It took me a couple of seconds to realize that this was neither a joke, nor the latest satirical "Borowitz Report.” The invitation to the Hanukkah celebration of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations joyfully noted that the party will be co-sponsored by the Republic of Azerbaijan, will be celebrating religious freedom and diversity, and will be held at the Trump International Hotel. REALLY???
When I realized that it was neither a joke nor a hoax, I wrote a letter, together with my friends Jim Klutznick and Marty Bresler, the current Chair and the immediate past Chair of APN'S Board of Directors, explaining to the leaders of the Presidents’ Conference why they should count us out unless they change their choice of partner and venue. And, after sending the letter to the Conference’s Stephen Greenberg and Malcolm Hoenlein, we made it public.
--Dr. Uri Weiss, a lecturer who is behind a petition signed by over 300 academics saying they will ignore any recommendations in the new ethics code over political statements in academia, which was commissioned last week by Education Minister Naftali Bennett.*
You Must Be Kidding:
"I'd rather the Arabs don't go to the polls in droves, and don't come to the polls at all."
--Coalition Chairman MK David Bitan (Likud) in an anti-democratic statement at a public event Saturday.**
Times of Israel: December 5, 2016
“Attorney General Says Outpost Bill Still Illegal, Even Without Amona” Peace Now warns
that regardless of whether or not settlements in the West Bank were built in “good faith,” the Regulation Bill
still legalizes outposts and Israeli settlement expansions on privately-owned Palestinian land.
Arutz Sheva: December 5, 2016
“Regulation Law Passes Preliminary Reading” Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked sardonically
thanks Peace Now and other left-wing organizations for unwittingly enabling the Regulation Law to pass during
its preliminary reading.
Ynet New: December 7, 2016
“Regulation Bill Passes First Knesset Reading” Restating Shaked’s remarks, HaBayit HaYehudi
party leader and Education Minister, Naftali Bennett, gives thanks to Peace Now for helping the Regulation Law
pass as a bill.
Times of Israel: December 7, 2016
“Four Liberal Jewish Groups Join Call on Trump to Nix National Security Adviser Choice”
Americans for Peace Now, J Street, T’ruah, and the National Council for Jewish Women urge President-elect Trump
to revoke his appointment of Mike Flynn as the next National Security Advisor.
Haaretz: December 7, 2016
“Four Jewish Groups Join 53 Organizations Calling on Trump to Rescind Michael Flynn's
Nomination” Americans for Peace Now signed a letter condemning Trump’s appoint of Gen. Michael Flynn to
National Security Advisor, arguing that his explicit malice towards Muslims and Islam and his retweeting of an
anti-semitic tweet renders him unfit to represent the country.
The Jewish Week: December 7, 2016
“Battle Over Ellison Heats Up As Some Dems Warn Party” Americans for Peace Now and other
American Jewish organizations reaffirm support for Keith Ellison amidst a series of attacks on his Israel
platform, citing him as a progressive ally towards brokering a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians.
Jewish Telegraphic Agency: December 7, 2016
“8 Liberal Jewish Groups to Skip Conference of Presidents Party at Trump’s DC Hotel”
Americans for Peace Now, in partnership with 7 other liberal Jewish members of the Conference of Presidents of
Major American Jewish Organizations, will not attend its Hanukkah Party at the Trump International Hotel on
December 14, maintaining that the venue location misrepresents the interests of most American Jews.
The Yeshiva World News: December 7, 2016
“Yair Lapid To Peace Now: Where Is A Minimum Of Respect For The Dead?” Yesh Atid party
leader, Yair Lapid, calls upon Peace Now to support an extension for the destruction of a memorial for two
fallen IDF soldiers that was built on private Palestinian-owned land in the West Bank.
Al-Monitor: December 8, 2016
“Israel's Controversial Settlement Bill Provokes Palestinian Blitz” Peace Now expresses
concern over Israel’s Regulation Law that would retroactively legalize at least 55 outposts and 72 settlements
in the West Bank, enabling the government to expropriate nearly 8,000 dunams of Palestinian land.
The Forward: December 9, 2016
“Like Houdini, Netanyahu Is a Great Escape Artist — Just Look at His Contortions On
Settlements” Recalling Peace Now and other organizations’ lawsuit brought against Amona’s construction in
1995, the Regulation Bill’s support for outposts and settlements on Palestinian property may trigger actions
from the Obama Administration and the UN Security Council.
--A text message sent Thursday night to tens of thousands of Israelis by Amona outpost campaign activists, who fear police will evict them before the December 25th deadline.*
APN Update - APN action on Trump and Conf. of Presidents, Briefing Call with Sen. Mitchell, Letter from Israel, and more
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Israel’s settlement “Legalization Bill”: What it is and what it means
The concept
Israel’s so-called “Legalization Bill” (aka “Regulation Bill” or “Regularization Bill”) is designed to retroactively legalize Israeli civilian construction in the West Bank (outposts and parts of recognized settlements) built on privately-owned Palestinian land, in violation of Israeli law.
The bill comes in reaction to years of legal efforts, led by Shalom Achshav (the Israeli Peace Now movement) to compel the Government of Israel to meet its obligation to respect and impose the rule of law by removing construction by settlers that violates Israel’s own laws. For years, the government of Israel has resisted these efforts, dragging out cases in courts with repeated requests for delays, allowing illegal construction to grow further.
Senator George Mitchell and Alon Sachar, the authors of "A Path to Peace: A Brief History of Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations and a Way Forward in the Middle East," will be the featured speakers for the APN Briefing Call on Thursday, December 15, 3:00 pm (Eastern).
To participate on the call, phone 951-797-1058 and enter code 147414
(a recording of the call is posted here)
--Haaretz Editorial slams Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan for his new "McCarthyite approach" of appointing a task force to identify companies, organizations and individuals who call for a boycott of Israel or the West Bank settlements.**
APN today sent the following letter to the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations regarding its decision to partner with the Republic of Azerbaijan for a Hanukkah party to be held at the Trump International Hotel in Washington:
Stephen Greenberg, Chairman
Malcolm I. Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman
Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
(via email and fax)
7 December, 2016
Dear Stephen and Malcolm,
As longtime members of the Conference of Presidents, we were shocked to learn that you have decided to celebrate Hanukkah by partnering with the Republic of Azerbaijan and by choosing the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC as the venue. We take issue with your choice of both partner and venue. Your failure to consult members of the CoP before making these odd decisions further compounds our frustration.