Jewish Voices Claiming to Be for Peace but Sabotaging It

This was found at www.eurotrib.com/story/2009/5/4/204019/0316.

It's an example of misguided people claiming to be working for peace but actually acting in ways which make peace less likely while criticizing one of the strongest Jewish voices working diligently for peace, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

We post it here with some comments.

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Guess what's outside the AIPAC conference

United States: catalyst for peace or financier of conflict? Ask Congress to investigate tax dollars used to harm civilians in Gaza.

So says the sign on this truck, parked outside of the site of the AIPAC Conference going on May 3-5, which was paid for by Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP). It is nice to know that AIPAC will not get into and out of town without some comment on its perennial function: to get the US Congress to continue military aid and funding to Israel, free and clear without any limitations on its uses.

[Actually, there are significant limitations on the uses by Israel of American military aid, but why let the facts get in the way of biased argument?]

Palestinians on the ground in Gaza during Israel's invasion reported "Made in USA" on weapons used to kill innocent civilians including entire families and over 400 children. Phosphorous bombs, DIME munitions, the planes the dropped them, the tanks that shelled homes and even UN facilities where many civilians sought refuge in vain, were of American origin.

[JVP is apparently unaware that Hamas has long been waging war against Israeli civilians and increased the intensity of that war after Israel turned all of Gaza over the the Palestinian Authority. JVP is also apparently unaware that Hamas deliberately operates from within residential areas, making civilian casualties inevitable, but despite this Israel took extraordinary measures and managed to keep casualties among innocents to an historically low level during its defensive operation in Gaza.]

JVP's message:

Here's a little something we've kept to ourselves until today... Why? Well, we wanted to make sure the truck pictured here was already rolling on the streets in front of the AIPAC Conference and the US Capitol.

In our line of justice work, you never know if a contract will get canceled at the last minute, or if other, bigger trucks will show up on the scene.

But we're happy to report we're on the ground in Washington, DC along with volunteer activists who are handing out flyers and talking to attendees.

[Their presence was more obvious to themselves than to those attending the AIPAC Policy Conference; I never once saw their truck during the three days of the conference.]

From May 3-5, AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, is holding the country's largest annual gathering of activists, students and political leaders dedicated to "supporting Israel."

[Left out is that they are dedicated to supporting not just Israel, but Israel's so far unrequited quest for peace along with the American-Israeli reliationship, one which is important for both countries and which is based on the shared values of America and Israel, values which JVP purports to support but so often works against.]

But we wanted to be there with our message because we think their right-wing agenda actually harms Israelis, harms Palestinians and harms all of us who want justice, peace and stability in the region.

As Vice-President Joe Biden and countless members of Congress make their appearance at the annual AIPAC Conference in DC, they are being met with JVP's message of hope and accountability about US funds and Gaza.

[Nowhere is there a message about the key roadblock to peace: the continued refuasal of the Palestinian Arabs and their leadership, including the so-called "moderate" government of Abu Mazen/Mahmoud Abbas, to accept the reality of the democratic, Western-oriented Jewish state of Israel.]

They will see that many of us--you and me--care for both Israelis and Palestinians and ask our government to do the same.

[The best way to promote the best interests of both Israelis and Palestinian Arabs is to pressure the leadership of the Palestinians to end their strategic campaign of hatred, terrorism and rejectionism and negotiate, free from threats, a reasonable compromise ending the conflict which they and their brethren began and have perpetuated for more than half a century.]

Surely at the conference many will speak about peace. In fact, the conference platform talks about 'peace principles.' But simply talking about peace is cheap.

[Exactly. JVP talks about peace, but effectively works to make peace less likely.

If JVP wants to stop being counterproductive, it should start acting intelligently to promote peace. One good start would be to support one of the strongest Jewish and non-Jewish voices for peace, AIPAC.]

AIPAC insists on more unconditional military aid to Israel, without taking stock of--or even mentioning--the attacks on civilians in Gaza.

[JVP insists on stripping the ability of Israel to defend its civilians, "without taking stock of--or even mentioning--the attacks on civilians" from Gaza.]

AIPAC decries any divestment from the Israeli occupation--do they even know there's an occupation?

[Is JVP aware that what little was left of the Israeli occupation which was left after most of Gaza was turned over to the Palestinian Authority in 1994 was completely ended in 2005? Is JVP aware the "moderate" branch of the Palestinian Authority governing most of Judea and Samaria would quickly fall, leaving the area to Hamas and ending any chance for peace for even more generations, were Israel to follow JVP's advice?]

--but pushes for divestment from Iran. We are there now to remind them that there are real people and real lives being destroyed by US support for the occupation.

[See above.]

Please help us bring accountability to Washington, DC. It's our money, our choice.

[It is our money and our choice. Thus far, the American people and their representatives have wisely chosen to support our only real friend in the Middle East, the only real force for peace.]

Thanks

If you would like to help JVP cover the $5,000 it cost to put this important message in front of the AIPAC attendees, and the journalists covering them, click HERE.

[Fortunately, JVP, which would more accurately be called Jewish Voices inadvertantly working against Peace, was virtually invisible as more than 6,000 real supporters of peace made their voices heard in our nation's capital.]