Friends,
A few weeks ago I wrote to you about a Palestinian playground in the occupied West Bank.
One week, invaded by extremist settlers intent on demonstrating their power and intimidating locals. The next, hosting Members of Congress and J Street staff playing with children, speaking with locals, experiencing the nuances, challenges and complexities of life for Palestinians and Israelis first-hand -- and learning how principled leadership can lead to a better future for all.
This week, Israeli authorities served a ‘stop work’ order on the playground, a key step on the path to issuing a demolition order.
Friends, I wrote earlier about our shared goal of a world in which Israeli and Palestinian children -- from Susya to Sderot to Gaza -- can play free from fear of intimidation or rocket sirens, and can dream of their future without limitation.
But from playgrounds to family homes to farms to clinics, it seems there’s nothing the settlement movement wouldn’t rather see demolished if it stands in the way of their goal of permanent, undemocratic control of the entire West Bank -- even if that includes the destruction of Israel’s own future as a proud, democratic homeland for the Jewish people as well.
Right now, we’re focused on our December goal of raising $280,000 from grassroots supporters to fuel the leadership and change leadership we need to see in 2022.
Your contribution will power our work to bring demolition and ‘stop work’ orders like this to the attention of Congress and the State Department, and to urge our government to use all channels possible to deter further destruction, to stop the erosion of Palestinian freedoms, and to protect our shared vision for Israel’s democracy.
Friends -- Can you chip in to help fuel this fight in the year ahead?
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Yes, we’ve got our work cut out for us. But our positions and values have the overwhelming support of Democratic voters and the overwhelming support of Jewish Americans. And we have a growing number of allies in Congress who care deeply about this issue and are champions for our values.
If we mobilize, organize, and build on these foundations, we know we can create the change we urgently need in the years to come.
Thank you, sincerely, for your support.
Jeremy Ben-Ami
President, J Street
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Friends --
I’ve just returned from a congressional delegation to Israel and the West Bank sponsored by the J Street Education Fund -- and I wanted to share two sets of images with you.
Taken just a week apart, they showcase two starkly different visions for Israel.
The first set is distressing.
Accompanied by IDF soldiers and dogs, far-right settlers break into a newly renovated children’s playground in Susya in the West Bank, intent on intimidating local Palestinian children and families.
The images are repellant. A defilement of every value I personally believe a just, democratic homeland for the Jewish people should embody.
But the second set of photos gives me hope.
Just one week later, they show our congressional delegation at the very same playground.
Members of Congress and J Street staff playing with children, speaking with locals and learning about the nuances, challenges and complexities of life for Palestinians and Israelis first-hand.
These two scenes illustrate two remarkably divergent visions for the future.
One rooted in control, discrimination, intimidation and injustice. The other rooted in equality, respect and peace. A vision of a just, secure and democratic Israel living alongside an independent state of Palestine. A vision of principled, values-driven US leadership to help get us there.
From Washington to Jerusalem to Ramallah, J Street is one of the few organizations dedicated to exploring the complexities of this conflict with unflinching nuance and empathy.
When you see members of Congress with tears in their eyes as they witness the occupation up close, you realize the impact we’re making. “I’ve been to Israel before, but I’ve never seen this,” is a familiar refrain from policymakers, lawmakers and their staff.
Whether it’s speaking with the families of those killed in conflict and terror attacks, seeing the occupation up close in cities like Hebron, or looking at the terrifying impact of Hamas rocket fire on towns in the Israeli south, ours is a trip that doesn’t pull any punches.
Thanks to JSEF’s Len Hill Education Program, our delegations visit Yad Vashem and the Old City of Jerusalem, speak with diplomatic and security experts, sit down with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, and meet with inspiring pro-peace activists on both sides of the Green Line. Most importantly, they meet the everyday Israelis and Palestinians whose lives are impacted most by the cycle of injustice, violence and retaliation.
Trip by trip, meeting by meeting, office by office, our movement is transforming American leaders’ understanding of the situation -- and rallying support for the principled, pro-Israel, pro-peace leadership necessary to build a better future.
We may yet have a long road to travel, but we should have no doubt that this sustained, powerful work is making a deep and lasting impact.
Together, we’re working toward a future in which the children in playgrounds from Susya to Jerusalem to Gaza to Tel Aviv can play without worrying about intimidation or rocket sirens, can dream of a future without fear or limitation, and can grow up to achieve their full potential.
Together, we’re challenging our leaders to help secure the promise of Israel as a just, democratic and peaceful homeland for the Jewish people -- and a future in which Palestinians have every equal measure of security, justice, peace, freedom and self-determination.
Thank you, sincerely, for being a part of this fight.
Yours
Jeremy Ben-Ami
President, J Street
