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Analysis

J Street eyes the political big time with Biden, Livni and Indyk

October 3, 2013 20:00
Tzipi Livni speaking at the conference (Photo: Getty Images)
2 min read

Ever since its founding a mere five years ago, America’s main progressive Israel advocacy group, J Street, has aimed to join the big time.

With Vice President Joe Biden giving the keynote address at this year’s annual convention in Washington DC, the organisation may just have made it.

Although Mr Biden’s speech on Monday was undramatic — he drew on his Irish ancestry to discuss the realities of reconciliation and cited the need for diplomatic resolutions in the Middle East to promote political stability — his presence was loudly appreciated by the 3,000 delegates. They had had to wait for the delayed official, but they forgave him readily. “Blame the president,” he said, to laughs.

Over the course of the conference, J Streeters also heard from an impressive line-up of speakers that included Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni (who is also Israel’s chief negotiator in the current peace talks), Israeli opposition leader Shelly Yachimovich and President Barack Obama’s special peace talks envoy, Martin Indyk.