Taken in aggregate, new developments in the Middle East tend to be more often negative than positive. When there is good news in that part of the world, the excitement of the initial announcement often fades due to a lack of follow-through from the parties involved. However, in the sphere of the American approach to the Middle East, a ray of light has emerged this week with the announcement of a new Israel-related lobbying group called J-Street.

J-Street is an answer to the prayers of many American supporters of Israel. The group is committed to providing an alternative to the American-Israeli Political Action Committee (AIPAC), which has a long-standing monopoly on lobbying for Israel. J-Street’s agenda is to give political support to candidates who will align themselves with centrist or leftist Israeli political values, namely, those who staunchly support a two-state solution and who would like to see illegal settlement blocs removed. The positive possibilities of such a group are enormous.

AIPAC has long been a sore spot for mainstream Jews who wish to support Israel. Generally considered to be among the most domineering and powerful lobbying groups in the history of the world, AIPAC has pushed an extremely right-wing agenda for years, denying support to anyone who didn’t strongly support the policies of the Israeli government, regardless of what those policies were.

The efforts of this group have impacted U.S. policy on Israel in key ways. Almost every political candidate, regardless of party, has to bow to AIPAC’s pressure and advocate a pro-Israel agenda and gratuitous amounts of unconditional aid, often against better judgement. This has invariably impeded progress in the peace process. No president can hope to use the threat of an aid cutoff to pressure Israel to live up to its obligations, without being denounced by AIPAC and facing a congressional revolt due to the group’s influence.

Therefore, the feeling of most American Jews towards AIPAC has long been ambivalent. The Jewish community obviously wishes to see Israel receive a large amount of protection from the U.S., in terms of aid and military support. Thus, they approve of AIPAC’s efforts to bring their collective concerns to bear on the U.S. government. But, a large number of American Jews have a centrist or liberal point view of the peace process. They support a two- state solution, oppose settlement blocs and wish fervently for a speedy an Israeli-Palestinian peace. Unfortunately, AIPAC, because of its support for the most extreme Israeli positions on these issues, has long frustrated the collective wishes of U.S. Jews.

This frustration with AIPAC is why J-Street is such a breakthrough. If J-Street can grow into a sufficiently formidable political force, it can counteract the pressure that AIPAC brings to bear. J-Street can support candidates who advocate different approaches to Israel, providing them with aid and credibility that will protect them from AIPAC’s attempts to sabotage their chances. This will increase the electoral chances of those centrists. With pragmatic officials in office, new pressures can be brought to bear on the Israeli government, in order to effect real change. To give an example, J-Street might provide pro-Israel legitimacy to a president who would demand that Israel dismantle illegal settlements, as specified in the Road Map of 2003, or else risk a cut in aid. Such a statement would pressure rightist members of the Israeli government to back off from pressuring the prime minister to protect the settlements, leading to the actual removal of said settlements. This would bolster Mahmoud Abbas’ credibility and could lead to a peace agreement that would help isolate Hamas even further. If J-Street succeeds, it can help give the U.S. government the operating freedom necessary to make truly beneficial changes.

There are some problems with this new lobby group. Currently, they have amassed a total endowment of $1 million, in comparison to AIPAC’s $100 million war chest. Also, there is a chance that the purpose of the group could be misconstrued by those American Jews who support AIPAC’s philosophy. These Jews will certainly try to label the new group anti-Israel. Also, many Jews hold the opinion that since they do not live in Israel, and do not share the challenges faced by its citizens, it would be presumptuous to support an organization that will put any pressure on Israel. These problems notwithstanding, the creation of this lobby group is a monumental moment for American Jewry. If this group can grow, it can at least give American Jews a way to support Israel on their terms. This will lead to a more diverse voicing of political thought on Israel, which will benefit both the American people and Israel.