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Interview: Daniel Diker

'Criticise Israel - but not on security issues'

March 31, 2011 11:00
Line in the sand: next WJC head Daniel Diker (right) with Shimon Peres

ByPaul Berger, Paul Berger

1 min read

Jewish organisations in the diaspora have the right to criticise Israel in all respects except one - national security.

So says Daniel Diker, the secretary-general designate of the World Jewish Congress.

"If Prime Minister Netanyahu says an Israeli presence in the Jordan Valley is necessary," Mr Diker said during a recent interview in the WJC's Manhattan headquarters, "then it's a mistake for Jewish organisations to say it's illegitimate or wrong."

Mr Diker's critique comes at a time when the US "pro-Israel, pro-peace" group J-Street is under increasing pressure in the US and in Israel, where the Knesset last week held a hearing into the group.