Text: J Street sponsors evening in Jerusalem against Israeli security
despite own guidelines

Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA 16 January 20011

Let’s walk through this.

#1. J Street U is sponsored by J Street.

#2 This is from the "Statement of Principles" of J Street U
http://www.jstreetu.org/about/what-we-believe

"J Street U Supports...Israel’s right to exist as a ... sovereign nation
with the right to defend itself against external threats;"

Now keep your eye on the ball.

J Street U support Israel's right to defend itself against external threats.

The Statement of Principles doesn't qualify this with some radical line like
"J Street U support Israel's right to defend itself against external threats
via nonviolent means."

When J Street U states in its Statement of Principles that is supports
"Israel's right to defend itself against external threats" J Street U is
supporting Israel's right to have an army strong enough "to defend itself
against external threats."

#3 Now hold that thought and now consider the following evening sponsored by
J Street U Jerusalem:

J Street U Jerusalem presents Lochmim L'Shalom/Combatants for Peace
Join us for an evening with
Lochmim L'Shalom/Combatants for Peace

"only by joining forces will we be able to end the cycle of violence"

A group of Israeli Soldiers and Palestinian fighters who have decided to lay
down their arms and realize their vision of resolving the conflict by
peaceful means.

FREE
at Kehillat Yedidyah
12 Lifshitz st.
Baka, Jerusalem

January 26, 2011 7-9 PM

Let us know if you're coming on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=189381137754314

#3 Let's be clear on this, Combatants for Peace doesn't mean that Israeli
soldiers should symbolically "lay down their arms".

Here is how the organization presents its position:
http://cfpeace.org/?page_id=2

WE BELIEVE

...we declare that we refuse to take part any more in the mutual
bloodletting. We will act only by non-violent means...

That's right. These are Israeli soldiers who declare that they will not
participate in defending Israel against external threats.

#4. So while J Street U supports "Israel's right to defend itself against
external threats" , J Street Y's Jerusalem branch sponsors an evening
promoting a group that wishes to strip Israel of its ability to defend
itself against external threats.

Question: Will the J Street/J Street U leadership cancel the event?