Back in 2012, I warned a friend who was working on international trade issues: pay attention to what’s happening with the Palestinians at the UN, because it could cause problems for the U.S. on a wide range of issues, including the ones you deal with. I recall clearly his response, mainly because it was so patronizing. In essence, he told me: “don’t kid yourself – nobody is going to let a boutique issue like Israel-Palestine harm truly important U.S. interests (like trade).”

Now, five years later, President-elect Trump and his surrogates are dropping heavy hints about plans to break with longstanding U.S. positions vis-à-vis the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in the direction of changes that both Israelis and Palestinians would view as turning away from a negotiated peace agreement. And like my friend in 2012, few people today seem to grasp the consequences – entirely unrelated to Israel and the Palestinians – such changes are set to unleash, or the profoundly negative implications they would have for all Americans.

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January 09, 2017 - The Elor Azaria case

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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 why last week's conviction in military court of a soldier of manslaughter in the killing of a wounded and neutralized terrorist in Hebron caused such a commotion in Israel; whether Azaria really benefited from such overt due process or if it were more of a Dreyfus process; how this affects Israeli society; whether with all the relevant figures now lining up behind the next steps: sentencing and either reduction of sentence or a pardon, this is becoming “old news;” and if there are broader ramifications to the Azaria case.

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News Nosh 01.09.17

APN's daily news review from Israel
Monday January 9, 2017  
 
Quote of the day #1:
"None of you should dare compare a semitrailer traveling 100 km/h to a terrorist who is lying down, incapacitated."
--An incensed IDF officer cadet who was present at the truck-ramming attack in Jerusalem wrote afterward on Facebook in refute of allegations that her fellow soldiers hesitated to fire for fear of prosecution, following the conviction of Sgt. Elor Azariya, who executed a wounded and prone Palestinian assailant.*
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News Nosh 01.10.17

APN's daily news review from Israel
Tuesday January 10, 2017  
 
Quote of the day:
"It's the same threesome - Bibi, Bennett and Lieberman. This is the leadership problem. They continue to play with the story of Azariya because it suits them politically. Everything connects to Azariya. I opened this morning the 'Israel Hayom' newspaper and realized Azariya is everything. You see how the Prime Minister, Bennett, and Lieberman treated the verdict, and you understand the story. All three have a clear political interest here."
--Former defense minister Moshe Yaalon accuses the Israeli leadership of using the conviction of Sgt. Elor Azariya for political purposes.*
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News Nosh 01.11.17

APN's daily news review from Israel
Wednesday January 11, 2017  
 
You Must Be Kidding: 
"(It shows a) lack of integrity in issuing a bill under the circumstances."
--The State of Israel said regarding about the Kiryat Arba settlement local council after the council threatened to take the land belonging to two Palestinian brothers, Abdul Karim and Zaidan Jabari, if they didn't pay municipal taxes to the settlement council, despite the fact that settlement councils have no authority over Palestinians. Settlers also had the gall to build a synagogue on the Palestinian brothers' land – 48 times. Each time it was demolished by Israel for being built on private property not belonging to them. 
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APN's Lara Friedman at the 6th Annual “Professor Gerald B. Bubis Lecture”

The Bubis Lecture was established by the Americans for Peace Now board of directors upon the retirement from the board of Gerald “Jerry” Bubis (z”l), who was a seminal leader from its founding, including as a national co-chair and other leadership roles in Southern California. The Valley Beth Shalom Congregation, spiritual home to the Bubis family for decades, is a co-sponsor and host of this event.

Lara Friedman, APN Director of Policy and Government Relations, was the guest speaker for this event.  She had recently provided the APN testimony at a United Nations Security Council special session on Israeli Settlements.

Time markers for the video:

 8:40 – Remarks from APN Chair Jim Klutznick

15:50 – Remarks from Lara Friedman, APN Director of Policy and Government Relations (done “in conversation” with Rabbi Ed Feinstein of Valley Beth Shalom)

 

College of Jewish Studies: November 30, 2016 from Valley Beth Shalom Synagogue.

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APN Update: Alpher on Azaria case, listen and subscribe to "Peacecast", Huffington Post op-ed, Bubis lecture video and more

Americans for Peace Now
Americans for Peace Now: January 11, 2017


If you and I agree on the bill, I’ll do everything I can so that you’ll be here as long as you like. I’m looking you in the eye and saying this in the clearest way possible."

Arnon Mozes, publisher of the Yedioth Achronoth newspaper, in a private conversation with Prime Minister Netanyahu as reported by Israel Channel Two News. Mozes was referring to the bill that would curb his rival Israel Hayom's share of the market.


Hard Questions, Tough Answers with Yossi Alpher

 

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

January 9, 2017 - The Elor Azaria case

Q. Last week a military court convicted a soldier of manslaughter in the killing of a wounded and neutralized terrorist in Hebron. Why did this trial cause such a commotion in Israel? Why isn’t the Elor Azaria case just another “casualty” of the occupation?

A....Israelis’ attitudes toward the army and its values are changing...

Q. But aren’t cases like this usually handled by the army, within the ranks, without so much publicity?

A. ...The difference in the Azaria case is embodied in a combination of...

Q. So how does this affect Israeli society? Aren’t the extremists a relatively small minority?

A. They are. But they are operating in a highly permissive public atmosphere that embraces Azaria...

Q. Still, Minister of Defense Lieberman has moved from sympathy for Azaria to a position of resolute support for Eizenkot and the IDF justice system. All the relevant figures have now line up behind the next steps: sentencing and either reduction of sentence or a pardon. Isn’t this becoming “old news”?

A. True, the pace of events in Israel has as usual guaranteed that the public is now preoccupied with something else...

Q. Okay, so this is standard procedure for armies. But are there broader ramifications to the Azaria case?

A. ...the IDF and especially Chief of Staff Eizenkot emerge from this affair as pillars of decency...

Q. Was Azaria mistaken in assuming that all terrorists should die? Doesn’t the "coup de grace" ("confirming killing" in IDF parlance) happen at other times when there are no cameras around? Doesn't Israel maintain an entirely separate--and far more severe--penal system for terrorists as opposed to common criminals?

A. Whether left or right, the issue is first, the occupation, and second, the nature of the military’s behavior in enforcing the occupation after 50 years...

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Government Relations

APN Legislative Round-Up: January 6, 2017

  1. Bills and Resolutions Related to the Recent UNSC settlements Resolution/Obama Abstention
  2. Bills and Resolutions Related to Moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem
  3. Bills and Resolutions Related to Cutting Off UN Funding
  4. Bills and Resolutions Related Iran – AUMF and Sanctions
  5. Congress Panders to AIPAC et al on Settlements UNSCR
  6. Congress on David Friedman Nomination
  7. On the Record on Other Things

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APN Audio

APN releases Episode #2 of PeaceCast

PeaceCast, a podcast produced by APN in Washington, explores issues and trends relating to peace and security for Israel, focusing on its conflict with the Palestinians and efforts to resolve it.

Episode #2 features an interview with Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Amos Guiora, the former commander of the IDF's School of Law, about the Azaria Trial, the IDF, and Israeli Society.

LISTEN > Share

 

Go HERE for the PeaceCast home page that has links to all available episodes, and subscribe to PeaceCast through the podcast app on your smartphone/device.


Recommended Reading

Huffington Post: "Think Trump’s Policies on Israel-Palestine Have Nothing to Do with You? Think Again"

By Lara Friedman

Many Americans doubtless believe that the policies of the next president regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have nothing to do with them. They’re mistaken.

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Washington Post: "What do Israelis think about settlements? Turns out age matters"

...the issue of Israeli settlements is not just an issue of demographic change...settlements’ contribution to the erosion of the pre-1967 Green Line in the mind-set of the younger generation of Israeli Jews may prove to be the more formidable challenge.

Read More


Video of 6th Annual Professor Gerald B. Bubis Lecture featuring Lara Friedman

Rabbi Ed Feinstein of event host and co-sponsor Valley Beth Shalom and APN's Lara Friedman.

The Professor Gerald B. Bubis Lecture, established by the APN board of directors upon his retirement from it, featured APN Director of Policy and Government Relations Lara Friedman. The event was held shortly after she provided testimony at the United Nations Security Council special session on Israeli Settlements.

WATCH >


In The News

APN's News Nosh brings the Israeli headlines to you

As with all editions of APN's daily News Nosh, headlines like the ongoing investigation into Prime Minister Netanyahu are listed along with a brief summary of news and analysis in an an easy-to-read format.

Go HERE for the daily News Nosh feed, and to subcribe to receive it as an email.


The APN Weekly Update can be
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News Nosh 01.12.17

APN's daily news review from Israel
Thursday January 12, 2017  
 
Quote of the day:
"As you know, the bill has yet to pass and it will never pass. This was apparently the straw that broke the camel's back for [US] President [Barack] Obama, and we took a hit in the Security Council, so we must be serious and responsible."
--Speaking at a Yisrael Beiteinu meeting earlier this week, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman revealed that international diplomacy against Israel caused Israel to shelve the controversial 'outpost legalization' bill.*
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News Nosh 01.13.17

APN's daily news review from Israel
Friday January 13, 2017  

You Must Be Kidding: 
"The capital of Israel that I go to, sir, is Tel Aviv because that's where all their government people are, but.."
--US President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for defense secretary, James Mattis, answering the question, 'What is the capital of Israel.'**
 
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APN Legislative Round-Up: January 13, 2017

1. Bills & Resolutions Related to the Recent UNSC settlements Resolution/Obama Abstention
2. Hill Initiatives Related to Moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem
3. Bills & Resolutions Related to Cutting Off UN Funding
4. Bills & Resolutions Related Iran
5. Bills & Resolutions Related to Other Things
6. Confirmation Hearings – Key Excerpts
7. On the Record

Many Americans doubtless believe that the policies of the next president regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have nothing to do with them. They’re mistaken. Rash action by Trump in this arena is preordained to trigger a dangerous political dynamic, the results of which will have nothing to do with Israel and the Palestinians. Those results will, however, have far-reaching and potentially devastating implications for the security, health, and economic well-being of all Americans.” Read more: Think Trump’s Policies On Israel-Palestine Have Nothing To Do With You? Think Again

 

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