Forget about my name on a J Street petition
The organization puts the blame on the wrong party, and ignores the true source of pain for Israelis and Palestinians
By Howard Teich
JNS
Sep 1, 2025

Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of J Street
J Street recently sent an email, asking me
to sign a petition with the subject heading, “Oppose this Insanity,”
which included a cover letter requesting that we not remain silent if we
are pro-Israel. And, of course, asked for a donation.
Here’s the way it framed their ask: “We
don’t yet have your name on our petition against Netanyahu’s
catastrophic, indefinite Gaza occupation plan, including efforts to
force nearly 1 million civilians from Gaza City to make way for heavy
strikes.”
They will never have my name on their petition.
Israel needs to move toward an actual
victory in its war with Hamas in Gaza, which means the removal of the
terrorist organization and the liberation of the hostages. At the same
time, the future rights of the residents of Gaza and the future safety
of the Israeli residents living along the border with Gaza must be
grappled with.
Throughout nearly two years of war started
by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, with the backing of Iran and other radical
Islamic terror organizations, Israelis and the Gazans have suffered
incomprehensible hardships. So let’s start by addressing J Street’s
title for this email, “End the War, Free the Hostages, Surge Aid.”
Israel has made offers to end the war, all of which have been refused by
Hamas. The terrorists can free the hostages and end the war. Instead,
Hamas continues to keep them in inhumane conditions, as was recently
shown in videos made by the terrorists.
In the midst of a war and with Israel’s
future at stake, J Street stands behind the quote that Israel’s
democratically elected prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is “leading
Israel and the hostages to doom.” Israel had faced 150,000 rockets and
missiles on its northern front, neighbors on seven sides looking to
attack and destroy the country, and the reality of another Oct. 7 in the
future unless it succeeds in disarming the surrounding terrorists
intent on ending the existence of Israel. Throughout this regional war,
Israel has moved toward securing its position on these multiple fronts
at great cost.
Israel now has a plan for concluding the
Gaza war and freeing the 50 remaining hostages, about 20 believed to be
still alive. The plan comes with the potential for grave danger, yet it
is an essential step in ending the threat from Hamas. The choice has
become clear not because it is being pushed “by messianic zealots,” as J
Street termed it, but because Hamas has continued to inhumanely put
their interests ahead of the people of Gaza and prevented the end of
this war.
It has also impeded and delayed a
potential future “Marshall Plan” for Gaza and the betterment of the
Palestinian Arab people living there.
I remain deeply disappointed with J
Street’s email and its growing influence in Congress through significant
PAC contributions and lobbying. More than that, I cannot forgive those
legislators who take that money and parrot J Street’s words, for they
have failed in carrying the torch for our people when the future of our
Jewish civilization is at stake.
Their truth is distorted, for they are not pro-Israel at all.
Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of J Street
J Street recently sent an email, asking me to sign a petition with the subject heading, “Oppose this Insanity,” which included a cover letter requesting that we not remain silent if we are pro-Israel. And, of course, asked for a donation.
Here’s the way it framed their ask: “We don’t yet have your name on our petition against Netanyahu’s catastrophic, indefinite Gaza occupation plan, including efforts to force nearly 1 million civilians from Gaza City to make way for heavy strikes.”
They will never have my name on their petition.
Israel needs to move toward an actual victory in its war with Hamas in Gaza, which means the removal of the terrorist organization and the liberation of the hostages. At the same time, the future rights of the residents of Gaza and the future safety of the Israeli residents living along the border with Gaza must be grappled with.
Throughout nearly two years of war started by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, with the backing of Iran and other radical Islamic terror organizations, Israelis and the Gazans have suffered incomprehensible hardships. So let’s start by addressing J Street’s title for this email, “End the War, Free the Hostages, Surge Aid.” Israel has made offers to end the war, all of which have been refused by Hamas. The terrorists can free the hostages and end the war. Instead, Hamas continues to keep them in inhumane conditions, as was recently shown in videos made by the terrorists.
In the midst of a war and with Israel’s future at stake, J Street stands behind the quote that Israel’s democratically elected prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is “leading Israel and the hostages to doom.” Israel had faced 150,000 rockets and missiles on its northern front, neighbors on seven sides looking to attack and destroy the country, and the reality of another Oct. 7 in the future unless it succeeds in disarming the surrounding terrorists intent on ending the existence of Israel. Throughout this regional war, Israel has moved toward securing its position on these multiple fronts at great cost.
Israel now has a plan for concluding the Gaza war and freeing the 50 remaining hostages, about 20 believed to be still alive. The plan comes with the potential for grave danger, yet it is an essential step in ending the threat from Hamas. The choice has become clear not because it is being pushed “by messianic zealots,” as J Street termed it, but because Hamas has continued to inhumanely put their interests ahead of the people of Gaza and prevented the end of this war.
It has also impeded and delayed a potential future “Marshall Plan” for Gaza and the betterment of the Palestinian Arab people living there.
I remain deeply disappointed with J Street’s email and its growing influence in Congress through significant PAC contributions and lobbying. More than that, I cannot forgive those legislators who take that money and parrot J Street’s words, for they have failed in carrying the torch for our people when the future of our Jewish civilization is at stake.
Their truth is distorted, for they are not pro-Israel at all.