<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><div><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://jstreet.org/press-releases/continuing-attacks-congressman-ellison-seek-silence-legitimate-positions-israel/" target="_blank">http://jstreet.org/press-<wbr>releases/continuing-attacks-<wbr>congressman-ellison-seek-<wbr>silence-legitimate-positions-<wbr>israel/</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Continuing Attacks on Congressman Ellison Seek To Silence
Legitimate Positions on Israel<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">December 2, 2016<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The recent spate of attacks on Rep. Keith Ellison’s record
of support for Israel and the Jewish community need to come to an end. It is
time to retire the playbook that aims to silence any American official seeking
high office who has dared to criticize certain Israeli government policies.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">J Street believes that this recurrent process undermines our
ability to have open, honest and productive conversations about Israel and the
Middle East in our national politics, and that it does deep and lasting damage
to the American Jewish community.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Since Rep. Ellison announced his candidacy for the chair of
the DNC, J Street has been clear that while we do not take positions on
internal Democratic Party deliberations, we believe he is one of a number of
worthy candidates who warrants serious consideration for the position. Rep.
Ellison is and has long been a friend of Israel, a champion of pro-Israel,
pro-peace policies and an admirable elected official whose thoughtful and
considered leadership has shown deep respect for Jewish values and the Jewish
people.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Attempts to paint Rep. Ellison as anti-Israel or
anti-Semitic aid a concerted and transparent smear campaign driven by those
whose true objections may be to the Congressman’s religion, strong support for
the two-state solution and/or concern for Palestinian rights. These opponents
seek to unearth the slightest inartful statements from decades in public life,
take them out of context and use them as a weapon to silence responsible and
important voices like Rep. Ellison’s.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Their charges often have little to do with meaningful debate
over whether particular policies advance Israel’s security and future. Indeed,
Rep. Ellison has been criticized for taking positions, on Iran, Gaza and other
issues that are perfectly consistent with the views of the majority of American
Jews and many in the Israeli security establishment. <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It is clear that those who have long claimed a monopoly on
our national political conversation about Israel and the Middle East are
frustrated that there are now respected voices challenging hard-line positions
which, we believe, seriously endanger Israel’s future as a Jewish and
democratic state and rarely show regard for the rights of Palestinians.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">J Street has always stood for open debate, and we welcome
and respect disagreements over policy questions. But responsible leaders in the
American Jewish community must take care not to charge that those who are
critical of certain Israeli government policies are “anti-Israel,” or worse,
and thus not “qualified” to hold high national office. It is time to put away
the old playbook.<span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal">===</p><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888">
</font></span></div><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br clear="all"><div><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr">Robert Naiman<br>Policy Director<br>Just Foreign Policy<br><a href="http://www.justforeignpolicy.org" target="_blank">www.justforeignpolicy.org</a><br><a href="mailto:naiman@justforeignpolicy.org" target="_blank">naiman@justforeignpolicy.org</a><br><div><span style="text-align:left">(202) 448-2898 x1</span><br></div></div></div></div>
</font></span></div>
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