Another Jump the Shark Moment from JVP

The latest email from Jewish Voice for Peace's Deputy Directory Stefanie Fox may be a jump the shark moment for the anti-Israel group.  The subject line reads  "Why is the ADL training ICE in Israel?"  Maybe Stefanie is secretly hoping you don't bother to read the rest of her offering.  (Spoiler alert: they aren't)

Stephanie claims ICE has been learning techniques and tools from the Israeli military.  She doesn't care if Peter Edge was in Israel studying cyber-security or attempting to learn from Israel's remarkable sucess at curtailing human trafficking.  If it involves Israel, it must be made to be nefarious.  Stefanie Fox spews typical JVP vitriole:   "The real-world results of these trips have been Israeli & US officials sharing “worst practices” -- deportation and detention, shoot-to-kill policies, massive spying and surveillance -- that have become the go-to policies of agencies like ICE."    

Why the hyperbole?  Because 3 years ago, during the Obama administration the Deputy Associate Director of Homeland Security Investigations, one man,  Peter Edge joined a delegation to Israel sponsored by the ADL.

From Peter Edge's Linked in profile:

The ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) directorate is a critical asset in the ICE mission, responsible for investigating a wide range of domestic and international activities arising from the illegal movement of people and goods into, within and out of the United States.
HSI investigates immigration crime, human rights violations and human smuggling, smuggling of narcotics, weapons and other types of contraband, financial crimes, cybercrime and export enforcement issues. ICE special agents conduct investigations aimed at protecting critical infrastructure industries that are vulnerable to sabotage, attack or exploitation.
In addition to ICE criminal investigations, HSI oversees the agency's international affairs operations and intelligence functions. HSI consists of more than 10,000 employees, consisting of 6,700 special agents, who are assigned to more than 200 cities throughout the U.S. and 47 countries around the world.

JVP claims to have made a FOIA request, but they aren't sharing the report.   JVP's not going to tell us, because their mission is to erode support, not only for Israel but for all Jewish institutions.  

One man from the Homeland Security Investigations team visits Israel during the Obama Administration,  3 years ago.  This is what JVP calls the "Deadly exchange."

For more information about the anti-Semitic undertones of JVP's Deadly exchange campaign, read Andrew Bennett's essay  The Antisemitism of the so-called Jewish Voice for Peace.

Jewish Voice for peace: Choose between us and the ADL.

In which JVP pleas for money.

I received an email from Rebecca Vilkomerson of JVP. Its a plea for money.  She asks me to chose between the ADL and JVP.
Really Rebecca.  Really?
As a Jew, as a Zionist,  do you really think there  is a choice?
Do I side with conspiracy theorists whose stated goal is to "drive a wedge" through my community?

Jewish Voice for Peace  from the Zombietime website

Do I side with a venerable organization that’s taken the lead in securing justice and fair treatment for  all people?

Sorry, Rebecca. It’s a no brainer for me.

You are absolutely correct about one thing.  This is about two very different world views,

I reject JVP primarily for its hypocrisy. For promoting a concert featuring vile anti-Semite Gilad Atzmon, after publicly denouncing him. For taking him out to coffee and offering him "support" if only he used the term "Zionist" instead of "Jew".

JVP courting Gilad Atzmon

I reject JVP for consistently standing shoulder to shoulder with the enemies of our people. For embracing those that would destroy us.
I reject JVP for its refusal to acknowledge the right of the Jewish people to self determination in our ancient homeland.
I reject JVP for giving lip service to the very real threats facing the Jewish people, without ever taking affirmative action to help.

Conversely, I support ADL for taking a principled stand- for rejecting controversial bus ads   as “inflammatory and anti-Muslim.”
I support ADL  for its condemnation when any group is unfairly singled out for attack and persecution.
I support ADL for its vision.


Rebecca concludes her email :"We know which side you're on. But we need you to show it."

No, Rebecca, you really don't have a clue.

Jewish Voice for Peace gets noticed

The attention seeking group Jewish Voice for Peace must be glowing with pride. They've been noticed.

First NGO Monitor released a scathing indictment. 

The strategy, as stated by JVP’s executive director Rebecca Vilkomerson, is to create “a wedge” within the American Jewish community to generate the impression of polarization over Israel.  The tactic is to dilute support for Israel in the Jewish community, toward the goal of reducing or eliminating the United States government’s economic, military, and political support for Israel.

That was followed by a report from the venerable Anti-Defamation League  stating:

The group’s positions on BDS, its willingness to partner with anti Israel organizations that deny Israel’s right to exist and legitimize terror, and its refusal to support a two state solution to the Israeli Palestinian conflict, demonstrate JVP’s hardline stance. 

 In fact, JVP consistently co-sponsors rallies to oppose Israeli military policy that are marked by signs and slogans comparing Israel to Nazi Germany, demonizing Jews and voicing support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. JVP has never condemned or sought to distance itself from these messages. Indeed, JVP’s Executive Director Rebecca Vilkomerson recently gave an interview to American Free Press a conspiracy-oriented anti- Semitic newspaper.

Jewish Voice for Peace embracing conspiracy theories at SF rally. Photo by  Zombie

The unbridled hypocrisy of Jewish Voice for Peace may very well be their most defining characteristic. Both the NGO Monitor and the ADL report highlight JVP's willingness to partner with some of  the most extremist groups in the country. For all their "we are against the occupation" rhetoric, they have no trouble partnering  with some of the most committed Israel-haters out there- groups that would not accept the existence of Israel within any borders.

Just recently, in our own Bay area, JVP partnered with the Arab Resource Organizing Center for their Day of Rage against investment Giant Tiaa-Cref

Arab Resource Organizing Center partnering with JVP  

In this announcement from the  Arab Resource Organizing Center, a  "Day of Divestment from Israel" is promoted, with "solidarity" groups JVP, Sabeel and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). Carol Sanders of JVP is listed the contact person.

How extreme is AROC? At the recent fundraiser for their Youth Group AYO, geared toward young Arabs ages 14-22, they featured bumper stickers  "Support the Intifada" - the uprising that left thousands of civilians dead on both sides of the conflict. Hardly the words of a peace group.

In spite of their grandiose self-serving proclamations regarding racism and anti-Semitism, the Los Angeles chapter of JVP promoted a May 17  event featuring the man who described the burning of synagogues as "a rational act",  notorious anti-Semite Gilad Atzmon.

Hosting BDS summer camps,  sponsoring rallies where "Zionist Scum your time has come" is chanted, aiding and abetting those that would destroy Israel as the state of the Jewish people- all in a days work for Jewish Voice for Peace.

American Muslims for Palestine Declare a Rather Premature Victory

To the extremist American Muslims for Palestine, the 25 ads in Metro North stations in New York and Connecticut were little more than a cheap and cynical publicity stunt.  They've made that perfectly clear with an email they sent out today, proclaiming their 2 day old campaign a "huge success":.

Keep the momentum going!AMP’s new ad campaign is getting nationwide, and even international attention! And the term ‘Israeli Apartheid’ has made it into mainstream media reports – from ABC, CBS and NBC to Haaretz. The ad will be posted at 25 stations on the Metro North line in New York and Connecticut for four weeks. It's purpose is to raise awareness about the occupation and Israel's apartheid policies, as well as to reclaim our narrative from those who have been posting virulently anti-Arab and anti-Muslim ads. AMP's ad campaign is slated for several cities throughout the country and may next appear on buses in San Francisco. More than a dozen media outlets attended our press conference in NYC on Tuesday to kick off the campaign! 

 The interest  shows the American public is ready to accept the Palestinian narrative! 

No. I don't think so.

At least one of those media outlets, the New York Daily News saw right through the incendiary rhetoric and reported:

 Why is this day different from all other days? Because a pro-Palestinian group picked the first day of Passover to unveil a button-pushing new ad campaign that compares Israel to racist South Africa.The ads, which demand “End Apartheid Now! Stop U.S. Aid to Israel,” are being plastered at 25 Metro North train stations for the next four weeks. The head of American Muslims for Palestine insisted Tuesday they didn’t time the unveiling of the ads to coincide with the Jewish holiday, which celebrates freedom.“We timed the release of our ads with President Obama’s visit to the Middle East,” said Dr. Hatem Bazian. Obama visited Israel last week.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) issued the following statement on the anti-Israel ads

We are deeply disturbed that American Muslims for Palestine is undertaking a billboard campaign that falsely accuses Israel of "apartheid." Their ad campaign ignores the complicated nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and is part of the campaign to delegitimize and demonize the Jewish state.

It shows a profound lack of sensitivity that they chose the first day of the Jewish holiday of Passover to announce this malicious and false ad campaign.

And the American Muslims for Palestine responded:

We can’t let these Zionists and Islamophobes win! Help AMP take this ad campaign to cities across the nation.

The ADL has released a background paper on the American Muslims for Palestine.  The organization has roots in the Islamic Association of Palestine (IAP), an anti-Semitic group that served as the main propaganda arm for Hamas in the United States until it was dissolved in 2004. Since its creation in 2005, AMP continues to work closely with some former IAP leaders who currently hold positions as AMP board members.

Read the paper here.  This is what we are facing.  And decide now how your community will react when this special brand of AMP hate shows up in your neighborhood.