To the Editor:

David Remnick seems intent on depicting mainstream Jewish organizations like AIPAC and the Anti-Defamation League as not representing the true views of American Jews.  He does that by mischaracterizing us as "right-leaning groups" ("A Man, A Plan," Comment, March 21st).

Speaking for ADL, we can say that such a label is absurd.  ADL has consistently supported a two-state solution, including offers by former Prime Ministers Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert to the Palestinians which would have resulted not only in a Palestinian state but the dismantling of a majority of the settlements.  We supported then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza in 2005.  There's nothing right-wing about these positions.

The truth is that organizations like AIPAC and ADL do reflect the views of a significant body of American Jewish opinion.  Those views include, however -- and this is what Remnick doesn't like and won't acknowledge -- the belief that Israel faces significant security challenges, that the Palestinians still haven't shown a true acceptance of Israel's legitimacy and that they have been at least equally, if not more, responsible for the breakdown of negotiations than Israel.

Most American Jews, we believe, want peace and security for Israel.  Getting both is a lot harder than Remnick acknowledges.