[ ]J Street [ ]
Dear Friends

On Friday, I returned home from an intensive week in Israel and the
Palestinian Territory with the J Street Education Fund’s latest
Congressional delegation to the region.

The good news: this was our largest-ever delegation, with fifteen
impressive Members of Congress determined to come to grips with the
tremendous challenges of the moment and with what Congress and the US
government can do about them.

[1]Members of Congress on J Street's Congressional Delegation with Israeli
President Isaac Herzog

I left feeling proud of the ground we cover on these nuanced trips and
hopeful about the leadership of thoughtful Members of Congress like those
who joined us on this trip.

Now for the bad news.

The situation in Israel, and particularly in the occupied West Bank, is
about as dire as I have ever seen it -- and growing worse every day. Just
in the past 48 hours, we have seen appalling acts of violence and terror.

A Palestinian gunman killed two Israelis on Sunday as they drove through
the Palestinian town of Huwara. Israeli settlers then carried out a
devastating pogrom against Huwara, in which buildings were set on fire,
nearly one hundred Palestinians were wounded and at least one was reported
killed. On Monday, a Palestinian gunman killed a young Israeli-American
man who was also a US citizen as he drove in the West Bank, near Jericho.

This surge in violence comes against the backdrop of the incendiary agenda
being pursued by the far-right Netanyahu government.

This government has moved to dramatically undercut liberal democracy and
the rule of law in Israel, promoting deeply unpopular legislation that
would destroy the independence of the Supreme Court. This push has sparked
a massive protest movement unlike any Israel has seen before.

At the same time, the government has made major moves toward annexation in
the West Bank. Just last week, they decided to “legalize” nine settlement
outposts previously unauthorized by the Israeli government; moved forward
with the construction of over 7,000 new settlement housing units; and
formally handed significant control over the West Bank to a civilian
settler leader, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Let’s be clear: The two prongs of this agenda, undermining democracy and
advancing annexation, are inextricably linked.

Our delegation began on Saturday night in Tel Aviv, just as tens of
thousands of Israelis were taking to the streets to stand up for their
democracy and against what many there refer to as a ‘judicial coup.’ We
were in the Knesset last Monday as initial votes were taking place on
these proposals.

The Members of Congress saw the passion that those who value Israel’s
democracy bring to this battle over the future of the country. They saw
the breadth and depth of the movement -- that J Street supports -- working
to preserve the separation of powers, the independence of the courts and
the rule of law.

They also heard from many of our Israeli allies that what underlies the
right’s anti-democratic efforts is their belief that the Court is a major
obstacle to their ambition to take over more and more Palestinian land.

J Street will continue to stress that opposition to the new government’s
agenda must be an integrated package. The annexationist and
anti-democratic elements of that agenda are two parts of one ideological
whole that can’t be defeated if not recognized for what they are.

Our role in supporting those in Israel fighting for their democracy is to
press the Biden Administration to take stronger steps to deter the
far-right agenda. To date, the administration’s approach has been
inadequate.

Consider what happened Sunday. As events in the West Bank spiraled further
out of control, the US brought together in Aqaba, Jordan, officials from
Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt and Jordan -- something that
hasn’t happened in years and is an important step.

The meeting led to a communique from the parties in which they committed
to restore calm, and Israel specifically agreed not to further expand
settlements or legalize outposts for several months.

Yet what is the value of such a commitment when it does nothing to roll
back or penalize the dramatic steps Israel took just the week before? When
someone has just cleaned out the grocery store of a year’s worth of
supplies and then promises not to do it again for six months, what exactly
has been gained if they don’t give back what they took?

Worse, the ink wasn’t even dry on the agreement when members of the
security cabinet publicly denied its terms and stated that they would not
abide by it. Finance Minister Smotrich said he “has no clue” what was said
at this “superfluous summit” in Jordan and National Security Minister Ben
Gvir said, “what happened in Jordan (if it happened), will stay in
Jordan.” Netanyahu himself later said that “There is and will not be any
freeze.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu assures the US that his “hands are on the wheel”
and that he will “rein in” the extremists in his coalition. The truth is
that he has not and cannot -- and the car is heading off of a cliff.

The Biden Administration must be stronger in its opposition to the Israeli
government’s agenda. The West Bank is on fire, Israel’s democracy hangs in
the balance and the assurances of the Prime Minister that he has it all
under control are simply not credible.

There must be clear redlines and tangible consequences for the steps that
Israel is now taking.

I say this with a heavy heart, as someone deeply committed to the state of
Israel and its security, democracy and Jewish character -- all of which
are at risk in the immediate future.

Ensuring that the US-Israel relationship remains rooted in the values we
share means standing with Israelis fighting for the future and the soul of
their country.

J Street and I are proud to back them, and we urge the Biden
Administration and Congress to join us.

Thank you for all you do,

Jeremy Ben-Ami, President


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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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