(June 30, 2025 / JNS) When Israel launched a precision strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities on June 13, nearly every segment of the U.S. Jewish community rallied behind it. Zev Stub of The Times of Israel wrote, “Jewish organizations from across the spectrum came out in strong support of Israel following the launch of its preemptive strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities … .”

But there was one conspicuous exception: J Street.

Its statement on June 13 urged “a reassessment” and called for renewed diplomacy, while cautioning that the strike “could give Iran … incentive … to pursue a nuclear weapon.” There was no clear support for Israel’s right to defend itself, no recognition of the existential threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program. In the face of a moment that demanded moral clarity, it wavered. Nowhere in its statement did it explicitly say that Iran cannot be allowed to have nuclear weapons.