Friends,
The fall Jewish holiday season is always a busy time in our community -- and frequently a very busy time for Congress as well. Over the past few weeks, while so much of our country has been understandably focused on the negotiations over infrastructure, reconciliation and the debt ceiling, we also saw the introduction of one of the most exciting and comprehensive pieces of legislation ever put forward to help resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and oppose the occupation.
The Two-State Solution Act, introduced in late September by Rep. Andy Levin and already co-sponsored by a wide range of influential lawmakers, seeks to ensure that US support for Israeli-Palestinian peace goes beyond lip service and focuses on real action. It includes a number of key measures and policies designed to fully roll back the harmful policies of Donald Trump, to reinvigorate diplomacy and peacebuilding, and to make clear that endless occupation is unjust, unacceptable and harmful to both peoples.
At J Street we’ve already been hard at work building support and visibility for this bill, and with your help, we’re set to step up those efforts in the months ahead. Below, in this month’s Street Talk, you’ll find more details on this landmark effort, an exciting invitation to register for our upcoming 2022 National Conference, and other important updates and analyses.
Thank you,
Logan Bayroff
Vice President of Communications
AROUND J STREET
J Street Stands Alongside Lawmakers to Welcome Two-State Solution Act
On Thursday, September 23rd, Congressman Andy Levin introduced the Two-State Solution Act into the House of Representatives. First featured in a prominent Politico report, the bill, co-sponsored by more than two dozen influential House lawmakers including Reps. Barbara Lee, Rosa DeLauro and Joaquin Castro, embraces a number of key actions that the US government can and must take in order to truly support a peaceful two-state solution, an end to the occupation and to secure Israel’s future as a democratic homeland for the Jewish people. Here at J Street, we are extremely excited about the bill, and see it as a major vehicle to help advance our advocacy agenda and mission.
“This is the most significant and meaningful piece of legislation in over a decade when it comes to supporting Israel’s security, supporting Palestinian rights, and supporting Israel’s future as a just and truly democratic homeland for the Jewish people,” said J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami, speaking at an introductory press conference for the bill on Capitol Hill alongside Rep. Levin and other congressional co-sponsors.
To hear more from Rep. Levin himself about why he introduced this bill, you can watch this video or read this blog post.
The bill empowers the US government to take responsible measures to push back against actions that deepen the occupation and entrench the unjust status quo in the region by declaring settlements illegal, rolling back a number of disastrous pro-settlement Trump administration policies, and ensuring that American security assistance funds cannot be used to help deepen occupation or violate Palestinian rights. It also includes key provisions to promote successful diplomacy and peacebuilding efforts to help lay the groundwork for a two-state solution, like reopening the US consulate in Jerusalem and the PLO mission in Washington, DC.
To learn more about the comprehensive measures this bill takes to meaningfully promote a two-state solution, read more here >>
TAKE ACTION: Help Build Support for the Two-State Solution Act
The introduction of this bill is a critical moment for J Street. It provides us with one of the most significant opportunities we’ve ever had to demonstrate that our policy goals are popular with a wide range of Members of Congress. Building strong support for the legislation will also send a clear message to the Biden Administration that they have the political space needed to take bolder, more forceful action to address the root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Given the number of prominent, right-leaning groups that oppose strong American diplomacy and deny that the occupation exists, we know we can expect strong pushback. If we’re going to succeed, the entirety of our pro-Israel, pro-peace movement has to get in the fight. We need your help. That starts by contacting your Member of Congress to urge them to co-sponsor the Two-State Solution Act or to thank them for already doing so.
Add your name to our petition calling on Congress to urgently pass the Two-State Solution Act >>
Our Israel: The Struggle Against Home Demolitions and Evictions
“Our Israel” is a J Street initiative to spotlight amazing Israeli organizations and individuals who share our values and who struggle, as we do in the United States, to build and preserve a liberal, democratic society underpinned by the principles of equality, freedom, justice and peace.
This month we spoke with Ir Amim, a Jerusalem-based non-profit that focuses on safeguarding the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to live in Jerusalem, and on fostering conditions for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. It uses a combination of public and legal advocacy, painstaking field research and reporting, and collaborative coalition-building to push back on the forces seeking to entrench Israeli settler control of East Jerusalem -- and to help promote a just and peaceful future in the city for both peoples.
Read the full profile of Ir Amim and the great work it is doing here >>
Fresh Analysis and Must-Reads from J Street
Over the past month, J Street staffers have worked to keep our supporters well-informed with timely analysis, personal reflections and helpful resources. Here are some of the “must-reads” we hope you’ll read and share:
- J Street’s Work and the Legacy of 9/11: “20 years on, the debate continues between those of us who champion diplomacy, multilateralism and human rights and those very same people who led us into devastating, fruitless wars over the past two decades.” Read J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami’s full personal reflection on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 >>
- Urgent Action Needed Ahead of Looming Climate Catastrophe For Palestinians and Israelis: “Israelis and Palestinians will not be spared — and the profound changes may have a significant impact on the conflict itself, and more broadly across the region.” Read our analysis of the impact climate change will have on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict >>
- Biden’s Decision On Egypt Shows the Important Distinction Between Conditioning and Restricting Security Aid: “End-use restrictions are an important accountability mechanism that allows us to ensure our aid is not undermining human rights and running counter to our security interests.” Read our examination of what the Biden administration’s recent decisions about security aid to Egypt tell us about how oversight over security aid to Israel can work >>
- Reflections on the High Holidays: In the spirit of the Jewish High Holidays last month, J Street released a number of reflections from members of our Rabbinic and Cantorial Cabinet on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah.
- Every Discriminatory Home Demolition Bulldozes Israel’s Future As Well: ‘It does nothing to enhance our security,” wrote J Street Israel’s Eve Lifson. “It does nothing to uphold our values. It only destroys Palestinians lives, degrades our commitment to justice and puts young Israelis in harm’s way to defend an indefensible status quo.” Read Eve’s full, moving blog post about the damage that home demolitions are doing not just to Palestinians, but to Israel's future as well >>
Register Now for Our 2022 Conference!
J Street has recently announced that our next National Conference in April of 2022 will take place...in person! The J Street National Conference is the year’s largest gathering of pro-peace, pro-Israel activists -- and one of the most important, talked-about annual events in the worlds of foreign policy and progressive politics. This year promises to be as jam-packed and exciting as ever, with a lineup of star speakers, a critical focus on the 2022 midterm elections and an important, empowering Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill. The conference will take place from April 2-5, 2022. The safety of the attendees will be our top priority -- and the conference will include a virtual option for those unable to join us in person.
Register for early bird tickets now >>
