Brit Tzedek: Obama’s speech was ‘call to action’

Brit Tzedek v’Shalom says President Obama’s speech Wednesday at the UN General Assembly should be seen as a "call to action."

More than two-thirds of American Jews say they would support the president in taking concrete actions to convince both parties to achieve a two-state solution," said Brit Tzedek president Steve Masters in a statement. "What we must do now is act on that conviction."

"If we truly believe that Israel’s security is best served by peace, and only a two-state solution will resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – then me must see Obama’s speech at the UN as a call to action or we will run the very real risk of watching the  window of opportunity close before our eyes."

The group’s full statement is after the jump:[[READMORE]]

In response to President Barack Obama’s speech this morning to the United Nations General Assembly, Steve Masters, President of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, the Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace, issued the following statement.

“Advocates for a two-state resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict know that achieving true peace is not now, nor has it ever been, easy.

In his call this morning for the resumption of negotiations without preconditions, the President made clear that he understands the challenges that lie ahead, and the difficult concessions that achieving true peace and security will require. But he also touched on what is perhaps an even more important point: “All of us must decide whether we are serious about peace, or whether we only lend it lip-service.”

If the President’s frank words are not followed by firm action, they will simply join the existing pile of soaring rhetoric that has done little to actually effect change. And if the world, the American political arena, and Israelis and Palestinians alike do not understand that the President has the support of his own people, he will not have the political space he needs to take that action.

More than two-thirds of American Jews say they would support the president in taking concrete actions to convince both parties to achieve a two-state solution. What we must do now is act on that conviction.

If we truly believe that Israel’s security is best served by peace, and only a two-state solution will resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – then me must see Obama’s speech at the UN as a call to action or we will run the very real risk of watching the  window of opportunity close before our eyes.

We have to make sure that President Obama and Congress understand that the American Jewish community supports the administration’s efforts, and will back the White House as it takes difficult steps and asks for painful compromise.

Those in the American Jewish community who have long advocated for such a peace are right to feel heartened by the President’s vision, and to recognize the role that they have played in reaching this historic moment.

But our job has only just begun.”