The Emergency Committee for Israel has flip-flopped on the two-state solution, even though a two-state solution remains the position of the current Israeli government, is the only way to secure Israel’s future as a Jewish, democratic future, and enjoys wide support in the American Jewish community. [1]

On August 10th, Emergency Committee spokesperson Michael Goldfarb said his group “doesn’t have a position on the creation of a Palestinian state.” [2]

Yet, 20 days later, Goldfarb changed his mind, stating that his group did support a two-state solution in theory. [3]

It’s no wonder that the Emergency Committee would be confused about whether or not it supporters a two-state solution. Two of its founding board members are opposed to both the theory and the practice of achieving a two-state solution. [4][5]

Gary Bauer thinks the Jews have a holy obligation to hold on to all of the occupied territories:

“God granted the Land of Israel to the Jewish people and there is an absolute ban on giving it away to another people.” [6]

Previously, he started an organization with Pastor John Hagee that opposed a two state solution. At that time he said, “We are praying that they [the settlers] never give up…even one centimeter of territory.” [7]

Bill Kristol has publicly opposed the peace process on numerous occasions since 2001:

In 2001, he said, “President Bush deserves credit for resisting calls for more “active” U.S. “engagement” in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Such engagement would mean, in practice, putting pressure on Israel not to fight back against terror…..He should assert true American leadership by suspending our role as the Middle East’s honest broker, on the grounds that the peace process in which such a role might conceivably make sense has given way to a condition of war.” [8]

In 2002, he said “If the [Bush] administration feels the need to engage in faux peace-process shenanigans to get the Europeans and the New York Times off its back, fine. But we trust the president isn’t misled.” [9]

He went on to say, “It’s time to call a halt to America’s participation in this deadly peace process.” [10]

No wonder the Emergency Committee for Israel is out of touch.

American Jews believe that peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a core Israeli and American interest and that the United States should take an active leadership role in achieving peace. [11]

American Jews by a four-to-one margin, 82-18 percent, support the United States playing an active role in helping the parties to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict, with 73 percent of American Jews supporting this active role even if it means that the United States were to publicly state its disagreements with both the Israelis and the Arabs.

By a 71-29 percent margin, American Jews support the United States “exerting pressure” on both the Israelis and the Arabs to make the necessary compromises to achieve peace. An earlier J Street poll last March found a similar level of support.

A majority of all American Jews, 52-48 percent, still support an active role even if the United States were to publicly state its disagreements with only Israel. American Jews are evenly split on support for exerting pressure on only Israel, a notion that J Street opposes.

Obama’s approval in the Jewish community is holding steady at 62 percent. Gallup reported 64 percent approval rating in an October 2009 poll. Obama’s approval rating among Jews is 15 points higher than among all Americans, 47 percent, according to a Gallup poll conducted during the same period. [12]

Footnotes:

[1] “Bauer’s states,” by Ben Smith. Politico, July 10, 2010.

[2] “Emergency Committee for Israel’ Refuses To Take Position On Two State Solution,” by Matt Duss. Think Progress, August 13, 2010.

[3] “Hawkish group backs two states, talks,” by Ben Smith. Politico, August 30, 2010.

[4] “Jews who are a danger to Zionism,” by Akiva Eldar. Haaretz, February 25, 2008.

[5] “Secretary Powell’s Meeting with Arafat,” by Bill Kristol. Memo to Opinion Leaders, April 12, 2002.

[6] “Debatable: Should Reform Jews Engage with Pro-Israel Fundamentalists?” by Jonathan Biatch. Reform Judaism Magazine, Summer 2009.

[7] “Obama Heads the Most Anti-Israel Administration in U.S. History,” by Gary Bauer. Human Events, March 16, 2010.

[8] “Green light for Israel,” by Bill Kristol and Robert Kagan. Weekly Standard, September 3, 2001.

[9] “Remember the Bush Doctrine,” by Bill Kristol and Robert Kagan. Weekly Standard, April 16, 2002.

[10] “Secretary Powell’s Meeting with Arafat,” by Bill Kristol. Memo to Opinion Leaders, April 12, 2002.

[11] “Polling of US Jews on US Role in Middle East,” Gerstein- Agne, March 2010.

[12] “U.S. Jews Lead Other Religious Groups in Support of Obama,” by Lydia Saad. Gallup, October 2, 2009.