[Peace] J Street: Continuing Attacks on Congressman Ellison Seek To Silence Legitimate Positions on Israel

[Robert Naiman]

http://jstreet.org/press-releases/continuing-attacks-
congressman-ellison-seek-silence-legitimate-positions-israel/



Continuing Attacks on Congressman Ellison Seek To Silence Legitimate
Positions on Israel



December 2, 2016



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.



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.



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.



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.



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.



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.



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.


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Robert Naiman
Policy Director
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
(202) 448-2898 x1
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