[ ]J Street [ ]
Dear Friend,

All of us who care deeply about the future of the State of Israel
understand that the country is currently at a crossroads -- and in the
midst of an historic national crisis.

The actions now being taken by the far-right Netanyahu government make its
agenda clear to see: To ensure the coalition’s founding commitment to
undemocratic control over all the land between the Jordan River and the
Mediterranean Sea, they are advancing plans to undermine the very legal
and democratic foundations of the state, enshrined in Israel’s founding
Declaration of Independence.

As the government plows ahead with its plan to destroy the independence of
the Supreme Court, prominent Israelis who oppose the government’s agenda
are making clear that they need us -- pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy
American Jews -- to speak up and stand with them.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, in a recent discussion with J
Street’s Jeremy Ben-Ami and top supporters, told us:

“I was never this worried as I am now for the future of the state of
Israel… Now I come to you… particularly to J Street… You have to speak out
everywhere you can, to every Member of Congress that you are friends with,
every member in the administration and tell them that what the Israeli
government is doing is going to break the basis for the bonds between the
State of Israel and America. That it is going to break the basic values
which hold us in common and have held us in common for generations.”

[ [link removed] ]You can watch highlights from Olmert’s message to J Street here:

[ [link removed] ]Screenshot of Ehud Olmert video with a blue play button superimposed on
it.

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[ [link removed] ]In another important message published in Haaretz, two experts on
Israeli security and foreign policy wrote:

“Israelis understand exactly what is at stake for our country -- and we
are saying so loudly and clearly. Now, we need our true friends in the
United States and around the world to join us -- exactly as J Street has…
J Street has not only earned its role as representative of the center and
center-left of American Jewry, it now has to struggle alongside its
Israeli liberal and progressive counterparts against the attack on the
democratic foundations of the Jewish state.”

In their piece, former deputy director of Israel’s national security
council Eran Etzion and former Ambassador to France Danny Shek make clear
that J Street is playing an absolutely critical role in the struggle for
Israel’s future:

“J Street ensures that U.S. elected officials receive a nuanced and honest
picture of Israel's reality from its security establishment, opposition
leaders and civil society -- not just from the government and its
cheerleaders. They make clear that while we Israelis need American help to
defend ourselves against rockets, terror attacks and other security
threats, we also need help to end the cycle of endless conflict, and to
achieve peace. They make clear that now, more than ever, we need help to
preserve and defend our democracy.”

While right-wing groups continue to try to silence the large majority of
our community, we know that we must listen to allies like Olmert, Etzion
and Shek -- and continue to speak out for our shared values and Israel’s
future as a democratic homeland for the Jewish people.

Want to share the Ehud Olmert video with your networks?
Use these links:

[ [link removed] ]Facebook [ [link removed] ]Twitter [ [link removed] ]YouTube

Want to share the Eran Etzion and Amb. Daniel Shek piece with your
networks?
Use these links:

[ [link removed] ]Facebook [ [link removed] ]Twitter

Thank you,

Adina Vogel Ayalon, Chief of Staff

 


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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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