APN Update - APN action on Trump and Conf. of Presidents, Briefing Call with Sen. Mitchell, Letter from Israel, and more

Americans for Peace Now
Americans for Peace Now: December 8, 2016


"I do believe that Israel, because of decisions that are being made on a daily basis quietly and without a lot of people seeing them or fully processing the consequences, is heading to a place of danger."

Secretary of State John Kerry, in comments at the Brookings' Saban Forum about Israeli government settlement policy and lack of effort in pursuing a two-state solution.

Go HERE to read Kerry's comments on Israel.


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.

December 5, 2016 - Palestine-Israel: Abbas crowns himself again; France labels settlement products

Q. Fateh just held its long-delayed seventh conference in Ramallah and unanimously reelected Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) to head the movement. So what’s new?

A. More than meets the eye...

Q. What's wrong with Abbas remaining in power? What are the alternatives?

A. The most public challenge to Abbas's leadership has come from Mohammad Dahlan, security chief of the Gaza Strip before the 2007 Hamas takeover there...

Q. Hasn't this at least given us all an extension of peace and quiet on the West Bank?

A. Not if we believe IDF Chief of Intelligence General Hertzi Halevy...

Q. Granted that Abbas's principal effort, backed by people like Rajoub, is to isolate Israel internationally. So isn’t France’s decision last week to label all goods from the West Bank and the Golan as "settlement products" rather than "made in Israel" a blow to Israel?

A. It is indeed a setback, but a minor one...

Q. So the French/EU approach is flawless?

A. It is hard to find fault with an approach that simply recognizes the fact that the settlements are not part of sovereign Israel...

Q. So where do you stand on boycotting settlement goods?

A. I have long opposed any and all economic boycotts...

NOTE: APN does advocate for a boycott of settlement products and supports other activism targeting the occupation - see our dedicated policy webpage HERE

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Government Relations

APN Legislative Round-Up: December 7, 2016

  1. Bills and Resolutions and Letters
  2. New Legislation Sailing Through Congress Equates Criticism of Israel with Anti-Semitism
  3. Hearings
  4. On the Record

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APN in Action

APN Sends Letter to the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations Protesting Hanukkah Party Co-Sponsored by Azerbaijan at Trump Hotel

As longtime members of the Conference of Presidents, APN takes issue with the choice of both the partner and venue selected for its Hanukkah party. Azerbaijan's record on human rights and civil rights is dismal, and choosing the Trump International Hotel makes a controversial political statement unrepresentative of the diversity of the Conference's member organizations.

Go HERE to read APN's letter. Share


APN to Trump: Clarify that your Aides' Statements on Israel Don't Reflect your Policies

L to R: Jared Kushner, Donald Trump, David Friedman.

APN President and CEO Debra DeLee: "Yesterday, we heard David Friedman, one of Trump's top advisers on Israel, say that the two-state solution is not 'the only answer anymore' to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Today, we see reports that Jared Kushner, Trump's son in law who was mentioned as potentially being a Middle East peace envoy in the new administration, has been supporting hardline West Bank settlements through the Kushner Family Foundation that he directs. Last month, we heard another one of Trump's senior Israel-affairs advisers, Jason Greenblatt, say that West Bank settlements are not an obstacle to peace..."

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APN joins with 52 NGO's - Jewish, Christian, and other - to call on Trump to nix national security adviser choice

The letter includes reference to Mike Flynn's hostility to Islam and his retweeting of an anti-Semitic tweet as indications that he is unfit to serve as US National Security Adviser.

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Briefing Call

December 15 Briefing Call with Senator George Mitchell and Alon Sachar, co-authors of the new book A Path to Peace

Senator George Mitchell, appointed by President Obama as Special Envoy to the Middle East in 2009, and Alon Sachar, who served with Senator Mitchell and in other US positions connected to Israel and peace negotiations, will discuss their newly released book A Path to Peace: A Brief History of Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations and a Way Forward in the Middle East. The book has been described as providing "a practical roadmap for bringing peace to this complicated, troubled region."

Thursday, December 15, 3:00pm (Eastern Time)

To participate, phone 951-797-1058 and enter code 147414

Go HERE for more on the briefing call speakers.


Letter from Israel

Fania Oz-Salzberger: "For Argument's Sake"

Historian Fania Oz-Salzberger is the author of "Jews and Words" with her father Amos Oz, the renowned Israeli author and a founder of Peace Now. In a special letter for Americans for Peace Now, Oz-Salzberger reflects on her Jewish and Zionist legacies, and her belief in their future crowning achievement: a peaceful and democratic Israel.

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Settlement Watch

One land theft replaced by another -- Settlers from Illegal Outpost of Amona to be moved to nearby land confiscated from Palestinians

Peace Now has reported the news that the settlers from the Illegal Outpost of Amona who are court-ordered to leave, will be moved to nearby land also confiscated from Palestinians. The Israeli government claims these lands as "absentee property", which until now has legally not been allowed for use in establishing settlements.

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