The Knesset is now considering legislation that targets progressive NGOs for extra scrutiny of their foreign donations, but does not require similar scrutiny of right-wing or settler groups. This legislation is part of a long-term effort by some Israeli hardliners, backed by the government, to weaken Israel’s democracy by stifling dissent. While its supporters attempt to liken it to existing US law, it has drawn significant opposition from many quarters, both within Israel, from the US State Department and among the American Jewish community. And still, there is a real possibility that the bill will pass in the next few weeks.

Listen to the call here

News from Peace Now's (Israel) Settlement Watch:

Last week the High Court rejected a petition submitted by landowners of the village of Nahla, located south of Bethlehem, and approved the declaration of 1,341 of their lands as state land. This petition was the last legal obstacle that stood in the way of the government's plan to establish a new settlement with thousands of housing units east of the separation barrier in Givat Eitam. The plan, known as "E2," has disastrous consequences on the two state solution as it blocs Bethlehem from the south and cuts the southern part of the West Bank in half, quite similarly to the plan known as E1.

On January 14, 2016, APN, together with New Israel Fund (NIF), J Street, Ameinu, T’ruah, Partners for Progressive Israel (PPI), Foundation for Middle-East Peace (FMEP), and B'Tselem USA, hosted MK Merav Michaeli, former Deputy Knesset Speaker Naomi Chazan, and Attorney Michael Sfard,  moderated by Matt Duss, President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace for a conversation on the legislation now being considered by the Knesset that targets progressive NGOs for extra scrutiny of their foreign donations, but does not require similar scrutiny of right-wing or settler groups.

This legislation is part of a long-term effort by some Israeli hardliners, backed by the government, to weaken Israel’s democracy by stifling dissent. While its supporters attempt to liken it to existing US law, it has drawn significant opposition from many quarters, both within Israel, from the US State Department and among the American Jewish community. And still, there is a real possibility that the bill will pass in the next few weeks.

This week, Alpher discusses the Iran nuclear deal being fully implemented, with sanctions lifted earlier than originally predicted, and the US and Iran exchanging detainees; where these leave Washington’s relations with Israel and the Sunni Arab states; and the essentially Sunni Arab movements of Islamic State and al-Qaeda and the collapse of several Arab states - how and why all this began five years ago and whether we have figured that out so we can avoid repeating past mistakes.

Americans for Peace Now welcomes the statement issued by the European Union's foreign ministers, which states that no European agreements with Israel would be applicable in the Occupied Territories and reiterating the EU's policy of labeling products made in West Bank Israeli settlements.

APN warmly welcomes implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and congratulates the Obama Administration and its international partners on this historic achievement. The JCPOA has already succeeded in dramatically rolling back Iran’s nuclear program and will stringently limit this program going forward, in order to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear program in the future. In doing so, the JCPOA is a clear win for the American people, for U.S. leadership, for U.S. national security and, we believe, for Israel. It is for these reasons that APN and our supporters across the U.S. for years worked in support of a diplomatic solution to the challenge of Iran.

News from Peace Now's (Israel) Settlement Watch:

This morning the Army Radio reported that Minister of Defense Ya'alon authorized the declaration of 1,545 dunams south of Jericho as state land. This land has been overtaken by settlers years ago for the purpose of agricultural cultivations. According to the Army Radio the declaration will be published in the coming weeks. This is the largest declaration since August 2014, when 4,000 dunams in the Etzion Bloc area were declared as state lands, resulting in an international storm of criticism. 

This approval comes after several declarations and confiscations in the last few weeks as two orders were signed on 23 December 2015, intended to take over new lands in the Qalqilya region and Qusra region southeast of Nablus (see details below).

Peace Now: Continued land confiscation by the Netanyahu government is a diplomatic catastrophe. The government's decision is another step on the way to destroy the possibility for a two state solution. Netanyahu is being dragged by Naftali Bennett and begins a silent annexation of area C.

In a speech delivered in at a conference in Tel Aviv on January 18th, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro spoke the truths about Israeli policies and about U.S. concerns for Israel’s future.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has criticized Ambassador Shapiro for his comments. Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked has demanded that he recant them and apologize. A former aide to Netanyahu went so far as to use an offensive anti-Jewish slur against the Ambassador.

Did Ambassador Shapiro get the facts wrong?

Read our two new They Say, We Say questions to find out!