Teaneck—Stuart Kaplan, a past president of Teaneck’s Congregation Beth Sholom, is a member of the Executive Committee of the Northern New Jersey Chapter of J Street. The committee organizes meetings, educates the public, lobbies Congress, and uses the media to send J Street’s message. In an interview with JLBC he was asked about what J Street stands for and what enticed him to get involved.
J Street’s central message is that Israel must negotiate for a two-state solution with the Palestinians. Otherwise, Israel will have to choose between being Jewish or being democratic. And without a peace deal, Israel’s security will remain in doubt. Asked what draws him to be concerned with Israel, Mr. Kaplan said he once lived in Beer Sheva for three years doing botanical research. He strongly believes that Israel is the Jewish Homeland and is of central importance to Jews throughout the Diaspora. Kaplan and other J Street members have many strong ties within the Jewish community.
To define J Street’s place in the political spectrum, Kaplan makes it clear that J Street is vehemently opposed to the BDS (boycott, divest, and sanction) Movement, which includes economic and academic boycotts of Israel and Israelis. Unlike Peace Now, they are not an Israeli organization lobbying the Israeli government. J Street believes that the Israeli people and government must make their own decisions. Rather, they encourage Americans to join them in petitioning the American government to act on behalf of Israel’s interests, and to give leaders on both sides the support they need to take bold moves toward peaceful coexistence.
J Street has over 150,000 supporters, and petitions our government to help Israel achieve peace and security. Their slogan is “Pro Israel, Pro Peace.” They think this would be best achieved by a two-state solution. Continued occupation would require the continued oppression of Palestinians, while a one-state solution would require Israel to choose between remaining predominantly Jewish or allowing its Jews to become a minority in a democratic state.
Several years ago, Kaplan was invited by a friend to attend a local meeting of J Street. He was so impressed that he attended their conference in Washington, D.C. and has done so annually ever since. Last October’s conference attracted 2,800 supporters, the biggest crowd ever, including 900 students from J Street University college chapters. There were a wide-range of speakers, including VP Joe Biden, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, U.S. negotiator and former ambassador Martin Indyk, and Israel’s Chief Negotiator and Minister of Justice, Tzipi Livni. Members of Knesset from Labor and Meretz were joined by MKs from Shas and Likud. Their two days of workshops included some on how to respond to objections to a two-state solution. Their traditional day of visiting Congressional offices was limited by the government shutdown at that time.
J Street members believe that choosing to be a democracy instead of a Jewish State or continuing the status quo would be a disaster for American Jews and would loosen Israel’s ties to the U.S. This view has wide support, including now from PM Benyamin Netanyahu and AIPAC. Negotiators from both sides say they seek a two-state solution, not to satisfy the other side, but in order to be able to control their own people’s futures. J Street supports Secretary of State John Kerry in his mission to bring Israel and the Palestinians together to come to an agreement that they think would be to their own best interests.
Mr. Kaplan paraphrased Israeli journalist and author Ari Shavit as concluding that such an agreement is impossible, but must be achieved nevertheless. Kaplan thinks that such an agreement is both necessary and achievable, though very difficult for both sides to reach. America’s role must be to encourage and foster the attempt.
He referenced Rav Hillel, saying that Israel must stand up for itself, but must also consider others affected by its decisions, and there is no better time to do that than now. Waiting will only allow more perceived offenses by both sides and thus more grievances. And with all the instability in the region, an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal would bring some degree of local stability to both parties. It might also open the door for new regional alliances for Israel with those who share a common enemy.
Palestinian Authority Pres. Abbas is more prepared to make a deal than the more revolutionary Arafat ever was. Neither population wants to maintain the status quo. Kaplan believes that a majority of both Israelis and Palestinian Arabs would welcome any deal on which their leaders could agree. And the Arab League has said that they would accept a deal agreed to by the Palestinians. Israel Times reported last week that the majority of Israelis, including rightwingers, are ready for peace and want it now.
Kaplan does not see much difficulty with geographic problems. Israel can negotiate land swaps of PA land for some of the Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Resettlement arrangements could be dealt with for those who are displaced. Arrangements have been proposed to keep Jerusalem united while also the capital of two states. Any line of demarcation within Jerusalem would mainly lie along the borders of the two populations’ areas of residence. Such an agreement has been acceptable to either side at various times. The Palestinians have accepted that the right of return cannot be universally applied, though specific arrangements are yet to be worked out.
J Street believes that building economic ties between the two parties is not a necessary precursor to peace, but will develop after a deal has been agreed upon. Kaplan is sure that Sec. Kerry is offering both sides economic carrots to move them along.
J Street welcomes American negotiations with Iran as a peaceful route to solving some of Israel’s problems with that country. Both Netanyahu and Abbas are threatened by Iran’s nuclear threat and military interventions. Kaplan noted that Netanyahu is currently less vocal in his warnings about carrying out the current stage of those negotiations and, instead, makes clear what outcomes he demands.
For more information, Kaplan suggests viewing the national J Street website at jstreet.org and the posts of the Northern New Jersey Chapter on either Facebook or Twitter. To better understand J Street’s views, Kaplan recommends the Israeli movie The Gatekeepers and any of the following books: A New Voice for Israel, by J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami, The Crisis of Zionism by Peter Beinert, The Unmaking of Israel by Gershom Gorenberg, Israel, a History by Anita Shapiro, and My Promised Land by Ari Shavit.
By Stephen Tencer
