Why American Jews Matter

Roger Cohen

New York Times

In this New York Times op-ed, Roger Cohen underscores the importance of the American Jewish community in the Israeli/Palestinian peace process, emphasizing the ability of American Jewish groups to exert pressure not just on Washington, but on Tel Aviv as well. As Israeli intentions in the West Bank become more overt, Cohen argues, American Jews should speak out against the occupation.

Why American Jews Matter

Roger Cohen

LONDON — New ideas are scarce on Israel-Palestine but Secretary of State John Kerry may have the semblance of one: If major American Jewish organizations are among Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s most important constituencies, perhaps those same groups can exert leverage over Israeli policy toward the Palestinians.

It is a long shot — these organizations have shown deep reluctance to criticize Israel — but then along came Kerry’s trump card in the form of Naftali Bennett, the Israeli economy minister. This nationalist neophyte has performed a public service by clarifying the objective inherent in Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank: “The attempt to establish a Palestinian state in our land has ended,” he said this week.

Speaking to a settlers’ conference, Bennett urged Israel to “build, build, build” in order to establish an “Israeli presence everywhere,” called for the rapid annexation of more than 60 percent of the West Bank, declared that the land had been Israel’s for 3,000 years, and characterized the quest for a two-state solution as a colossal exercise in futility.

In short, two states? Fuhgeddaboutit.

> Keep Reading at NYTimes.com