The Political Elite

by Matthew Yglesias

J Street, the “pro-Israel, pro-peace” political advocacy organization aimed at creating a powerful voice for progressive Zionists in the United States, is attracting hostility from much of the Jewish establishment in America. But that should come as no surprise: Its foundation last year, and its maturation in the form of its debut annual conference this week in Washington, are a direct threat to much of that establishment, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), one of the capital’s most influential lobbying groups. As the small but vocal minority of conservative Jews rarely tires of lamenting, the vast majority of Jewish Americans persist in holding left-wing political opinions. But on the question of Israel and the broader region in which it’s situated, Jewish political influence has been felt overwhelmingly on the hawkish side—skeptical of concessions to Palestinians, eager to believe that military force can stop terrorism, and more recently pushing for aggressive confrontation with Iran. J Street aims to change that and give voice to those of us who see Jewish identity and support for Israel as part of a progressive, internationalist, and generally dovish worldview. Naturally, the guardians of the status quo are pushing back.

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