on internal
Israeli political decision-making - Israel has a sovereign, democratically
elected government for that purpose. We declined, and were denounced for our
"leftist attitudes", which will come as some surprise to both our supporters
and detractors. But we were on solid ground.

It is NEVER a good idea to foment American government criticism of actions
taken by the Israeli government. It is NEVER a good idea for Israelis to come
to the U.S. to air political disagreements with their own government. It is
NEVER a good idea for American Jews to help Israelis who come to the U.S. for
that purpose by inducing our government to do the dumping.

That is not to say we in the U.S. should never disagree with Israel - we can,
we should, we have and we surely will again. But IN NO WAY should friends of
Israel encourage the mighty machinery of the American government to substitute
its judgment on critical military or political matters for the judgment of the
sovereign government of Israel.

Because once you wind it up, you can't necessarily stop it and consider,
please, how often it works to Israel's detriment. Like today, when Secretary
Rice and French Foreign Minister Douste-Blazy are in accord that Israel should
cease military action against Hamas and try "diplomacy" and "international
intervention."

David Steinmann, Chairman of JINSA's Board of Advisors notes, "Israel...
doesn't need Hamas' acknowledgement. Hamas ought to need Israel's forbearance
to exist and there is no reason in the world why that should be forthcoming or
why America should be asking for it on Hamas' behalf. Its time for the usual
formula to be turned upside down - instead of the world 'suggesting' that Hamas
pretty please acknowledge Israel's right to exist - how about the world
acknowledge Israel's right to destroy an enemy whose goal is Israel's
destruction?"

That's a banner JINSA will proudly wave and a demand we will happily make of
our own government - the American government that really does share fundamental
values and security requirements with Israel, but which sometimes needs a pull
in the right direction - the direction of support for Israel, not criticism.

To view this JINSA Report online click on the link below.
http://www.jinsa.org/JINSAReports/3444
___________________________________________________
Have a comment on this JINSA Report? Send an email to feedback@jinsa.org to let us know.

Access past JINSA Reports at: http://www.jinsa.org/

If you would like to receive JINSA Reports by e-mail, please sign up online at
http://www.jinsa.org/lists/subscribe.html

To be removed from JINSA Reports distribution list, please go to the following page on the JINSA website
http://www.jinsa.org/lists/unsubscribe.html

If you would like to support JINSA, please click on the following link
http://www.jinsa.org/member/member.html