An Open Letter to J Street: I Just Don’t Get It

I just don’t get it. How could a purportedly pro-Israel organization block the sale of weapons that Israel must have to defend its civilians from almost daily indiscriminate attacks by Iran and its proxies for more than a year?

In my view, J Street is in complete denial when it comes to geopolitical reality. There is no rules-based liberal order in the Middle East. The Middle East is a dangerous and intimidating neighborhood where if there is no cost to the aggressor, the aggressor will not stop. Israel must have the weapons it needs to deter ongoing Iranian aggression.

J Street’s policy not to allow Israel to defend itself is woefully misguided in its intended and unintended consequences. In fact, it is counterproductive to peace: It incentivizes Israel’s adversaries to say ‘no’ to a ceasefire. It makes the liberation of the hostages harder to achieve. Why in the world would J Street take a position that emboldens Iran to attack Israel again?

On X, former prime minister Yair Lapid posted, “No friend of Israel should vote for an arms embargo while we are fighting on multiple fronts to protect our people from terrorism and to bring our hostages home. This has nothing to do with our opinion of the current government, it is about standing with the people of Israel.”

J Street’s support for an arms embargo puts the lives of Israeli civilians at serious risk. In my view, J Street should not be considered a pro-Israel organization.