Post by Paddy by Grace on Apr 5, 2010 8:20:40 GMT -7
Written by the son of a Holocaust survivor
Please accept my request that you read this entire email. It is a critical time for American Jews, and if we do not act accordingly, we will pay the price in the future.
78% of American Jewish voters supported the Obama campaign with votes and money, significantly more than any group. If we speak as a united voice, we will be heard.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock I am sure you are at least somewhat aware with last week’s situation in which a low level Israeli bureaucrat announced the approval of new housing in Jerusalem.
I have no idea what type of media you watch or read to get the news but I will share a few basic facts about these new “settlements”:
1. The neighborhood that Israel approved the new housing in is called Ramat Shlomo. It is home to mostly religious Jews.
2. The approval announced represents the fourth of seven necessary steps to break ground. Estimated time to begin building, three years.
3. The neighborhood in question is not part of an Israeli acknowledged disputed* area and has never been offered in the two major peace initiatives Israel has presented to the Palestinians. Clinton/Barak (Labor) in 2000, Olmert (Kadima) 2008. Both plans were rejected out of hand by the Palestinians.
(*This is assuming that the entire state of Israel is not considered disputed by the Arab side which is debatable.)
4. Upon pressure from the Obama administration last summer, Israel agreed to a temporary freeze on construction in disputed areas (West Bank) for a period of ten months. As part of this agreement Israel did not concur to cease construction in Jerusalem. I repeat, ISRAEL DID NOT AGREE TO CEASE CONSTRUCTION IN JERUSALEM. Secretary of State Clinton and the Obama White House lauded this agreement.
I am not writing you to sway your opinion about national politics or the complicated quest for peace in the Middle East. At this time, I am uninterested in a debate about health care, the stimulus, Iraq, Afghanistan and even jobs. I am writing in hopes that you will take a specific action or number of actions regarding the treatment of Israel by the Obama administration. And, that you will do it immediately.
Whether you have supported President Obama or not, are a Democrat or a Republican, in favor of health care reform, the Stimulus package, immigration reform, etc you have to be struck by the tenor of the recent language coming out of the White House regarding Israel.
State Department Spokesman PJ Crowley, White House Press Secretary Joe Gibbs, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and advisor David Axelrod have all voiced their anger and condemnation among other adjectives over Israel’s announcement that the housing project in question had passed the fourth of seven levels to begin construction. In language not even used for stated enemies of the United States such as Iran and North Korea the Government of the United States has publically dressed down, explicitly, her most stable and democratic alley in the Middle East, Israel.
It has even been reported that President Obama himself was “incensed” at the “Israeli provocation”. Imagine, no drama Obama “incensed”! I don’t even think it was reported that he was “incensed” about the Christmas Day bomber, the Ft Hood massacre or the Iranian governments killing of opposition protestors. Nothing seems to raise the ire of President Obama like Jews building homes in Jewish neighborhoods of Jerusalem. This is obscene. And, no matter high highly you regard our President, you have to be taken aback by the ferocity of his staffs attacks. (Remember the rumored rant of Bush I Secretary of State James Baker saying “F the Jews, they didn’t vote for us”. Well, what is the Obama Administration responding? “F the Jews, they did”.)
Totally absent however, is administration condemnation of Palestinian provocations such as the incitement of riots at Jewish holy sites (within the last few days), the dedication of a town square to a terrorist who murdered 37 Israeli women and children in 1977 and the refusal, for 15 months of the Palestinians to sit at a negotiation table with Israel. Yesterday, PJ Crowley did comment about the Palestinian call for rioting at Jewish Holy Sites. But, no angry call from Secretary Clinton, no Sunday morning show press blitz and no mention of how quickly a PA incited Muslim / Jewish religious site battle can inflame the region. No administration acknowledgement that the dangers Palestinian incitements far outweigh zoning in Jerusalem.
Make no mistake friends, this disproportionate response in a shot across the bow for every American Jew, regardless of your level of wealth, political affiliation or affection for Israel. It is state sponsored incitement. This opens us up to anti-Semitic actions and begs the obvious question; what happens when the state sponsored incitement against Israel perpetuated by this White House becomes state sponsored actions?
Some of you may argue that it is the Government of Benjamin Netanyahu that the Obama Administration has such disdain for. Perhaps, but it still is no excuse for the level of aggression aimed at Israel over this issue. If this is the response to Jews approving the fourth of seven steps to build housing for Jews in a Jewish area of Jerusalem then what will the response be when Israel inevitably has to take military action to defend itself from Hamas, Hezbollah and / or Iran? What happens when Israel really is forced to really “cross the line”?
I know, sadly, that for some of you Israel is not an important topic. Or perhaps a number of you love Israel but really do not have the time or the inclination to understand all of the nuances of the Middle East conflict.
We Jews are an amazing people. For over 5000 years we have survived in a world where most other ancient people have disappeared into the pages of history. The Torah, our brother Christians New Testament and the Talmud have been the basis for Western Civilization. Expelled from the land of our ancestors several times, we have returned and rebuilt the Jewish state of Israel, rebelled against the mighty empire of Rome, experienced good and bad times from 70 AD to the 1400’s, inquisitions, ghettos, pogroms and finally the Holocaust. Jews have more than gotten by, we have thrived. Amazingly, we are still here; a robust and flourishing people.
And yet, we are, more often than not, a divided people. Throughout our history our strong opinions and strong desire for learning has left us with much to disagree about. But, make no mistake, we remain united in our desire to live, as Jews, religious or not, in a place where we can practice our religion freely, love and support our families strongly and participate in the world without fear.
No matter how you feel about Israel and her policies cannot interfere with what is necessary here. The tenor of the administration against Israel has gone un-checked for too long. You must, as an American Jew, stand up, right now, or forever watch Israel become a doormat of our foreign policy.
As an American Jew, you must let this administration and all elected officials from both political parties clearly know that YOU STAND BY ISRAEL. Despite any policy differences, YOU STAND BY ISRAEL. You will not support with votes or money any candidate or elected official that uses language usually held for our worst enemies when referring to Israel. That we, American Jews, recognize very clearly from our experience in the last 2000 years culminating with the Holocaust what this level of animosity and the words that fuel it, lead to. Penny Pritzker, Lester Crown and any Democratic fund raisers you know should hear this message, loud and clear.
You must, as American Jews, stand up, right now, and strongly affirm that no matter how religious you are, how political you are, how wealthy or not you are, how liberal or conservative you are, etc., YOU STAND WITH ISRAEL and will not, under any circumstance, stand down when it comes to the security of Israel and the tone of the US relationship with it.
My name is David Turner. I am the son of Holocaust survivors and a proud citizen of the United States of America. I stand with love and admiration for our staunch ally, the state of Israel. I reject, with no hesitation, the insidious manner in which the current administration has treated our ally Israel and will do all I can to ensure that American Jews understand what is at stake.
I hope you share my passion and will contact the White House and all pertinent parties as quickly as possible.
Please accept my request that you read this entire email. It is a critical time for American Jews, and if we do not act accordingly, we will pay the price in the future.
78% of American Jewish voters supported the Obama campaign with votes and money, significantly more than any group. If we speak as a united voice, we will be heard.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock I am sure you are at least somewhat aware with last week’s situation in which a low level Israeli bureaucrat announced the approval of new housing in Jerusalem.
I have no idea what type of media you watch or read to get the news but I will share a few basic facts about these new “settlements”:
1. The neighborhood that Israel approved the new housing in is called Ramat Shlomo. It is home to mostly religious Jews.
2. The approval announced represents the fourth of seven necessary steps to break ground. Estimated time to begin building, three years.
3. The neighborhood in question is not part of an Israeli acknowledged disputed* area and has never been offered in the two major peace initiatives Israel has presented to the Palestinians. Clinton/Barak (Labor) in 2000, Olmert (Kadima) 2008. Both plans were rejected out of hand by the Palestinians.
(*This is assuming that the entire state of Israel is not considered disputed by the Arab side which is debatable.)
4. Upon pressure from the Obama administration last summer, Israel agreed to a temporary freeze on construction in disputed areas (West Bank) for a period of ten months. As part of this agreement Israel did not concur to cease construction in Jerusalem. I repeat, ISRAEL DID NOT AGREE TO CEASE CONSTRUCTION IN JERUSALEM. Secretary of State Clinton and the Obama White House lauded this agreement.
I am not writing you to sway your opinion about national politics or the complicated quest for peace in the Middle East. At this time, I am uninterested in a debate about health care, the stimulus, Iraq, Afghanistan and even jobs. I am writing in hopes that you will take a specific action or number of actions regarding the treatment of Israel by the Obama administration. And, that you will do it immediately.
Whether you have supported President Obama or not, are a Democrat or a Republican, in favor of health care reform, the Stimulus package, immigration reform, etc you have to be struck by the tenor of the recent language coming out of the White House regarding Israel.
State Department Spokesman PJ Crowley, White House Press Secretary Joe Gibbs, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and advisor David Axelrod have all voiced their anger and condemnation among other adjectives over Israel’s announcement that the housing project in question had passed the fourth of seven levels to begin construction. In language not even used for stated enemies of the United States such as Iran and North Korea the Government of the United States has publically dressed down, explicitly, her most stable and democratic alley in the Middle East, Israel.
It has even been reported that President Obama himself was “incensed” at the “Israeli provocation”. Imagine, no drama Obama “incensed”! I don’t even think it was reported that he was “incensed” about the Christmas Day bomber, the Ft Hood massacre or the Iranian governments killing of opposition protestors. Nothing seems to raise the ire of President Obama like Jews building homes in Jewish neighborhoods of Jerusalem. This is obscene. And, no matter high highly you regard our President, you have to be taken aback by the ferocity of his staffs attacks. (Remember the rumored rant of Bush I Secretary of State James Baker saying “F the Jews, they didn’t vote for us”. Well, what is the Obama Administration responding? “F the Jews, they did”.)
Totally absent however, is administration condemnation of Palestinian provocations such as the incitement of riots at Jewish holy sites (within the last few days), the dedication of a town square to a terrorist who murdered 37 Israeli women and children in 1977 and the refusal, for 15 months of the Palestinians to sit at a negotiation table with Israel. Yesterday, PJ Crowley did comment about the Palestinian call for rioting at Jewish Holy Sites. But, no angry call from Secretary Clinton, no Sunday morning show press blitz and no mention of how quickly a PA incited Muslim / Jewish religious site battle can inflame the region. No administration acknowledgement that the dangers Palestinian incitements far outweigh zoning in Jerusalem.
Make no mistake friends, this disproportionate response in a shot across the bow for every American Jew, regardless of your level of wealth, political affiliation or affection for Israel. It is state sponsored incitement. This opens us up to anti-Semitic actions and begs the obvious question; what happens when the state sponsored incitement against Israel perpetuated by this White House becomes state sponsored actions?
Some of you may argue that it is the Government of Benjamin Netanyahu that the Obama Administration has such disdain for. Perhaps, but it still is no excuse for the level of aggression aimed at Israel over this issue. If this is the response to Jews approving the fourth of seven steps to build housing for Jews in a Jewish area of Jerusalem then what will the response be when Israel inevitably has to take military action to defend itself from Hamas, Hezbollah and / or Iran? What happens when Israel really is forced to really “cross the line”?
I know, sadly, that for some of you Israel is not an important topic. Or perhaps a number of you love Israel but really do not have the time or the inclination to understand all of the nuances of the Middle East conflict.
We Jews are an amazing people. For over 5000 years we have survived in a world where most other ancient people have disappeared into the pages of history. The Torah, our brother Christians New Testament and the Talmud have been the basis for Western Civilization. Expelled from the land of our ancestors several times, we have returned and rebuilt the Jewish state of Israel, rebelled against the mighty empire of Rome, experienced good and bad times from 70 AD to the 1400’s, inquisitions, ghettos, pogroms and finally the Holocaust. Jews have more than gotten by, we have thrived. Amazingly, we are still here; a robust and flourishing people.
And yet, we are, more often than not, a divided people. Throughout our history our strong opinions and strong desire for learning has left us with much to disagree about. But, make no mistake, we remain united in our desire to live, as Jews, religious or not, in a place where we can practice our religion freely, love and support our families strongly and participate in the world without fear.
No matter how you feel about Israel and her policies cannot interfere with what is necessary here. The tenor of the administration against Israel has gone un-checked for too long. You must, as an American Jew, stand up, right now, or forever watch Israel become a doormat of our foreign policy.
As an American Jew, you must let this administration and all elected officials from both political parties clearly know that YOU STAND BY ISRAEL. Despite any policy differences, YOU STAND BY ISRAEL. You will not support with votes or money any candidate or elected official that uses language usually held for our worst enemies when referring to Israel. That we, American Jews, recognize very clearly from our experience in the last 2000 years culminating with the Holocaust what this level of animosity and the words that fuel it, lead to. Penny Pritzker, Lester Crown and any Democratic fund raisers you know should hear this message, loud and clear.
You must, as American Jews, stand up, right now, and strongly affirm that no matter how religious you are, how political you are, how wealthy or not you are, how liberal or conservative you are, etc., YOU STAND WITH ISRAEL and will not, under any circumstance, stand down when it comes to the security of Israel and the tone of the US relationship with it.
My name is David Turner. I am the son of Holocaust survivors and a proud citizen of the United States of America. I stand with love and admiration for our staunch ally, the state of Israel. I reject, with no hesitation, the insidious manner in which the current administration has treated our ally Israel and will do all I can to ensure that American Jews understand what is at stake.
I hope you share my passion and will contact the White House and all pertinent parties as quickly as possible.