metro >> on the cover Down With Demonizing Israel Action Network takes dead aim at network that delegitimizes Jewish state. Robert Sklar I Contributing Editor CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Federations of North America and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, both based in New York. Dabscheck is referring to the loosely held network of marginal forces, European- rooted but globally spread, that seek to undermine Israel's sovereignty by claiming Israel occupies Arab land and thus is an apartheid state, Nazi-like, a war criminal and a human rights violator. These naysay- ers generally subscribe to one state with an Arab majority as the solution to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. Local delegitimizing echoes from the Palestine Office-Michigan in Dearborn. Other promulgators of delegitimizing acts include Students for Justice in Palestine, American Muslims for Palestine and, at times, Jewish Voice for Peace, according to IAN. The Presbyterian Church (USA)/Israel Palestinian Mission Network also has under- taken activities that stray into dark territory; contrarily, the 2012 General Assembly of the PCUSA narrowly rejected Israel-related divestment in a key summer vote. Churches and mosques that unwittingly or knowingly allow speakers to demonize Israel are especially vexing, according to IAN. "The discussion onIsrael has taken a very nasty turn," Dabscheck told the JN in an exclusive July 11 interview. Dabscheck and Jason Pearlman, the Jerusalem-based Israel Desk director of IAN, visited the JN offices July 11 as part of a two-day local visit to meet with Federation and Jewish Community Relations Council leaders as well as a contingent of rabbis. IAN helps Jewish groups and non-Jewish allies strengthen their Jason capacity to counter the Pearlman movement to delegitimize Israel. Locally, the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor called on IAN to help strategize over anti-Israel bus ads. Standing As One The Jewish community takes pride in the diversity of opinion on the policy actions of the Israeli government. But Jews stand virtually united against delegitimizing of Jewish state, Dabscheck said."We're building a viable continental network," he said. The delegitimizing campaign grew from the international NGO (nongovernmental 10 July 26 . 2012 organization) gathering that took place in collaboration with the 2001 U.N. World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa. Anti-Israel NGOs took advan- tage of the second Palestinian intifada (uprising) to color Israel a pariah state worthy of political and economic exile. But NGOs aren't the only culprit. Governments influenced by the biased United Nations still equate Zionism with racism — the U.N. 1991 Zionism Equals Racism revocation resolution notwithstanding. IAN strives to educate, organize and mobilize the 155 federations and 300 smaller communities represented by the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and the 14 member agencies and 125 commu- nity-relations councils of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. JCPA member agencies include the four major religious streams of Judaism, the Jewish Labor Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee and Hadassah. The hope is for this JFNA/JCPA collective to lead the public conversation about Israel while IAN remains in the background as a researcher and resource. IAN also partners with such outside agencies as the Jewish Agency for Israel and Hillel: The Foundation for Campus Jewish Life. Demonizing groups sometimes join forces to pursue their joint cause of liberat- ing "Palestine" from the Zionist "aggressor." Take, for example, the U.S. Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel. "Those trying to undermine Israel's Dabscheck said, "are targeting certain constituencies such as college students, par- ticular church and faith groups, and political progressives:' Preyed upon are people ignorant of Middle East politics and susceptible to twisted narratives. The Reut Institute, an Israel think tank, points out "the delegitimizers work from the 'periphery to the center' and 'bottom- up: thriving in social networks and on the Internet. Hence, while in formal policy spheres Israel's diplomatic position remains relatively strong and solid, Israel's standing among the general public and intellectual elites is being eroded" Building Bonds Dabscheck cut his strategizing spurs as part of the senior leadership team at the David Project, the Boston-based shaper of campus advocacy for Israel. Ultimately, he believes, purveyors of delegitimizing undercut the chance for last- ing peace and a two-state answer along the Israeli/Palestinian border. "Throughout different levels of public life he said, "they target areas of cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians, marginal- izing the debate and, in many cases, empow- ering the extremists" A pivotal tactic involves calling for a BDS (boycotts, divestment and sanctions) offensive against Israel, much like some Protestant churches, universities, municipali- ties and corporations have sought to win support for impoverished Palestinians of the West Bank, in which Israel militarily main- tains a presence for security reasons. Few efforts succeed to boycott Israeli products, citizens and events or to divest from Israeli companies and institutions (including Israel Bonds) and from certain foreign companies that do business in Israel. Economic sanc- tions on Israel also haven't succeeded. IAN argues that BDS supporters often don't understand the BDS crusade is a front for coalitions that eye one state with an Arab majority and a Jewish minority. That's why IAN is reaching out to vulnerable groups to clarify the underlying intent before BDS rhetoric takes root. IAN isn't so worried about diaspora groups that lead tours to Israel. "People come to Israel and see, experience and gain an appreciation for it',' Pearlman said. "Israel speaks for itself. Our job is to create that con- nection to, and understanding of, Israel for vulnerable constituencies" BDS is particularly effective when an approached group or constituency doesn't have a strong impression about Israel. To diminish the effect, IAN looks to tell Israel's story more widely. The local Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) worked with IAN to iden- tify influential Presbyterians involved in the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s discussion about whether to divest before the General Assembly divestment vote failed. "We contacted them and even sent two local Presbyterians on an IAN study mission to Sharon Lipton JCRC President Sharon Lipton told the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's executive committee in July. The JCRC plans to mobilize Metro Detroit rabbis to be more involved as Israel advocates, Lipton added. "They have good interfaith relationships. And they are good as news media spokesmen and spokes- women. Also, they can use their pulpits to motivate congregants to be advocates for Israel with their neighbors, co-workers and others." Moment Of Reckoning The Detroit Federation contributes $30,000 annually toward the $1.5 million annual budget of IAN and its seven- person staff. "We cant miss an opportunity to talk about Allan Gale Israel or to share our per- sonal stories about Israel': said Allan Gale, JCRC associate director. "Everybody has a part in this:' IAN has a vested pursuit in Metro Detroit, home to more than 250,000 Arabs, including many Muslims. A high priority is working with the segments that don't cross the red line of being anti-Zionist. IAN focuses on reaching persuadable people and organizations — whether Jewish, Christian or Muslim — to promote dialogue and combat the corrosive impact of ridicul- ing Israel, Dabscheck said. "Very hostile groups aren't our target': he said. Gale acknowledges the red line is moving. "What do you do if for example, a board member in an organization that has not taken an anti-Israel or anti-Jewish action is not dean? How do we decide whether that organization deserves relationships with our community? That's something our own JCRC is debating. Its our most difficult issue — and we don't have an easy or complete answer:' Still, Gale added, part of what the JCRC does is outreach. "We can't ignore our large Arab and Muslim communities," he said. "We have some tension with Arabs and Muslims; are we to absent ourselves from addressing that?" Demonizing can both irreparably scar Israel and provide a bully pulpit to extol anti-Semitism, Pearlman underscored. "It can affect Israel's economy as well as Israel's ability to speak for and defend itself,' he said. "It also can limit respect for Israeli diplomats. Clearly, it's a global concern that's an affront to values and dia- loguing" IAN thinks on a global scale, but advo- cates local galvanizing. "At the end of the day,' Dabscheck said, "we want a strategy that legitimizes Israel and moves along the peace process." To learn more about Israel Action Network, log on to: www.lsraelActionNetwork.org .