The Intercept news site, predicated on investigative reporting and publishing classified documents, has reported that the left-wing Jewish-American lobby J Street intended to undermine US military aid to Israel by promoting a policy to offset it with money Israel invests in settlements.
According to the report, a letter signed by 35 people who served on the J Street U board from 2013 to 2019, proposed "that J Street develop a strategy that moves the organization toward an agenda of selective aid reduction, i.e. every shekel the Israeli government spends on settlements and home demolitions results in a proportional reduction of American military aid."
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When the controversial policy was discussed internally at J Street earlier this year, according to the report, it seemed that J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami and, as a result, the board, was ready to back it. However, sources familiar with the debate told The Intercept that objections from Yael Patir, J Street's Tel Aviv-based Israel director, torpedoed it. Specifically, Patir warned that J Street would lose any influence it has left in the Knesset or Israeli politics in general if it endorsed conditioning military aid.
Patir said in response: "J Street is proud of being a broad movement encompassing a wide variety of supporters with different views and backgrounds, all of whom are committed to our mission, support for Israel and the diplomatic process. Internal discussions at J Street are conducted in a spirit of openness and attentiveness; with that, ultimately the organization has one official policy that guides us in our work in the United States and Israel."
J Street said in a statement: "We are committed to and are working for the security and prosperity of Israel and believe a diplomatic arrangement leading to the two-state solution is an American and Israeli interest alike. For this reason, we supported and continue to support the largest-ever US aid package to Israel which was signed under [former] President Obama."
