J Streeters ignore Jews expulsion from East Jerusalem and forced isolation from the Western Wall (“Young Jews, peace process rejected in J Street vote,” WJW, May 22). They ignore the fact that, resulting from the 1948 Arab war against Israel, there was a similar number of “Palestinians” who left Israel as Jews expelled from Arab countries, but the Arab countries refused to absorb their own. Many Palestinians left voluntarily planning to return after Israel’s defeat. J Streeters ignore legal purchases of land from Arab landowners by the Jewish National Fund, other organizations and individuals.
J Streeters blame Israel for the failure of the “peace process.” Israelis are wary, since more than 65 years after the Arabs launched the first war against them in 1948, more than 4,000 Israelis have been murdered and 25,000 wounded by Palestinian terrorists. In various wars, almost 21,000 Israeli soldiers have been killed, 75,000 wound and 100,000 disabled in combat.
Despite that, hatred of Arabs is not taught in Israeli homes, schools and media as hatred of Jews is in Arab society.
As to J Street denials that George Soros is significant financial backer (ideological mentor?), a review of seven major contributors to the group, listed in its promotional material, reveals that at least four are associated with Soros and one has withdrawn support.
The fact that J Street has ignored Israel’s history and its own finances are factors that members of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations probably took into consideration in coming to its decision to reject J Street’s application for membership.
ROSALIND FELDMAN, Ph.D.
Rockville
