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By: Donny Simcha Guttman
In recent days, as reported by the Jewish Press, The Legal Forum for Israel with the Documenting and Monitoring Unauthorized Activities (DMU) organization sued J-Street, a liberal, Jewish advocacy organization, known for their controversial positions on US funding to Israel. The lawsuit alleges that J-Street is breaking Israeli law in Section 108 of Israel’s Penal Code which prohibits any action to limit arms to Israel during wartime. In their lawsuit, attorneys Shai Mark and Yotam Eyal allege “J Street’s activities, beyond being immoral, can cause actual harm to the State of Israel in its most sensitive situation in many years”. J-Street has not responded to the lawsuit, but they label themself on their website “As a pro-Israel organization that consistently lobbies for $3.8 billion in pledged annual US security assistance to Israel…”. They do support conditioning aid, as they say, “As with all nations that receive US security foreign assistance, aid to Israel is legally subject to several restrictions and conditions (e.g. those in the Arms Export Control Act, the Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act and the Leahy Law) as well as oversight and transparency requirements (e.g. those set forth in National Security Memorandum 20 and the Civilian Harm Incident Response Guidance). We strongly believe that Israel should not be held to different standards than any other country or US aid recipient and that these US laws and policies should be consistently and impartially enforced with respect to assistance provided to Israel.”
Some of J-Street’s advocacy has included limiting arms and missile defense systems to Israel in recent years and since October 7th. Last November, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) forced a vote on a few resolutions stopping arms from going to Israel. The resolutions didn’t receive more than 20 votes. Still, J-Street in a statement supporting Sanders said as reported by the Press, “This vote marks a milestone in the ongoing evolution of the US-Israel relationship. This debate and vote signify another step toward a relationship in which the US can hold Israel accountable for its actions and its use of the weapons we provide in the same way we enforce US laws for all other recipients of US security assistance. It is also a marker of growing support in the political arena for using the leverage we do have to impact the Israeli government’s actions and policies and as an incentive toward a path we believe leads to Israel’s long-term security and regional peace. J Street shares with all the Senators who voted for these resolutions a deep concern both for the future and security of the State of Israel and for the future and security of the Palestinian people…”
Many lawmakers who J-Street believes support their “Pro-Israel” values have received funding for their political campaigns in the past. One prominent Jewish lawmaker who has received thousands of dollars from them is Representative Jerry Nadler (NY-12). In a statement before primary elections last year, J-Street announced that Nadler and former Anti-Israel lawmaker Jamaal Bowman (NY-16) would receive their backing. In a public statement, they said, “Jerry and Jamaal are progressive champions with a long list of accomplishments. Their strong support for Israel’s security sits alongside the leadership they’ve shown on protecting Palestinian freedoms, upholding international law, and supporting a just and peaceful end to the conflict.” Despite their support, Nadler has claimed in the past that he supports Israel’s right to exist fully. In a report in 2022 by the news outlet, Mondoweiss, Nadler commented on a bill he supported to combat antisemitism, “The fact is I’m endorsed by both AIPAC and J Street, I’m the only candidate of whom that’s true because of my success in deepening the Israel-American relationship and in getting progressives to stand with Israel, which no one else has been able to do. And I have been able to do that. And that’s why you get votes like 421 to 7 on funding Iron Dome.”
However, Jewish media outlets such as VINnews have raised his connections to J-Street as problematic, as they recently wrote in an editorial, “Nadler’s repeated attacks on Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu are out of touch with the realities on the ground. The Israeli government, under Netanyahu’s leadership, is doing everything it can to ensure the security and safety of its citizens while navigating an increasingly hostile geopolitical landscape. Israel needs support from its allies, not criticism that only serves to embolden those who wish to see its destruction. At a time when unity is more critical than ever, Nadler’s actions are disgraceful, and his alignment with far-left organizations like J Street only serves to undermine the very state he claims to support.” As the anti-Israel Squad continues to make headway in the Democratic party in light of the pro-Israel Trump administration, it remains to be seen how and if “Pro-Israel” lawmakers like Nadler will confront them.
