[ ]J Street[ ]
Hi There,

The news comes fast and furious these days. I don’t want to overwhelm you,
but want to make sure you’ve seen a few key bits of news over the past few
days:

One, the Senate is expected to confirm Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas
to be US Ambassador to Israel. 

* J Street strongly opposed the nomination, noting Huckabee’s open
support of West Bank annexation, his embrace of extremist settlers and
total indifference to Israel’s democratic future or the civil rights
of Palestinians. 

* We expect the overwhelming majority of Democratic Senators to stand in
opposition to Huckabee's nomination – following all Democrats on the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee holding the line and voting no in
committee last week. 

* Huckabee’s appointment is further proof that, when push comes to
shove, President Trump is more interested in playing to his MAGA,
evangelical Christian Zionist base than to those in his administration
actively looking to make a long-term regional peace deal. 

Two, you may have missed it but Prime Minister Netanyahu jetted in and out
of Washington for a brief meeting yesterday with the President at the
White House.

* Bibi’s agenda? Primarily to talk his way out of Trump’s toxic tariffs.
Apparently that effort went nowhere, but he did find time to humor
Trump’s plan to have Palestinians "voluntarily" leave Gaza. 

* Let’s be clear: This proposal would amount to the forced displacement
of millions of war-weary Gazans – it’s ridiculous, totally unworkable
and morally repugnant. The bluster is also predictably dehumanizing.
Palestinians aren't pawns for Trump and Netanyahu's annexationist
dreams. Gaza isn't "real estate" to be sold off to the highest bidder.

Three, while we’re dealing with the chaos here, we’re also watching in
horror as violence continues to escalate in the West Bank.

* We were deeply disturbed by news that Israeli soldiers in the West
Bank shot and killed Omar Mohammed Saada Rabea, a 14-year-old
Palestinian-American boy, and injured two other boys, including a
15-year-old American citizen. 

* We’re particularly shocked that Israeli forces described these
children as “terrorists” based on the allegation they were seen
throwing rocks. We cannot accept this as justification for using live
gunfire, especially on children.

* These actions do nothing to make Israel safer. Instead, they fuel
anti-Israel terror recruitment, alienate the next generation in the
Jewish diaspora, and push Israel toward becoming an international
pariah. 

Finally, we’re deeply distressed by reports of Israeli forces firing upon
a clearly marked, clearly lit ambulance convoy in Gaza seeking to help
their missing colleagues, which is contrary to initial IDF reports that
suggested suspicious activity. 

* This should not have happened. It cannot keep happening. It puts the
remaining hostages at further risk and flies in the face of what the
majority of Israelis want – a definitive end to this devastating war. 

* There are, of course, real security issues at play in both Gaza and
the West Bank, but asking soldiers to treat every person in either
place as an expendable threat is devastating for our collective
humanity and corrosive to Israel’s soul. 

* With Netanyahu’s coalition ignoring pleas to return to the hostage
deal and the Trump Administration cheering on brazen violations of
international law, it's critical for American legislators, community
leaders and other pro-Israel voices to speak with firm moral clarity.

Given everything that’s happening, our collective voices are more
important now than ever. I wanted you to know that wherever the challenges
appear – here at home or on the ground in the Middle East – J Street will
continue speaking out as loudly and clearly as this moment demands. 

Thank you, sincerely, for standing with us. 

– Jeremy

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J Street is the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy
Americans who want Israel to be secure, democratic and the national home of the
Jewish people. Working in American politics and the Jewish community, we
advocate policies that advance shared US and Israeli interests as well as Jewish
and democratic values, leading to a two-state solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.



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