israel

Representative Joe Sestak ‘Regrets’ Signing J Street’s ‘Gaza 54’ Letter

New Jersey congressman Rush Holt was attacked last week by the Emergency Committee for Israel after signing a letter last January, sent to President Obama by 54 members of Congress, asking the president to pressure Israel to allow food, medicine, fuel, and sanitation supplies through its blockade of the Gaza Strip. The letter was written by J Street, the self-described “political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans.” Since then, J Street launched an anti–Emergency Committee for Israel website, and now Senate candidate and Pennsylvania representative Joe Sestak, who also signed J Street’s letter, is distancing himself from J Street. According to Politico:


The Congressman said the one Israel related action he regretted was signing on to the infamous ‘Gaza 54’ letter and if he had to do it over he would have sent an individual letter.”

However, J Street’s Hadar Susskind noted that Sestak regretted signing the letter without distancing himself from J Street’s underlying policy. Susskind added: “We urge members of Congress all the time to send their own letters on the complex, nuanced issues that come up related to Israel and the Middle East. Our focus is on the policy, not the vehicle.”

Sestak backs off Israel letter [Politico]

Related: The GOP Tribe [NYM]

However, J Street’s Hadar Susskind noted that Sestak regretted signing the letter without distancing himself from J Street’s underlying policy. Susskind added: “We urge members of Congress all the time to send their own letters on the complex, nuanced issues that come up related to Israel and the Middle East. Our focus is on the policy, not the vehicle.”

Sestak backs off Israel letter [Politico]

Related: The GOP Tribe [NYM]

Representative Joe Sestak ‘Regrets’ Signing J Street’s ‘Gaza 54’ Letter