New Pro-Israel Lobby, New Point of View
By Jonathan Broder, CQ Staff
In January, at the height of Israel’s offensive against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, freshman Democrat Donna Edwards of Maryland angered several Jewish leaders by not voting for a House resolution that affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself.
As punishment for what was deemed her insufficiently pro-Israel stand, these leaders suggested they might support a primary challenge to Edwards in 2010.
In fact, Edwards, a lawyer and longtime community activist, had voted “present” on the resolution as a way to signal her conflicting emotions over the measure. She didn’t vote no, because in her view Israel had a right to respond forcefully to Hamas’ rocket barrages against the cities and towns that border Gaza.
But she was uncomfortable with the timing of the measure — only a day after the U.N. Security Council had called for an immediate cease-fire. Moreover, the administration of President George W. Bush had abstained from the U.N. vote, effectively allowing the cease-fire resolution to pass. In the House, though, the nonbinding statement of support for Israel was adopted by a vote of 390-5; just 21 members joined Edwards in voting “present.”
In the past, when newcomers like Edwards have run afoul of the powerful pro-Israel lobby on such votes, they have often found themselves with nowhere to turn. The enormous clout of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the premier pro-Israel lobby, and political action committees that follow AIPAC’s lead, has led most lawmakers to think twice before casting a less-than-supportive vote on an issue related to Israel.
This time, however, something extraordinary occurred. J Street, a new pro-Israel lobby with an approach to the Middle East conflict that emphasizes peace negotiations and accommodation, leaped to Edwards’ defense. In just 48 hours, the group raised about $30,000 for her in a well-coordinated operation that has silenced further talk of a primary challenge for now.
“This is why we’re here,” said Jeremy Ben-Ami, the executive director of J Street. The group endorsed Edwards before she won a June 2008 special election to fill the seat vacated by Democrat Albert R. Wynn — who resigned after Edwards defeated him in a February primary. “We’re here to demonstrate that in the American Jewish community, there are enough people who value what lawmakers like Donna Edwards stand for” — she supports Israel but also recognizes the need for a solution to the Palestinian conflict — “that they are ready to jump in and defend them when they are unjustifiably attacked.”
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http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000003191920
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