Washington, DC -- Americans for Peace Now (APN) is thrilled to announce that its Board of Directors has appointed Hadar Susskind as APN’s new President and CEO, effective May 15th.

Hadar will be responsible for leading the organization, charting new paths for it at a time of dire challenges for APN’s mission.

==============
Contact: Ori Nir |  onir@peacenow.org | 202-908-1317
==============

APN’s mission is to educate and persuade the American public and its leadership to support and adopt policies that will lead to comprehensive, durable, Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab peace, based on a two-state solution. Americans for Peace Now is the U.S. sister-organization of Israel’s peace movement Peace Now (Shalom Achshav).

APN’s Chair of the Board of Directors James Klutznick said:

“After a thorough and rigorous search process, APN’s Board of Directors is delighted that Hadar has agreed to join Americans for Peace Now as its President and CEO. Hadar has the experience, expertise and commitment to APN’s mission to further expand our organization’s reach and influence. He joins us as we face the most challenging threat posed to date to the two-state solution: annexation. The resolution of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict on the basis of two sovereign and independent states, for two peoples, living side by side in peace and security, is in grave jeopardy. We feel fortunate to have attracted someone of Hadar’s caliber, track record and leadership abilities at this crucial time, and I look forward to working with him.”

Hadar comes to APN after a rich, diverse career in Washington DC, advocating for peace, fighting for democracy, and championing social justice. Among other positions he has held, Hadar was Senior Vice President of Government Relations at the Council on Foundations, Director of Bend the Arc Jewish Action, Vice President of Policy and Strategy at J Street, and Vice President and Washington Director at the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. He serves on the Board of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center and on the Board of the Labor Zionist organization Ameinu.

Born in Israel, Hadar grew up in the United States and volunteered to serve as a combat soldier in the Israel Defense Force. He lives in Maryland with his wife and two children.

Hadar Susskind said:

"I am honored to be taking up the mantle of leadership of Americans for Peace Now, an organization I have always closely followed and deeply valued. But it is not an easy time to do so. This is a moment when the entire world is at a crossroads. Governments, organizations and individuals must decide what sort of future we envision and what choices we will make to get us there. Like APN, I will always choose peace and I will always choose justice."

APN’s Board extends its deep gratitude to Aviva Meyer, the organization’s Vice Chair, for volunteering to serve as its acting CEO for these past two years. Aviva’s commitment and leadership, combined with her executive experience and skills, were invaluable in managing APN following the retirement of its former CEO, Debra DeLee.

Americans for Peace Now (APN) strongly supports Dianne Lob’s nomination to become the next Chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

Americans for Peace Now (APN) is alarmed at the agreement between Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his opponent-turned-coalition-partner Benny Gantz to embark on West Bank annexation procedures as early as July 1st.

This agreement is a clause in the deal signed today between Netanyahu and Gantz to form an "emergency" unity government. The deal follows long weeks of negotiations.

Americans for Peace Now (APN) joins its sister organization, Peace Now (Shalom Achshav) in urging Israeli politicians to reject West Bank annexation as a policy principle of the incoming government.

Reports in the Israeli media today indicate that Prime Minister Netanyahu is demanding that any party joining his coalition government endorse Annexing parts of the West Bank as a policy principle.

Washington, DC – As we follow with trepidation the spread of Coronavirus in our own country and the sub-par response of our federal government to this global epidemic, our hearts and minds are also with our sisters and brothers in Israel. We stand with them at this somber time. We wish health to the people of Israel. We also wish health to Israel's democracy and public sphere.

We also extend our wishes for health and resilience to Israel's Palestinian neighbors, who too are facing a monumental public health challenge as they confront COVID-19.

Americans for Peace Now (APN) is alarmed at the Israeli government's advancement of three new settlement initiatives around East Jerusalem, which would deny contiguity to a future Palestinian state.

These are plans that in the past were blocked by US administrations, both Republican and Democratic. Now -- less than a week before Israel's general elections, and as a joint Israeli-American committee starts discussing the status of West Bank settlements – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is going ahead with the most consequential settlement plan in years.

Washington, DC – The vision submitted today by Donald Trump's White House for an alleged final settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict deals a severe blow to efforts to achieve real peace between Israel and the Palestinians. 

This vision is not a "peace plan" but rather a scheme, co-authored by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump, to allow for an immediate annexation of all Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the entire Jordan Valley. Hours ago, shortly after the Trump "vision" was unveiled, Benjamin Netanyahu's government announced that it will submit to the Knesset an annexation bill this coming Sunday.

This plan is a recipe for disaster, for annexation, for the perpetuation of Israel's occupation of the West Bank, for the perpetuation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, for misery and bloodshed. 

Americans for Peace Now (APN) is alarmed at reports regarding the plan that the Trump administration is reportedly planning to unveil next week for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. APN joins its Israeli sister organization Shalom Achshav (Peace Now) in stating that a so-called peace plan that does not adopt the principle of two states for two peoples – two sovereign, contiguous states living side by side in peace and security within defined, recognized borders – belongs in the trashcan of history.

Since the Trump administration announced its intention to submit a "peace plan" for Israeli-Palestinian peace almost three years ago, APN suggested the following guidelines for assessing the viability of such a plan. Following are our guidelines:

Statement from the Progressive Israel Network:

As leading progressive pro-Israel organizations in the American Jewish community, we commend the House of Representatives for passing House Resolution 326. This landmark resolution, which reaffirms support for a two-state solution, marks the first time the House has formally opposed unilateral Israeli annexation of the West Bank and asserted longstanding US opposition to settlements.

The passage of this legislation comes at a critical moment. The resolution sends an urgent message to the region just days after President Trump reportedly spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu about the latter’s plan to annex the Jordan Valley. It is a repudiation of the Trump administration’s attempts last month to legitimize Israeli settlements on occupied territory by declaring that the US no longer views them as a violation of international law, a reversal of decades of bipartisan foreign policy. 

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo today announced the Trump administration’s latest assault on prospects for Israeli-Palestinian peace. In renouncing a 1978 letter by the State Department’s legal advisor and stating that “settlements are not per se illegal under international law,” the Trump administration is giving a green light to further settlement expansion and even to formal Israeli annexation of the West Bank.

Already, the effective endorsement of settlements by Trump’s “peace” team (including by former Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt who has referred to settlements as “neighborhoods and cities”) has led to a surge in settlement activity, as documented by APN’s Israeli sister-organization Peace Now.