It’s to easy to see why Israeli leaders protested the UN investigation into alleged war crimes by both Hamas and IDF soldiers when Israel invaded the Gaza Strip the day after Christmas last year. After nearly a month of shelling a fenced-off civilian area with massive air strikes and white phosphorous, 1400 Palestinians (nearly a third of them children) lay scattered on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean. The Israelis lost 14 soldiers, mostly due to friendly fire.

What’s more puzzling has been the US response. By dismissing the findings of the report entirely (even when the UN found multiple instances of Hamas also targeting Israeli civilians with rockets), the US is stuck once again stubbornly defending its “ally” in the Middle East, no matter the costs.

Congress, the mainstream media, and whoever currently occupies the Oval Office all tend to muddle the incredibly complex issues that separate Israel and Palestinians (and other Arab states) into simple, dull catchphrases: Israel is the “only democracy” in the region, helping us fight against big, bad terrorism.

Fortunately, things may be changing in the way Americans view the Israeli-Palestinian conflict thanks to the rise and growing popularity of J Street. Founded last year, this lobby aims to establish more peaceful solutions to the problems plaguing Israeli and Middle Eastern security.

Just last weekend This week, they are holding their inaugural conference where they are calling on US leaders to lean harder on Israel and have the freedom to publicly criticize the Israeli government when it is warranted. They also oppose Israeli’s aggressive approach to Iran and argue that Israeli security is harmed with counterproductive military responses.

The politics of the progressive and left-leaning J Street are in direct contrast to the hawkish AIPAC, the largest and most powerful Israeli lobby in the US. AIPAC donates lots of money to members of Congress who support Israeli aggression and expansion and lobby to keep over $2 billion a year flowing to the Israeli militarized-socialist economy. Naturally, AIPAC doesn’t have the nicest things to say about J Street.

After AIPAC heard about J Street’s inaugural conference, they labeled the largest organization in the country that is lobbying in favor of peaceful solutions to enhance both Israeli and Arab security as “Jewish Stalinists,” the “surrender lobby,” and “terrorist sympathizers.”

Despite the many legitimate points that J Street makes, it’s tough to argue against a more powerful counterpart that resorts to elementary-school name calling. But just the fact that a pro-Israeli lobby that doesn’t support the cluster bombing of entire cities has a slowly growing popularity and influence is a welcoming sign for peace and a more open discussion about our blind friendship with Israel.

AIPAC and Benjamin Netanyahu may deny Gazan atrocities, support the expansion of settlements, and create nearly every barrier possible in the path to Israeli and Arab peace, but J Street’s growing grip in DC might mean the slow end of the monopoly of hawks.

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For more of Robert’s work, please visit his Libertarian Examiner blog.

Editor’s Note: Thanks to (d)N0t reader Eric G. for pointing out the J Street conference is started Sunday and ends Wednesday.

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