Former secretary of state James Baker, currently a foreign policy adviser to possible 2016 Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush, warned that Israel could lose its “democratic character” if it continues to “occupy Arab lands” in a carefully worded keynote address at the J Street conference on Monday evening.
“It seems to me Israel’s future absent a two-state solution could be very difficult at best,” said Baker at the J Street gala. “I fear Israel risks losing either its Jewish character or its democratic character as long as it occupies those Arab lands.”
The comments echoed a speech by President Obama’s chief of staff Denis McDonough at the conference earlier in the day. He said the Israeli “occupation that has lasted more than 50 years” could lead to “further isolation” of the Jewish state.
Baker’s scheduled speech to the left-wing Middle East lobbying group had already drawn controversy before Monday night due to Baker’s role on Bush’s foreign policy advisory team.
“[Baker’s] antipathy toward Israel is well documented,” said radio host Mark Levin last week. “This is the guy, the leading adviser to Jeb Bush on foreign policy, who Jeb Bush asked to be his leading adviser, and now he’s the keynote speaker to…J Street.”
During his speech Baker, who was secretary of state for former president George H.W. Bush, weighed in on Israeli settlements and the Iranian nuclear negotiations in the keynote address, which was tepidly received by the J Street audience.
Baker said it was unreasonable to expect Iran to agree to cease all of its enrichment, something Israel has said is necessary for a deal. He said the goal of negotiations should be to limit Iran’s program in a way that can be verified by outside observers.
An Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, he added, would only delay Iran’s program, not destroy it. However, he said a U.S.-led strike on Iran should not be ruled out if negotiations fail.
He also praised the U.S.-Israel relationship.
“Since gaining their independence of 1948, Israelis have built one of the most impressive states in the entire world,” he said. “In doing so, they have fulfilled the age old dream of the Jewish people. They have created a robust democratic polity in a very undemocratic corner of the world.”
The former secretary of state also had some kind words for J Street.
“Since its founding, your organization has consistently promoted open debate within the American Jewish community,” he said.
J Street executive director Jeremy Ben Ami told the Washington Free Beacon that Baker’s advisory role with Jeb Bush could benefit J Street.
“What we hope is to have an open door to every candidate on both sides of the aisle, so perhaps this will help us have an open door, perhaps not,” said Ben Ami.
Ben Ami added that this was not the first time J Street has found common cause with Republicans, noting that former defense secretary Chuck Hagel also gave a keynote address at one of its conferences.
“We have endorsed Republican candidates four or five times,” said Ben Ami. “When Senator Hagel was a Republican senator, he was our keynote address. So we’ve always wanted to try to have a good dialogue with the Republican Party and we’ve had some success, but minimal.”
Jeb Bush’s camp has distanced itself from Baker and J Street.
“Governor Bush finds J Street’s advocacy to be inconsistent with his views and to the interests of a safe and secure Israel,” Bush spokesperson Kristy Campbell told the Washington Free Beacon on Sunday.