Hoping, praying for a show of leadership

They believe that Israel is no less entitled to its security than Palestinians are to their sovereignty. They object to incitements to racism and violence voiced by religious and community leaders on both sides of the security barrier. They recoil in horror at the inexcusable taking of innocent civilian life whether by a terrorist’s knife or a Kahanist’s gun. They understand that the signing of a reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas poses both risks to and opportunities for peace.

This solid majority of American Jews eschew selectively trolling history for mistakes and missed opportunities by one party or the other, worrying instead about the imminent demographic shift which threatens Israel’s survival as a Jewish democracy absent the mutually agreed creation of a Palestinian state. They are keenly aware that the clock is ticking toward possible recognition of unilaterally declared Palestinian statehood by the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Borne both of real fear for the future of their people’s homeland and millennia-old injunctions to respect the dignity and rights of others, it is now the overwhelming consensus view of the American Jewish community that the United States must act urgently and decisively to resolve the conflict. That is why nearly two out of three Jewish voters in the midterm elections said they would support the United States “exerting pressure on both the Israelis and Arabs to make the compromises necessary to achieve peace.”

Although they will not hear that message this week, Members of Congress should be aware that it is being voiced in synagogues, in Jewish community papers and at Shabbat dinner tables across the country. They should recognize, as the super-majority of Jewish Americans already does, that only American action providing a clear route to Palestinian statehood while immediately and permanently assuring Israel’s security can divert a tragic course of events.

This can be accomplished by President Obama putting forward American parameters for a final agreement ending the conflict (as has been suggested by former Democratic Congressman Robert Wexler, Republican National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft, and the former Israeli security officials behind the new Israeli Peace Initiative) or by leading the parties in drawing permanent borders and setting security measures en route to a comprehensive agreement (as has been suggested by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry and former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk). As the New York Times recently noted when calling for the President to “put a map and a deal on the table,” the outlines of the ultimate agreement are “no secret” … all that is missing is American will to get the job done.

Israel and the United States cannot afford usual recriminations and one-sided narratives. Back in lawmakers’ districts and states the vast majority of the Jewish American community will be carefully watching President Obama’s and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speeches — as well as their legislators’ and the president’s reaction to them — hoping, praying, for a show of leadership, a sign that peace may soon be at hand.

Dylan Williams is the Director of Government Affairs at J Street, the political arm of the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement.