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[2]Street Talk: J Street's Monthly Newsletter

Friend,

It is clear that we’re at a critical juncture for the future of democracy
in the United States, Israel and around the world.

With important political battles heating up in primary elections in the
United States, Israel headed to its fifth election in three years, and
President Biden just returning from his first presidential trip to the
Middle East, J Street is fighting on all fronts to defend our democratic
values, pursue peace and justice, and proudly represent the majority of
our community.

With so much at stake, we can’t allow right-wing groups and demagogic
leaders to shape our politics or define the future -- for Israelis and
Palestinians, or here at home. We have to keep mobilizing behind our own
proud vision for a better and safer world.

You can read all about that work in this month’s Street Talk newsletter
below.

Thank you for being a part of this movement,

Logan Bayroff
Vice President of Communications

AROUND J STREET

J Street's Key Takeaways from President Biden's Middle East Trip

[1]J Street's Key Takeaways from President Biden's Middle East Trip

Last week, President Biden and his team returned from the first Middle
East visit of his presidency. In anticipation of the trip, J Street
President Jeremy Ben-Ami wrote in a [ [link removed] ]Washington Post op-ed that
“President Biden's first official visit to Israel and the Middle East this
month provides an opportunity for a vital reset of US policy…Ignoring the
simmering tension, violence and injustice that dominate the Israeli and
Palestinian reality will further the continuing deterioration of the
status quo between the parties.”

Ultimately, Biden’s trip had significant positive moments, as well as
missed opportunities. While in the region, the President reaffirmed his
commitment to a two-state solution with borders based on the pre-1967
Green Line with land swaps -- rolling back the position taken by the Trump
administration and returning the US to alignment with the rest of the
world. J Street also welcomed his strong reaffirmation of the US-Israel
relationship and a number of tangible announcements that came out of the
trip -- including financial assistance to East Jerusalem hospitals and the
UN relief agency that provides health and education services to
Palestinians, as well as other incremental but positive steps to improve
daily life for those living under occupation.

Still, J Street made clear that much more can and should have been done.
American opposition to deepening occupation and de facto annexation needs
to be loud, clear and effective, and the dire state of the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict demands bolder action and leadership. The
critical regional normalization process with Arab states should continue
-- but should also make sure to proactively include the Palestinians and
promote the two-state solution, instead of sidelining them.

At J Street, we remain committed to pressing for the bold, transformative
and responsible steps that we know are needed to secure Israel’s future,
Palestinian rights and US interests -- and we won’t stop pushing for them.

[ [link removed] ]Read all of our key takeaways from the trip here >>

Standing With Our Allies and Standing Up to Right-Wing Millions in Democratic
Primaries

[4]Standing With Our Allies and Standing Up to Right-Wing Millions in
Democratic Primaries

As AIPAC and their SuperPAC have dumped nearly $30 million into Democratic
primaries this cycle to silence and defeat principled progressives -- all
while also endorsing over 100 Republicans who voted to overturn our
election on January 6, 2021 -- J Street has emerged as the most prominent
voice challenging their harmful tactics. Via JStreetPAC and the J Street
Action Fund, we’ve stood up for our friends and champions in the
pro-Israel, pro-peace movement, and made clear that AIPAC and their allies
do not speak for the majority of pro-Israel voters and American Jews.

We’ve stood with a broad coalition of partners to help endorsees like
Illinois’ Delia Ramirez and Pennsylvania’s Summer Lee triumph over attacks
from AIPAC and their ally Democratic Majority for Israel in key races --
ensuring that these talented, inspiring young leaders will be able to
fight for our values in Congress. In other battles -- like in Maryland,
where respected former Member of Congress Donna Edwards [ [link removed] ]faced nearly $7
million in AIPAC spending -- we’ve experienced tough defeats. Yet through
it all, we’re sounding the alarm about AIPAC’s deeply harmful channeling
of millions of dollars from GOP megadonors into Democratic primaries.

As these groups unfairly smear mainstream Democrats as “anti-Israel” and
spend millions to target them, it’s clear that they’re trying to limit the
space for politicians to back strong diplomacy, support Palestinian
rights, and criticize harmful policies that deepen occupation. [ [link removed] ]As J
Street told The New York Times, they are “driving a wedge between
communities of color, especially progressives, and the Jewish
community…turning Israel into a political football…AIPAC is trying to shut
down the discussion.”

With so much on the line for the future of US foreign policy, the
Democratic party, and the health of our democracy itself, we’ll keep
battling to stand up to bullies and stand up for champions like
progressive Jewish leader Rep. Andy Levin, who faces a deluge of AIPAC
spending before his upcoming primary. This month, [ [link removed] ]the Action Fund made
a $700,000 investment in television ads in Levin's hotly-contested
Michigan primary -- earning widespread recognition in outlets like [ [link removed] ]The
Washington Post, [ [link removed] ]CNN, [ [link removed] ]Politico and many more. Our ads make clear to
voters that Levin's opponent relies on millions of dollars in support from
a GOP-donor-funded group that endorses extremist Republicans.

Pushing Back on Forced Displacement and Demolitions in the West Bank

[11]Pushing Back on Forced Displacement and Demolitions in the West Bank

After a court decision earlier this summer gave the Israeli government the
go-ahead for the displacement and demolition of several communities in the
West Bank area of Masafer Yatta, over 1,000 Palestinians are at risk of
being forced from their homes. The demolitions, which have already begun,
threaten to become the largest act of mass displacement in decades.

Ahead of President Biden’s visit to the region, J Street and our allies
sprang into action. Together with 14 other Jewish groups, including the
Union for Reform Judaism, the Reconstructionist Movement, the National
Council of Jewish Women and the entirety of the Progressive Israel
Network, [ [link removed] ]we wrote to the Biden administration urging them to push back
strongly against this displacement. “This relocation of Palestinian
families from homes they have lived in for generations could spark
violence, is in direct violation of international humanitarian law, and
could further undermine efforts to reach a two-state solution.” [ [link removed] ]That
effort built on a similar J Street-backed letter signed by 83 Members of
Congress last month.

Masafer Yatta is located in “Area C” of the occupied West Bank -- under
full Israeli control. The government has designated the area a military
training zone -- calling it “Firing Zone 918” -- and is using this as a
rationale to argue that the residents have no right to the land. In a new
Issue Brief, Dr. Debra Shushan, J Street’s Director of Policy, reviewed
the history and practice of establishing "firing zones" in occupied
territory. [ [link removed] ]Read the brief here >>

Diving deeper into the situation unfolding in Masafer Yatta, The
Progressive Israel Network hosted a webinar to discuss what these
evictions can tell us about the systemic realities of occupation, and what
the international community should do about it. [ [link removed] ]You can watch a
recording of the webinar here >>

Our Israel: Meet the Israeli Organizations Working for Change

Incredible Israeli grassroots advocates and activists are fighting for a
more just, equal and peaceful future for their country and for both the
Israeli and Palestinian peoples. J Street is proud to highlight their
critical work through our Our Israel profile series.

Nitzan Horowitz, the outgoing leader of the Meretz Party and an LGBT+
trailblazer, sat down with J Street in June in honor of pride month to
talk about LGBT+ rights in Israel, his record, and the challenges ahead.
As he prepares to step down as leader before the upcoming elections, his
positive legacy for the LGBT+ community stands strong. "When I first
entered politics 14 years ago, nobody would have imagined having a gay
minister in the cabinet," Minister Horowitz told J Street.

[ [link removed] ]Read the complete profile and interview with Nitzan Horowitz here >>

You're Invited! The 2022 J Street National Conference

[17]Register to join us at our National Conference this December.

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.

The theme of the conference is “Living Our Values, Defending Democracy.”
Taking place both in-person and virtually from December 3-5, 2022, it will
bring together top lawmakers, activists, and experts to explore how we can
best mobilize to take on and defeat the far-right at home and
abroad. [ [link removed] ]Reserve your tickets now >>

Must Reads

* [ [link removed] ]Biden says he wants a two-state solution. Why is he silent on Israeli
settlements?, Vox

* [ [link removed] ]Former security-diplomatic chiefs speak on Biden's visit, The
Jerusalem Post

* [ [link removed] ]Israel’s Unlikely Breakthrough, Foreign Affairs

[ [link removed] ]Pro-Israel hardliners spend millions to transform Democratic primaries,
Guardian


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© 2022 J Street | [ [link removed] ]www.jstreet.org | [email protected]

J Street is the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace 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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