Walking to work this morning I read Lenny Ben-David's anti-J Street rant on my blackberry (emailed to me on one of my right-wing listservs). Given the author, I was not really surprised at anything I read -- disgusted, irritated, amused, but not surprised -- until I got to the paragraph attacking, by name, a dear friend of mine and a dear friend of the entire cause of Middle East peace: the amazing, dynamic, universally liked and respected Rebecca Abou-Chedid.
And what does Ben-David attack Rebecca for? Being of Arab descent and working for organizations that explicitly, publicly support Israeli-Palestinian peace and the two-state solution. Outrageous. Intolerable. I spent a good part of the day fuming. And then I read Spencer Ackerman's response, and I felt a lot better. I recommend it to all.
And what does Ben-David attack Rebecca for? Being of Arab descent and working for organizations that explicitly, publicly support Israeli-Palestinian peace and the two-state solution. Outrageous. Intolerable. I spent a good part of the day fuming. And then I read Spencer Ackerman's response, and I felt a lot better. I recommend it to all.
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Buzz
8/23 
Hello Ms. Friedman
I came across your blog this morning, talking about irritated, I was irritated by the way you people think.
What are you people talking about peace or two state solution? First of all Ms. Friedman you may not remember Yasser Arafat's words to the Muslim world, "Peace for us means the destruction of Israel" Yes I know he is dead (may his soul burn in hell for the rest of time) Abbas is no better then Arafat. Abbas has the same plans for Israel. Second Ms. Friedman: There already are two states; Israel and Jordan. The Arabs you call Palestinians came from Jordan and Egypt (better yet, now you have three states) go back to their states if they just want blow up Israelis the ones that want to live in peace and prosperity should stay I would love to have them in Israel. Does anyone in this organization asked themselves why does not Egypt and Jordan does not take these poor oppressed Arabs into their states? Did you think why Jordan is stripping Jordanian citizenship from the "Palestinians"? Answer these questions and you will have the solution for Peace. At times Ms. Friedman it feels like you people want Israel destroyed, what will you do then? Them Arabs will slice your throat just as well as mine, so I would be very careful at what you push for. Also keepp in mind anyone that tries to stop building in Jerusalem is no friend of Israel.
I hope you have yourself less irritating day.
Ms. Friedman --
I'm very sorry that you found it necessary to misstate the truth. As you can read in my comment to your friend, immediately after publication of her Foreign Policy posting, I couldn't care if her name were Golda Meir. I never attacker her personally or because of her heritage. My issue is the deception that J Street carries out with donors to their PAC, specifically not listing their true affiliation.
If it's easier for you and J Street's hysterical defenders to claim racism, I should probably have expected that. But if honesty means anything, I suggest you read my response to Abou Chedid. Please note my praise of Peace Now's transparency. It's not hard to ascertain who's on APN's board or who contributes, but that's a mystery when it comes to J Street.
7:39 PM ET
October 22, 2009
Your name could be Golda Meir
Ms. Abou-Chedid –
My reference to your involvement with J Street has nothing to do with your ancestry or even you personally. Your friends who label me a racist are only attempting to deflect attention away from the questions raised about J Street and its lack of transparency.
What I find disturbing about J Street is the deception surrounding it. A donor will sign federal documents saying he is "not working" and living in Orlando when he's actually Palestinian billionaire from the West Bank. You are registered in the PAC as a "consultant" for USUS, not for the Arab American Institute. These disclosures have nothing to do with ethnic background. Why do Saudi employees and partners -- WASPS, I presume -- like lawyer Nancy Dutton and former CIA station chief Ray Close give to a "pro-Israel" organization? Why would life-long Arabist diplomats? Or activists in Muslim centers around the U.S., centers which identify with the Muslim Brotherhood? Or Genevieve Lynch, an officer in the Iranian-American lobby, give $10,000+ to J Street's PAC?
If there were transparency to the organization, allowing people to see who makes the contrarian decisions and who pays the piper, then the mistrust would evaporate immediately. I suggest you make your donations to Peace Now or the Israel Policy Forum instead where the organizations' decision-makers and contributors are public record.
Or even better, launch an "Arab Peace Now" to convince Arab citizens to chose a path of peace. Presumably you and friends have the standing and influence in the Arab world. Your choice of J Street, therefore, which chooses to heap criticism on Israel and seeks to pressure only Israel, makes me wonder.
I also note your approval of "Attackerman's" blog. Does that include his physical threats against me, seconded by Rosenberg's comment, "if there's anything left of me."
Peace Now?
Yasser Beltran is Egyptian journalist and researcher since 1996. Covered Political and Cultural Affairs. He is also political activist, and the founder of Kbret Network (www.kbret.net), the first bloggers' network in Middle East.