Significant Jewish support for Obama's speech (UPDATE)

Andrew Sullivan has helpfully catalogued the outrage that flowed almost immediately from some conservatives and Christianists in response to the president’s speech. The incendiary language being used to describe the president’s statement about Israel’s 1967 border is extraordinary. And yet the very thing that he is calling for is what major figures in Israel are calling for. Printed below is the text of an advertisement running in papers around the world. Below it are those signers who are either former military or intelligence leaders. Following the text and the list of signers is a statement from a leading American Jewish group, the American Defamation League, in full support of the president’s speech.

Recognizing a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders is vital for Israel’s existence


 We, the citizens of Israel, call on the public to support the recognition of a democratic Palestinian state as a condition for ending the conflict, and reaching agreed borders on the basis of the 1967 borders. Recognition of such a Palestinian state is vital for Israel’s existence. It is the only way to guarantee the resolution of the conflict by negotiations, to prevent the eruption of another round of massive violence and end the risky isolation of Israel in the world. The successful implementation of the agreements requires two leaderships, Israeli and Palestinian, which recognize each other, choose peace and are fully committed to it. This is the only policy that leaves Israel's fate and security in its own hands. Any other policy contradicts the promise of Zionism and the welfare of the Jewish people.


We, the undersigned, therefore call upon any person seeking peace and liberty and upon all nations to join us in welcoming the Palestinian Declaration of Independence and support the efforts of the the citizens of the two states to maintain peaceful relations on the basis of secure borders and good neighborliness. The end of the occupation is a fundamental condition for the liberation of the two peoples, the realization of the Israeli Declaration of Independence and a future of peaceful coexistence.




Maj Gen (Ret.) Avraham Adan (“Bren”) | former Commander of the Armored Corps

Brig Gen (Ret.) Dr. Yitzhak Arad | former Chairman of Yad Vashem

Col (Ret.) As’ad As’ad | former Member of Knesset, Likud

Brig Gen (Ret.) Menachem Aviram | former Commander of Paratroopers Brigade and of the IDF Command and Staff College

Avner Azulai | former senior Mossad official

Brig Gen (Ret.) Mordechai Bar-On | former Chief Education Officer

Col (Ret.) Ran Cohen | former Minister of Trade and Industry

Maj Gen (Ret) Nehemiah Dagan | former Chief Education Officer

Brig Gen (Ret.) Prof. Eran Dolev

Brig Gen (Ret.) Yitzchak Elron

Maj Gen (Ret.) Shlomo Gazit | former Head of Military Intelligence, Chairman of the Jewish Agency and President of Ben Gurion University

Maj Gen (Ret.) Yosef Geva | former OC Central Command

Col (Ret.) Paul Kedar | former Consul in New York

Maj Gen (Ret.) Amos Lapidot | former Commander of Israeli Air Force

Dr. Alon Liel | former Director General of Foreign Ministry

Brig Gen (Ret.) Asher Levy

Maj Gen (Ret) Zeev Livneh | established the Home Front Command

Ram Loevy | Israel Prize laureate

Prof. Avishai Margalit | Israel and Emet Prize laureate

Hanna Maron | Israel Prize laureate

Maj Gen (Ret.) Menachem Meron (Mendy) | former Commander of Military Colleges

Sami Michael | Emet Prize laureate

Ohad Naharin | Israel and Emet Prize laureate

Nachik Navot | former Deputy Head of Mossad

Brig Gen (Ret.) Ilan Paz

Maj Gen (Ret.) Dr. Elad Peled | former Commander of National

Brig Gen (Ret.) Giora Ram | former Deputy Commander of the Israeli Air Force

Maj Gen (Ret.) Nathan Sharoni | President of Council of Peace and Security

Maj Gen (Ret.) Aviezer Yaari | former Commander of MilitaryColleges

ADL STATEMENT: 

We welcome President Obama's compelling speech on the priorities for American policy in the Middle East.  We applaud his strong outlining of the principles which motivate that policy, including supporting the universal rights of free speech, equality and religious freedom, opposing the use of force and political repression, and promoting political and economic reforms.  These are a reflection of American values and promote American interests.

We further commend his strong affirmation of the importance of the deep and unshakeable U.S.-Israel relationship, and his clear articulation of the moral and strategic connections between America and Israel.  We support the President's vision of a negotiated Israeli-Palestinian settlement with strong security provisions for Israel, and a non-militarized Palestinian state.  We appreciate his direct rejection of a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state and his understanding that the Hamas-Fatah agreement poses major problems for Israel.

The Palestinians must heed the President's warnings about imprudent and self-defeating actions, including through campaigns to delegitimize Israel, plans to unilaterally declare statehood, and a unity agreement with a Hamas which remains committed to violence, rejection and anti-Semitism. 

This Administration has come a long way in two years in terms of understanding of the nuances involved in bringing about Israeli-Palestinian peace and a better understanding of the realities and challenges confronting Israel.


UPDATE: Among thoughtful, decidedly pro-Israle people, the ADL statement is getting significant coverage, including here and here, as well it should.