There is no better legacy than peacemaker

The struggle to bring peace and justice to both Israelis and Palestinians remains as important as ever. And so too is the need to understand the history of the conflict, as well as the two peoples who stand at its center.

BeermanI often think of the historical experience and wisdom of my dear friend, Rabbi Leonard Beerman z"l (pictured), who had a deeply personal angle on the conflict. After serving in the U.S. Marines, Leonard joined the Haganah, the underground Jewish militia in Palestine fighting for independence against local Palestinian Arabs. Following his experience, Leonard returned with new powers of understanding and empathy for both peoples, in addition to a life-long commitment to pacifism.

One of the people with whom Leonard most liked to discuss his passions and hopes about the conflict was his dear friend, Milton Viorst. In fact, Milton has dedicated his new book, Zionism: The Birth and Transformation of an Ideal, to "Rabbi Beerman and the other peacemakers, the greatest of the Zionists."

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News Nosh 08.21.16

APN's daily news review from Israel
Sunday August 21, 2016 
 
Quote of the day:
“We are not offering a political solution. We are offering a human solution in which people see a human being facing them. From that point, it will be easier to reach understandings.”
--Hadi Goldschmidt, a religious Jewish co-organizer of a backgammon face-off held in E. Jerusalem between Jews and Arabs.**
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August 22, 2016 - Russian-Iranian strategic cooperation and its ramifications

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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 whether we are on the cusp of a major Middle East power reorientation; why Iran would, when the Islamic Republic has always insisted on “Neither East nor West”, allow Russian bombers to use the Hamadan air base to launch bomber strikes against anti-regime targets in Syria; Russia’s motive; how Moscow’s power plays in Turkey and Iran, neither necessarily a friend of the Arabs, are expanding its influence elsewhere in the Middle East; how all this affects Israel; how he assesses the U.S. response to greater Russian penetration of the region; and if a Netanyahu-Abbas summit, perhaps in Moscow, is likely.

 

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Peace Now Settlement Watch: Settlers' Residence Being Prepared in a Hebron Military Compound

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

Summary:
  • Renovations are currently taking place in the military compound of "Plugat Hamitkanim" in Hebron, in order to prepare the area for the residence of settlers.
  • This area, which used to serve as Hebron's central bus station, was seized through a military order during the 80's. By law, and according to a High Court verdict from 1979, it is forbidden to seize lands for military needs and then use them for the purpose of settlements.
  • Having residential housing in a military base also contradicts the principle of distinction between civilians and combatants, and constitutes a clear violation of International Humanitarian Law. Thus, the plan is to deduct a portion of the land seized for military purposes and allocate it for the purpose of a settlement. While the seizure order will be lifted, this constitutes a bending of the law mentioned above for the benefit of settlers.
  • This portion of the land used to be under Jewish ownership prior to 1948 and was leased to the Hebron municipality by the Jordanians. The status of Hebron municipality is of protected tenancy and therefore, until now, the Israeli legal opinion was that the land cannot be taken from the municipality other than in the pretext of military use.
  • In addition, allocating lands belonged to Jews before 1948 to settlers  is practically an implementation of the "right of return" for Jews only and on the expense of the protected Palestinians tenants.
  • In a letter to the Defense Minister and to the Head of the Civil Administration, Peace now demanded to prevent the establishment of this New settlement in Hebron.
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News Nosh 08.22.16

APN's daily news review from Israel
Monday August 22, 2016
 
Quote of the day:
"The normalization of relations with Israel does not mean that we have to remain silent about attacks against the Palestinian people in Gaza. On the contrary, we will continue to defend the Palestinian issue in the face of Israeli actions which violate international law and are contrary to basic human morality.”
- Statement from Turkish Foreign Ministry
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Take Action on Sussya + Seidemann/Ofran briefing call

In the past few weeks, it seems like every day brings more alarming news regarding Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Some of this activity poses a direct threat to the viability of a two-state solution.

In the coming weeks, we will urge you to take action to oppose these dangerous developments.

This week, we are inviting you to a Thursday briefing call on this issue with two of the world’s leading experts on West Bank and East Jerusalem settlements: Hagit Ofran, the director of Peace Now’s Settlement Watch project, and Daniel Seidemann, the founder and director of Terrestrial Jerusalem. We are also urging you to send letters to Secretary of State John Kerry and to Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Ron Dermer, to save the West Bank Palestinian village of Sussya.

The briefing call with Danny and Hagit will take place this Thursday, August 25, at 2:30 pm. To join the call, please dial 951-797-1058 and enter the code 147414.

In addition to educating yourself on the current developments regarding settlements, we are asking you to join the campaign to save the Palestinian village of Sussya, which has involved extraordinary efforts by human rights activists both inside and outside Israel. This campaign has now reached a decisive moment.

The Israeli government is poised to make a final decision on whether to raze almost half of the village, located in Area C on land long-coveted by settlers.

Now is the time to take action and add your voice to those of so many other activists working to save Sussya. We know the Israeli government and leaders around the world are listening. Take action now.

Click here to send your message to Secretary of State John Kerry.

Click here to send your message to Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer.

Peace Now Settlement Watch: Establishing a New Settlement in Hebron - More Information Revealed

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

Following our exposure regarding the possible establishment of a settlement in Hebron's "Plugat Hamitkanim" military base, below is new information uncovered in the past 24 hours.  

1. It appears that former Defense Minister, Moshe Ya'alon, approved the allocation of a portion of the land where the military base is located to the Ministry of Housing. The Housing Ministry is now preparing a plan to build 28 housing units in the area. If implemented, the plan would increase the number of settlers in Hebron by approximately 100 (an increase of over 10% to the settler population in the city). The planning process at the Civil Administration's High Planning Committee has not yet begun.

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Seidemann-Ofran320x265

In the past few weeks, it seems like every day brings more alarming news regarding Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Some of this activity poses a direct threat to the viability of a two-state solution.

In the coming weeks, we will urge you to take action to oppose these dangerous developments.

This week, we are inviting you to a Thursday briefing call on this issue with with two of the world’s leading experts on West Bank and East Jerusalem settlements: Hagit Ofran, the director of Peace Now’s Settlement Watch project, and Daniel Seidemann, the founder and director of Terrestrial Jerusalem.

 

Listen here.

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Past Action on Sussya

Susiya320x265

Update: this action, now closed, ran in August 2016. 

The campaign to save the Palestinian village of Sussya, which has involved extraordinary efforts by human rights activists both inside and outside Israel, has reached a decisive movement.

The Israeli government is poised to make a final decision on whether to raze the village, located in Area C on land long-coveted by settlers. International pressure succeeded in convincing the Israeli government to delay the decision, originally due in early August, until November, but the threat to destroy the village remains, as does the threat to destroy individual homes before a final decision is made November 15th.

Now is the time to take action and add your voice to those of so many other activists working to save Sussya. We know the Israeli government and leaders around the world are listening. Take action now.

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APN Weekly Update - Briefing call tomorrow, Save Sussya, Peace Now opposes new settler homes in Hebron

Americans for Peace Now
Americans for Peace Now: August 24, 2016


"He who established 28 housing units in the heart of Hevron wants to perpetuate the conflict and fan the flames in the most sensitive and explosive area of the West Bank."

From Peace Now's publicity campaign against Jewish construction in Hebron. The pro-settler Arutz 7 news covered this in an article entitled: "Peace Now 'slanders' activists over Hevron construction."


Hard Questions, Tough Answers with Yossi Alpher

 

Yossi Alpher is an independent Israeli security analyst. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

August 22, 2016 - Russian-Iranian strategic cooperation and its ramifications

Q. Last week you discussed the Russian-Turkish rapprochement. Now Russia is bombing Syria from a base in Iran. Are we on the cusp of a major Middle East power reorientation?

A. It’s too early to say how far this may or may not go...

Q. Let's break this down. Why would Iran, where the Islamic Republic has always insisted on "Neither East nor West", allow Russian bombers to use the Hamadan air base to launch bomber strikes against anti-regime targets in Syria?

A. ...The most obvious motive is Iran's determination to do whatever is necessary to maintain the Assad regime in Syria...

Q. And Russia's motive?

A. More power and influence in the Middle East, more ways to keep the Assad regime in power in Damascus, more blows against the Sunni Islamist movements...

Q. How are Moscow's power plays in Turkey and Iran, neither necessarily a friend of the Arabs, expanding its influence elsewhere in the Middle East?

A. Here are three examples from recent days...

Q. How does all this affect Israel?

A. Israel continues to maintain close operational coordination with Russian air units in Syrian air space...

Q. Indeed, how do you assess the US response to greater Russian penetration of the region?

A. There are two ways to view the response, or relative lack thereof, of the Obama administration...

Q. Earlier you mentioned talk of a Netanyahu-Abbas summit, perhaps in Moscow. Is this likely?

A. No...

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Action Alert

Join the campaign to save the Palestinian village of Sussya

The Israeli government is poised to make a final decision on whether to raze almost half of this Palestinian village located on land in the West Bank long coveted by settlers. Add you voice to the efforts by human rights activists:

Send a message to Secretary of State John Kerry.

Send a message to Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer.

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Briefing Call - Tomorrow, Thursday, August 25

 

Leading Israeli experts Hagit Ofran and Daniel Seidemann will discuss recent developments in the West Bank and East Jerusalem

Accelerated Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank and East Jerusalem poses a direct threat to the viability of a two-state solution. Hear from two of the world's leading experts, Hagit Ofran, director of Peace Now's Settlement Watch project, and Daniel Seidemann, founder and director of Terrestrial Jerusalem.

Thursday, August 25, 2:30 pm (Eastern)
Call 951-797-1058 and enter code 147414

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Settlement Watch

More Information Revealed on Establishing a New Settlement in Hebron

Peace Now: The government invests massive efforts into establishing a settlement in Hebron, the city where the daily reality of the occupation is the harshest and the most disgraceful...The government can still prevent the establishment of this new settlement...

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There is no better legacy than peacemaker

Professor David N. Myers, leading Jewish historian, writes about his close friend Rabbi Leonard Beerman (z"l) and the book Zionism: The Birth and Transformation of an Ideal that author Milton Viorst dedicates to Rabbi Beerman and the other peacemakers, "the greatest of the Zionists."

APN extends an offer to send you the book for a donation of $90 or more.

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APN Events

Natalie Portman film based on Amos Oz memoir hits theaters nationwide

A Tale of Love and Darkness, based on the memoir by Peace Now founder and renowned Israeli author Amos Oz, is playing in Los Angeles and New York, and opens this Friday in more Southern California and New York locations, plus the metropolitan areas of Chicago, Boston, Washington DC, Philadelphia, New Jersey, San Francisco, Denver, Phoenix, Minneapolis, and various Florida locales.

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