Re: BDS Event

From:jake.sullivan@gmail.com To: seizenstat@cov.com CC: lholte@cov.com, padams@cov.com, sglenn@cov.com, John.Podesta@gmail.com, huma@hrcoffice.com Date: 2015-06-25 10:36 Subject: Re: BDS Event

That sounds reasonable to me. My only question is whether it is too directive to ask for a written response. Let me try a formula today and come back to you with it. > On Jun 25, 2015, at 12:52 AM, Eizenstat, Stuart <seizenstat@cov.com> wrote: > > Jake, > > With my intense Israel schedule, I did not see your earlier email. I like the idea, since a meeting has to be inclusive, yet this might make it unmanageable, divisive (J Street vs. AIPAC), and lengthy, as everyone will have to be heard. > > Here is my suggestion. > > 1. Send the letter to a broader group (you could make it to each member of the Conference of Presidents, as well as others on my list). You might still take some of my edits. > > 2. Sharpen the request at the end, so that it is not just a throwaway line, by having her ask them to send their suggestions in up to a two page paper within one week. > > 3. Have Hillary call a select few on the list, for example Malcolm, Abe Foxman, David Harris, and Jerry Silverman. > > 4. Then issue a statement, mentioning the wide outreach. > > How does that sound? > > Stu > > From: Jake Sullivan [mailto:jake.sullivan@gmail.com] > Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2015 01:48 AM > To: Eizenstat, Stuart > Cc: Holte, Laurina; Adams, Patricia; Glenn, Steven > Subject: Re: FW: FW: BDS Event > > Stu -- I'm not sure if you saw my earlier email, but HRC is now thinking that she can send a letter to a broader group -- like all the names you've offered and then a few more -- RATHER than hold a meeting. She is now worried about how to manage a meeting given competing perspectives and the like. She wonders whether circulating a letter, soliciting feedback, and then speaking out might not be the right sequence. What is your take on that? > >> On Wed, Jun 24, 2015 at 5:45 PM, Eizenstat, Stuart <seizenstat@cov.com> wrote: >> Dear Jake: >> >> Here are my edits to your excellent draft which I am sending from Israel. Now you should have the contact information for the potential invitees I suggested. You should double check with Malcolm to get any additional names or to suggest deleting any of the ones on my list. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Dear _______: >> >> >> >> >> I am writing to express my grave concern at the growth of the odious alarm at the growth of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanction movement, or “BDS”, a global effort to isolate the State of Israel by ending commercial and academic exchanges. This campaign against Israel, a nation that shares our fundamental values and interests, is unfair and unconscionable. I know you agree that we need to make countering BDS a priority. I am seeking your advice on how we can mitigate its ramifications and effectively reverse this trend. >> >> As you know, BDS seeks to isolate and punish Israel in an attempt to dictate how the Israelis and Palestinians should resolve the core issues with which they are grappling. This is not the way to peace. We need two states for two peoples achieved through direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Israel’s long-term security and future as a Jewish state depends on it. But the terms of that agreement cannot be internationally imposed. >> >> BDS is the latest attempt to delegitimize Israel in a global arena. Sadly this has been tried for years at the UN and elsewhere. I reject such efforts and believe America must defend Israel at every turn. And as Senator and Secretary of State, that’s what I did. I have opposed nearly 100 anti-Israel resolutions at the UN, Human Rights Council, and other international organizations. I fought the biased Goldstone Report, making it clear that Israel must be allowed to investigate itself like any other country. And I directed the U.S. to veto the Palestinians’ effort to use the UN to unilaterally declare statehood. Time after time, no matter the venue, I have made it clear that America has Israel’s back. >> >> More specifically, I am appalled by attempts to compare Israel to South African apartheid. You know as well as I do that Tikkun Olam is a touchstone of the Jewish experience. Jews have led the way on human rights and civil rights, always raising the bar. It is wrong to ignore this tradition and use the tools that were applied to apartheid to undermine the legitimacy of Zionism. Particularly at a time where global anti-Semitism is on the rise, we need more understanding, not less. After all, it was only six months ago that four Jews were targeted and killed in a Kosher supermarket in Paris as they did their Sabbath shopping. >> >> So I am seeking your thoughts and recommendations on how leaders and communities across America can work together, in a united way, to counter BDS. From Congress and state legislatures to boardrooms and classrooms, we need to engage all people of good faith on BDS, its ramifications, and why it is counterproductive to the pursuit of peace regardless of their political persuasion in explaining why the BDS campaign is counterproductive to the pursuit of peace and harmful to Israelis and Palestinians alike. >> >> I hope that you will work with me on this priority. It’s hard to believe that it It was nearly three decades ago when Bill and I took our first trip to Israel. During that visit, we walked the ancient streets of Jerusalem’s Old City, prayed at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and reflected at Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock. Israel became a special place for us and I’m lucky to have had many opportunities to return. The Jewish state is a modern day miracle – a vibrant bloom in the middle of a desert. We must nurture it however we can. >> >> I hope that we can work together to think through how we can most effectively tackle BDS head-on in a way that advances the common interests and values we all embrace so deeply. >> >> I look forward to hearing back from you, and pledge to speak out on this issue in the days and weeks ahead. I would like to invite you to a meeting at XX on XX to get your views. After that, I pledge to speak out on this issue on the days and weeks ahead, with the benefit of your advice. >> >> Sincerely, >> >> >> >> >> >> On Wed, Jun 24, 2015 at 1:05 PM, Eizenstat, Stuart <seizenstat@cov.com> wrote: >> >> Jake: >> Per instructions received from Stu Eizenstat, please find contact information for each individual listed below: >> >> 1. Malcolm Honlein - Tel.: (212) 318-6111; malcolm@conferenceofpresidents.org >> 2. Eric Fingerhut - Tel.: (202) 449-6560; belisschmidt@hillil.org >> 3. Rabbi Richard Joel - Tel.: (212) 960-5300; cphelps@yu.edu >> 4. Arnold Eisen - Tel.: (212) 678-8072; areisen@jtsa.edu >> 5. Rabbi Aaron D. Panken - Tel.: (212) 824-2219; apanken@huc.edu >> 6. Unknown >> 7. Gerrald (Jerry) Silverman - Tel.: (212) 284-6700; jerry.silverman@jewishfederations.org >> 8. Dan Mariachin - Tel.: (202) 857-6500; DFM@bnaibrith.org >> 9. Abraham Foxman - Tel.: (212) 490-2525; afoxman@adl.org >> 10. David Harris - Tel.: (212) 751-4000 (ext. 202); HarrisD@ajc.org >> 11. Howard Kohr - Tel.: (202) 639-5272; hkohr@aipac.org >> 12. Jeremy Ben-Ami - Tel.: (202) 596-5207; info@jstreet.org >> 13. Mortimer Zuckerman - Tel.: (212) 744-3995; MZuckerman@BostonProperties.com >> 14. Ronald Lauder - Tel.: (212) 572-6966; camozzi@rslmgmt.com >> 15. Charles Bronfman - Tel.: (561) 863-7180; crb14@acbp.net >> 16. Lynn Schusterman - Tel.: (918) 879-0290; (202) 289-7000 >> 17. Debbie Hoffman - Tel.: (202) 296-2588; action@ncjwdc.org >> 18. Marcie Natan - Tel.: (866) 303-3640; Mnatan@hadassah.org >> 19. Haim Saban - Tel.: (310) 557-5100; hsaban@saban.com >> 20. Morton Mandel - Tel.: (216) 875-6501; dcuilli@parkwd.com >> 21. Arthur Schneier - Tel.: (212) 535-5800; appealofconscience@msn.com >> 22. Elie Wiesel - Tel.: (617) 353-4561; weisel@bu.edu >> 23. Lester Crown - Tel.: (312) 899-5010; lcrown@crown-chicago.com >> 24. Frederick Lawrence - Tel.: (781) 736-3001; lawrence@brandeis.edu >> 25. Gene Block - Tel.: (310) 825-2151; chancellor@ucla.edu >> 26. Deborah Lipstadt - Tel.: (404) 727-2298; dlipsta@emory.edu >> 27. Joel Fleishman - Tel.: (919) 613-7376; Joel.Fleishman@duke.edu >> 28. Dov Zakheim - Tel.: (703) 824-2000; DovSZakheim@gmail.com >> 29. Stephen Trachtenberg - Tel.: (202) 994-9820; Trachtenberg@gwu.edu >> 30. Jane Harman - Tel.: (202) 691-4202; jane.harman@wilsoncenter.org >> 31. Eric Goldstein - Tel.: (212) 373-3204; egoldstein@paulweiss.com >> 32. Steve Hoffman - Tel.: (216) 593-2837; shoffman@jcfcleve.org >> 33. Stephen Lassiter - Tel.: (202) 225-4755; Stephen.Lassiter@mail.house.gov >> 34. Steven Rakitt - Tel.: (404) 870-1608; srakitt@jfga.org >> >> Should you require additional assistance, please contact Steven Glenn @ sglenn@cov.com or Laurina Holte @ lholte@cov.com. Thank you. >> >> Steven Glenn >> >> Covington & Burling LLP >> One CityCenter, 850 Tenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001 >> T +1 202 662 5926 | sglenn@cov.com >> www.cov.com >> >> >> ----- >> From: Eizenstat, Stuart >> Sent: Tuesday, June 23, 2015 6:38 AM >> To: 'Jake.Sullivan@gmail.com' >> Cc: Glenn, Steven; Holte, Laurina; Adams, Patricia; 'John.Podesta@gmail.com'; 'huma@hrcoffice.com' >> Subject: BDS Event >> >> Dear Jake, >> Following our discussion last night (my time in Israel) on the logistics of the BDS event and later statement by Hillary, here are a list of names for invitations. I would ask Malcolm Honlein to supplement these with anyone he thinks should be included and to get his opinion on including Mort Klein, the President of Zionist Organization (ZOA), who would be flattered to be invited, but is very hardline. >> >> By copy of this to my office I am asking them to find contact information in my contact list and on Google: >> >> 1. Malcolm Honlein, President of Conference of Presidents of Major Organization. >> 2. Eric Fingerhut, President of Hillel (he has had to handle the controversial "Open Hillel" movement on some California campuses and a J Street confrontation). >> 3.Rabbi Richard Joel, President of Yeshiva University.(Orthodox), and former head of Hillel. >> 4.Arnold Eisen, President of Jewish Theological Seminary (Conservative). >> 5. President of Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati (Reform) >> 6. President of Reconstructionist Movement. >> 7. Jerry Silverman, Executive Director of Jewish Federations of North America (781-248-5958). He was at my Tel Aviv speech this morning and is very knowledgeable about BDS. >> 5.Dan Mariachin (B'Brith)(may need to bring lay president and his NYC leader) >> 6. Abe Foxman (ADL)(may need to bring lay president) >> 7. David Harris (AJC)(may need to bring lay president). >> 8. Howard Kohr (AIPAC)(may need to bring lay president). >> 9, Jeremy Ben-Ami (J Street)(I do not think he should be excluded) >> 10. Mort Zuckerman >> 11. Ronald Lauder (President of World Jewish Congress)(former US Ambassador to Austria, and a Republican, but must be invited given his position). >> 12. Charles Bronfman >> 13, Lynn Schusterman, Oklahoma (large funder of Hillel and many other Jewish causes). >> 14. President of National Council of Jewish Women). >> 15. President of Hadassah >> 16.Howard Kohr (AIPAC)(may need to include his lay leader). >> 17. Haim Saban (recently teamed with Sheldon Adelson to form anti-BDS group of wealthy donors, but already caused some controversy by excluding left-leaning groups. I do not see how Adelson can be invited because he is such a strident GOP-supporter and would be a potentially disruptive force in a meeting. But you could check with Saban). >> 18, Mort Mandel (Cleveland, spends most of his time in Florida; he is a pillar in the community; in 1981 we co-founded the National Jewish Democratic Council). >> 19. Rabbi Arthur Schneier (New York). >> 20. Eli Wiesel (he is quite frail). >> 21. Lester Crown (Chicago, old but highly respected). >> 22. Fred Lawrence, President of Brandeis (his contract was not extended, in part because of an honorary doctorate extended to a critic of radical Islam and then wihdrawn under student pressure). >> 23.You may wish to have some university president or chancellor who has faced the BDS campaign, e.g. UCLA Chancellor Gene Block or Chancellor at USC. >> 24. Professor Deborah Lipstadt (Emory University). >> 25. Joel Fleischman (Duke) >> 26. Dov Zakheim (former senior DOD official in Bush Administration; thoughtful and wise), >> 27.Stephen Trachtenberg (former long-time President of George Washington University) >> 28. Marvin Heir (Wiesenthal Center in LA). >> 29. Jane Harman (former Congresswoman and President of Woodrow Wilson Center). >> 30. You may wish to invite the heads of the major UJA Federations around the country (e.g. Eric Goldstein in NYC; Steve Hofman in Cleveland; Steve Lassiter in Chicago; Steve Rakitt in Washington; Richard Sandler, incoming lay President in LA). >> >> I look forward to your comments. In terms of numbers, a lot depends on what you want out of the this. But I would err on the side of a larger number, even though it would be a bit unruly, since part of the reason for the session is to broadly get out the word of her interest and concern. I have tried to include a significant number of women, and a geographic diversity. >> >> Best wishes, >> >> Stu Eizenstat >> Stu Eizenstat >> >