Yossi Alpher is an independent security analyst. He is the former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, a former senior official with the Mossad, and a former IDF intelligence officer. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

This week, Alpher discusses why Netanyahu is risking his coalition with the ultra-Orthodox by granting prayer rights at the Western Wall to the US-based Reform and Conservative movements and how this is connected to his quest to shore up American public support for Israel; what Israelis think of Donald Trump; and what does it mean for Israel that Saudi Arabia is punishing Lebanon because of Hezbollah’s ties to Iran and support for the Assad regime in Syria;

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

Earlier today (March 7, 2016) the State updated the High Court of Justice on its position regarding Peace Now's petition for the evacuation of 17 structures in the outpost of Derech Ha'Avot. Due to the "request of the political echelon" and despite its previous commitments, the State announced that it seeks to work on the retroactive legalization of 10 of the structures built on private Palestinian land in the illegal outpost. The State hopes to do so by applying a "First Registration" procedure, a long complex procedure asking applicants to prove legal ownership of a land. This comes only two years after this land had been surveyed and was not declared state land, as it had clear owners. If the court accepts the State's position, in the best case scenario the evacuation of the illegal structures as well as the return of the land to its Palestinian owners will be postponed by several years, and in the worst case scenario, the State will find a way to retroactively legalize the structures. As for the remaining 7 structures, the state argued that it will evacuate them within two years.

Peace Now: The government's shameless legal acrobatics efforts meant to take over  lands in area C is putting the two state solution in danger. We hope that the High Court will deny the State's attempt to act against its previous commitments and demand the evacuation of the illegal construction in the outpost of Derech Ha'Avot.

The Obama Administration must shift focus from restarting negotiations to restoring the credibility of America’s Israel-Palestine policy. The Obama Administration should start by bringing an Israeli-Palestinian two-state resolution to the United Nations Security Council, or by working with other UNSC members in support of such a resolution or some similar initiative.

APN on Obama & the UN Security Council

December 23, 2016: Press Release: APN Welcomes UNSC Vote on Israeli-Palestinian Peace

October 2016: APN's Lara Friedman Addresses the United Nations Security Council on Settlements (text of speech, video, and other resources)

APN's Lara Friedman, 9/26/16: US Presidents & Israel-related UNSCRs: The Historical Record, 1967-Present (full data set on which NYT article was based)

APN's Lara Friedman, The New York Times 4/10/16: Israel’s Unsung Protector: Obama

APN's Lara Friedman, The Huffington Post 10/28/15: Time for a New Israel-Palestine Peacemaking Paradigm

APN Action Alert 9/30/15: Tell President Obama: Take the Two-State Solution to the UN Security Council

APN Press Release 9/30/15: APN to Obama Administration: Support Consequential Action on Israel-Palestine by the United Nations Security Council

APN Policy statement 9/30/15: Reclaiming U.S. Leadership, Reclaiming Israel’s Future: A Call to Action

APN Press Release 5/27/15: Press Release: APN to Obama: Reject Netanyahu's Bluff; Support Two-State Resolution in UN Security Council

APN Statement 4/27/15: Reclaiming U.S. Leadership, Reclaiming Israel’s Future: A Call to Action

APN Press Release, 12/30/14: APN to Obama: Don't Block UNSC Resolution on Israeli-Palestinian Peace.

APN Press Release, 12/24/14: APN to Obama, Kerry: Now is the Time for UNSC Pro-Peace Resolution

APN's Lara Friedman, The Forward, 12/23/14: Stop Babying Israel at the U.N. Security Council.

Lara Friedman analysis/commentary 12/19/14: Calling Out Israeli Rejectionism at the UN

APN Press Release, 12/15/14: APN to Obama Administration: Support Constructive Action at the UN Security Council to Promote Israeli-Palestinian Peace.

APN on Palestinians at the UN

10/19/16: APN Denounces UNESCO Resolution; Urges UN Agencies to Avoid One-Sided Language on Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

1/27/15: APN Statement on Palestinians' International Criminal Court (ICC) Membership and Activity

Lara Friedman analysis/commentary 1/5/14: US Law & Abbas' Post-UNSC Moves - An Explainer

APN Legislative Round-Up: April 4, 2014: Item 2: Palestinians, the UN, and Congress

APN Press Release, 11/27/12: APN Calls on Obama Administration to Support Palestinian UN Initiative

Peace Now (Shalom Achshav), 11/27/12: Israel Should Welcome UN Vote on Palestinian Initiative

Lara Friedman, the Daily Beast/Open Zion, 11/14/12: Round Two At Turtle Bay

APN Legislative Round-Up 11/4/11: Item 3: UNESCO, UNESCO, UNESCO

Lara Friedman analysis/commentary 11/3/11: Hijacked by Legislative Anachronisms

APN Action Alert 11/3/11: Tell Congress to act rationally on UN and the Palestinians

Lara Friedman, Huffington Post, 10/28/11: UNESCO, Congress, U.S. Law, and the Palestinians: The Facts

APN Press Release, 9/23/11: UN Speeches Underscore Need for Leadership to End Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

APN Briefing Call, 9/14/11 (AUDIO): "Que Vadis Palestine"? With Ambassador Riyad Mansour, the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations

APN Statement, 9/12/11: APN Statement on Looming Crisis at the UN and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

APN Policy Statement, 7/28/11: APN Principles on the Palestinians, International Recognition & the UN

Lara Friedman, ForeignPolicy.com, 7/19/11: No choice but the UN for Palestinians

Washington, DC – Americans for Peace Now (APN) is outraged and heartbroken at the spiraling violence in Israel today, a day in which Israelis were shaken by three terrorist attacks. In one of these attacks, in Jaffa, a young American tourist was murdered and his wife severely injured.