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Daybreak: Ambassador Oren Bashes J Street

Plus U.S. blames Goldstone, Obama accepts prize

by
Marc Tracy
December 10, 2009

• Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren told the United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism that dovish American group J Street is “a unique problem” because it “opposes all policies of all Israeli governments. It’s significantly out of the mainstream.” [Forward]
• In an off-the-cuff (though not –record) remark, a high-ranking U.S. diplomat blamed the Goldstone Report for the “fairly substantial gap” that newly exists between Israelis and Palestinians. [JTA]
• As negotiations with Syria become more likely, the Knesset passed a bill—supported by Prime Minister Netanyahu—to require a referendum before Israel withdraws from its territory. The Golan Heights was on the legislators’ minds. [Haaretz]
• President Barack Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, insisting that the use of force is sometimes “morally justified.” [NYT]
• But Ari Shavit, among Israel’s most influential columnists, argued, “He will be awarded the prize only because he is a Democrat, a liberal and a black man who defeated the Republicans.” [Haaretz]

Marc Tracy is a staff writer at The New Republic, and was previously a staff writer at Tablet. He tweets @marcatracy.