A new voice for Israel
Subtitle: fighting for the survival of the Jewish nation
By: Jeremy Ben-Ami
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Published: 2011
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 242
ISBN-13: 9780230112742
Subjects: Politics and government; Jews; Lobbying; Influence; Ethnic relations; J Street (Organization); Attitudes toward Israel; Political activity; Foreign relations; Zionists
Description: "Many Americans who care about Israel's future are questioning whether the hard-line, uncritical stances adopted by many traditional pro-Israel advocates really serve the country's best interests over the long-term. Moderate Jeremy Ben-Ami, founder of J Street, the new pro-Israel, pro-peace political movement, punctures many of the myths that have long guided our understanding of the politics of the American Jewish community and have been fundamental to how pro-Israel advocates have pursued their work including: -- that leaders of established Jewish organizations speak for all Jewish Americans when it comes to Israel -- that being pro-Israel means you cannot support creation of a Palestinian state -- that American Jews vote for candidates based largely on their support of Israel -- that talking peace with your enemies demonstrates weakness -- that allying with neoconservatives and evangelical Christians is good for Israel and good for the Jewish community. Ben-Ami, whose grandparents were first-generation Zionists and founders of Tel Aviv, tells the story of his own evolution toward a more moderate viewpoint. He sketches a new direction for both American policy and the conduct of the debate over Israel in the American Jewish community"--Provided by publisher.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.