With Friends Like J Street, Who Needs Hamas?

 This article first appeared in the Times of Israel Blogs.

Here in the US, we hear reports coming out of Israel voicing frustration with the lack of support for Israel on the part of many American Jews, particularly those on the left. Being an American Gentile, I have always subscribed to the idea that American Jews owe their allegiance to the US, and are free to think whatever they wish about Israel though I ask myself why they would not support the Jewish state, especially since it is the only democracy in a blighted region. I hasten to add that in my experience, American Jews are overwhelmingly loyal to the US, and most support Israel. Go to any pro-Israel rally in the US, and you will see Israeli and American flags flying together, quite in contrast to pro-Palestinian demonstrations, which feature only the Palestinian flag. 

However, as one who supports Israel and detests anti-Semitism, I have been felt frustrated by those Jews who have chosen to link arms with the Palestinians and their cause of wiping out Israel and replacing it with a Palestinian/Muslim nation. 

Having been active on the campus of the University of California at Irvine for 18 years, I am well familiar with groups like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), the various chapters of the Muslim Student Association/Union, and Jewish Voice for Peace(JVP). Jewish Voice for Peace, for example, a leftist group made up of misfits and oddballs, makes no bones about what side they are on-and it's not Israel's.

But then we have that sneaky organization called J Street, which blatantly advertises itself as "Pro-Israel, pro-peace", yet supports the Palestinians in every issue or dispute. It is hard to respect a bunch that lies about what they believe in. But that is precisely what they do.

Currently, the official website of J Street is bemoaning the fact that some Republican(s) in Congress are holding up an aid package to the poor, beleaguered Palestinians in the West Bank and Hamas-controlled Gaza. Recent history is full of lessons as to why we in the US should not be giving one dime to the Palestinians in either location. The corrupt Palestinian Authority in the West Bank (with whom we are supposed to work with to bring peace) not only uses United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA)-funded schools to teach children to hate Jews but financially supports the families of killed or imprisoned terrorists. Gaza is under the control of Hamas, a US-designated terror organization that makes no effort to hide its hatred of not just Israel, but Jews in general. And let us not forget that image of Palestinians dancing in the streets on 9-11. So now after this latest round of rocket attacks into Israel, the US taxpayers, most of whom support Israel, are supposed to fork over 75 million dollars in aid to help the Palestinians.

Of course, with the new American administration, under an increasingly senile Joe Biden, it's going to be hard to stop our hard-earned money from being shipped off to the Palestinians to use for whatever corrupt, non-peaceful purposes they choose. So when that money arrives, don't thank me just because I am a taxpayer. You can thank the nice people at J Street. They helped make it happen. All in the name of Israel and peace you know.