Several prominent American Jews have formed a new pro-Israel lobby that will work to bring security and peace to Israel.
The group, called J Street, intends to be an alternative to “traditional organizations that, they assert, often impede progress in the Middle East because of their generally reflexive support of Israel,” the New York Times reports.
J Street plans to raise money to support political candidates who support Israel but occasionally question some of its policies, such as expanding settlements in occupied territories.
The new organization could serve as a counter to groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac), the main pro-Israel lobbying organization in the U.S. with membership of more than 100,000.
J Street’s executive director, Jeremy Ben-Ami — a former domestic policy adviser in the Clinton administration — told the Times that there is a need for an alternative to the traditional groups who say, “to oppose any Israeli policy is to be anti-Israel.”
The group will support candidates who are willing to back a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine issue and aid to the Palestinian Authority, Ben Ami told the Times.
The name of the group plays off the word “Jewish” and also “K Street,” shorthand for Washington lobbyists, many of whom have offices on K Street.
So far, J Street has reportedly raised about $750,000 for its lobbying arm.
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