Yesterday, after the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) slammed
Congressman Berman for speaking to APN, I took them on over Twitter.
I was deeply frustrated with the RJC's low blow:
1) The RJC's attack on Berman was transparently about petty partisan politics. And peace for Israel is more important than that.
2) The RJC argued that a discussion about the toll of the occupation on Israel is somehow beyond the pale. But for America to be a real friend of Israel, we need to be open and honest about what's at stake. I have a beef with anybody who tries to stifle debate on Israel.
I was deeply frustrated with the RJC's low blow:
1) The RJC's attack on Berman was transparently about petty partisan politics. And peace for Israel is more important than that.
2) The RJC argued that a discussion about the toll of the occupation on Israel is somehow beyond the pale. But for America to be a real friend of Israel, we need to be open and honest about what's at stake. I have a beef with anybody who tries to stifle debate on Israel.
Below is the read-out of the Twitter debate, which at various times was joined in on by J Street, the New Israel Fund, and other activists: (For those of you not familiar with Twitter, each message is limited to 140 characters, and so a great deal of shorthand is used.)
RJC: Powerful Dem encourages anti-#Israel fringe RT @tabletmag Howard Berman Fears 'Immense Toll' of Occupation http://tinyurl.com/ydj8eaw #jcot
Noam: "Is there anybody... foolish enough to label the Foreign Affairs chair anti-Israel?" http://bit.ly/8wge2f Any response @RJCHQ?
RJC: @NoamShelef_APN We stand by our tweet. http://is.gd/71Iyn
Noam: @RJCHQ Would you similarly say Rabin encouraged the "anti-Israel fringe" when he spoke at #PeaceNow demos?
RJC: @NoamShelef_APN Like we said: Not seeing the need to expand on the initial tweet: http://is.gd/71Iyn PS: http://is.gd/71Wd6 #israel #jcot
JStreet: RT @NoamShelef_APN: "Is anybody...foolish enough to label Foreign Affairs chair anti-Israel?" http://bit.ly/8wge2f Any response @RJCHQ?
RJC: @jstreetdotorg You're late to the party. http://is.gd/71Wd6
Noam: @RJCHQ Would you similarly say Abba Eban encouraged the "anti-Israel fringe" when he solicited donations for #PeaceNow?
Noam: @RJCHQ If u don't think Rabin encouraged the "anti-Israel fringe" when he spoke at #PeaceNow demos, how can u stand by your tweet re Berman?
Noam: @RJCHQ Is it because you care more about partisan politics than what's best for Israel?
RJC: @NoamShelef_APN Your gambit is intriguing, but we're pretty present tense oriented over here. Not inclined to parse historical parallels.
RJC: @NoamShelef_APN Also, unlike you, most of our plaudits and brickbats are for American politicians; we don't play favorites wrt #Israel scene
Noam: @RJCHQ The parallel was Besser's: http://bit.ly/8wge2f
Noam: @RJCHQ Would you say Ehud Barak encouraged the "anti-Israel fringe" when he called #PeaceNow an integral part of Israeli society?
RJC: @NoamShelef_APN See previous 2 tweets. Unlike you, we don't presume to tell voters in #Israel how to vote.
Noam: @RJCHQ No need to get huffy. Neither APN nor #PeaceNow tell voters how to vote. And Barak's comment was recent: http://bit.ly/8lLe71
KungFuJew18: Apparently @RJCHQ believes that two-state solution is for the "anti-#Israel fringe," meaning Americans for Peace Now. WTF?
RJC: @kungfujew18 No. You are twisting our words. Knowingly?
KungFuJew18: @RJCHQ I read the tweet -- "Powerful Dem encourages anti-#Israel fringe" by complimenting APN.
New Israel Fund: Not that we get involved in politics, but did @RJCHQ just call Americans for Peace Now an anti-Israel fringe? Who are they kidding?
RJC: @NewIsraelFund No. You can read our tweets yourself if you are confused. #LashonHara
New Israel Fund: @RJCHQ We read what you sent: Dem encourages anti-Israel fringe + link to article about Berman and APN. #novicetweeters
Noam: @RJCHQ I'm still curious: Do u stand by your anti-APN, anti-Berman tweet because u care more about partisan games than u care about Israel?
RJC: @NoamShelef_APN Congratulations. You've boiled your question down to a textbook "when did you stop beating your wife".
Noam: @RJCHQ I wasn't looking for a "congratulations." Is an apology too much to ask for? How about a retraction? A reasonable explanation?
RJC: @NoamShelef_APN Our formulation does not state a congruence between anti-#Israel fringe that will draw comfort from Berman remarks and APN.
RJC: @NoamShelef_APN Moreover, our formulation wasnt intended 2imply such a congruence. Criticism was of Berman, for his remarks. And it stands.
Noam: @RJCHQ So anybody concerned by the toll of the occupation is encouraging an anti-Israel fringe? Does that apply here? http://bit.ly/8Yy1Ke
A quick update: After this blog post appeared (and after the RJC had to respond to criticism from a number of other individuals on this issue via Twitter) the RJC said they would accept my "challenge to rise above partisanship" and offered praise for selective comments made by Berman to APN.
Even if we take these statements at face value (although I remain concerned that they were more sarcastic than sincere), they failed to address one of the two reason behind my frustration with the RJC's initial tweet: namely, that the RJC thinks it's wrong for American leaders to talk openly about the toll of the occupation. Moreover, other tweets by the RJC in recent days continue the pattern of transparently partisan-based bickering over issues of peace for Israel.
In my years in Washington I have seen both Democrats and Republicans champion the cause of peace for Israel. What would it take for the RJC to rise to this challenge?
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8/23 
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