1. Bills & Resolutions – Israel/Palestine
2. Bills & Resolutions – Iran
3. Bills & Resolutions – the UN
4. Bills & Resolutions – Other Matters
5. Hearings
6. On the Record
7. Nikki Haley Confirmation Hearing – Mideast Excerpts

Note 1: Shameless plug – It is still not clear when the SFRC will hold its hearing on the nomination of David Friedman to be the U.S. ambassador to Israel. Rumors were flying in recent days that the hearing could be as soon as next week or the week after.  With that in mind, please check out this new oped in the Hill, examining the ways in which Mr. Friedman has already disqualified himself from serving as ambassador to Israel (ways that have nothing to do with his personal views, but are grounded in his track record of direct involvement in Israel and Israeli politics.

Note 2: Dates to keep in mind:
J Street 2017 National Conference in Washington –February 25-28
AIPAC 2017 Policy Conference & lobby days – March 26-28
NORPAC 2017 Mission to Washington – May 17
Christians United for Israel (CUFI) national summit – July 17-18

The nomination of David Friedman to be the next ambassador of the United States to Israel has stirred a fierce debate, focused primarily on Friedman’s well-documented bombastic rhetoric and his views on settlements, the occupation, and the Palestinians — views that are at odds with decades of bipartisan U.S. policy.

As the Senate gets ready to consider Friedman’s nomination, what has been largely overlooked is the fact that, based on his own very clear and public record, Friedman is by any objective standard disqualified from serving as America’s diplomatic envoy to any country, and especially to Israel.

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

Oded Haklai / Washington Post (January 11, 2017)
The survey asks different age groups of Israelis about perceptions of settlement location in or outside the territory of the state of Israel and whether they thought Israel declared sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. Read More >

Yanig Magal / Globes (January 10, 2017)
This article estimates what Israel spends on the settlements each year given that there is no separate budget for expenditure beyond the Green Line. The estimate includes the figures Israel reports to the U.S. - it was agreed between the two countries that the amount invested in settlements would be deducted from annual aid - as well as unreported costs related to transportation, infrastructure, and public sector employment. Read More >

Ehud Yaari / The American Interest (January 10, 2017)
Discusses how Isareli military and intelligence agencies curbed the wave of Palestinian lone wolf attacks that peaked in October 2015. Read More >

1. Bills & Resolutions Related to the Recent UNSC settlements Resolution/Obama Abstention
2. Bills & Resolutions 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 – AUMF & Sanctions
5. Congress Panders to AIPAC et al on Settlements UNSCR
6. Congress on David Friedman Nomination
7. On the Record on Other Things

Welcome to the 115^th Congress! Based on this first week, it seems safe to say: fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a very very very bumpy ride (which is probably what Hill watchers/analysts/advocates are right to expect on pretty much every issue, but for those of us working on Middle East/Israel-Palestine, expectations have already turned into a raft of new legislation).

Pnina Sharvit Baruch / INSS (December 30, 2016)
The resolution adopted to firmly condemn Israeli policy on settlement activity, as well as efforts by the Israeli government that would impede a two-state solution, could cause legal damage to Israel in the global arena. It was passed after the United States abstained on the vote and the other 14 members of the Security Council voted in its favor.  Read More >

December 23, 2016
With a 14 delegation approval of the resolution and a US abstention, the Security Council reaffirmed the illegality of Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem.  Read More >

Published December 19, 2016 (Updated January 25, 2017)

Much has been written about the views of David Friedman, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee as the next U.S. Ambassador to Israel. We have compiled this collection of quotes from his articles and speeches, so people can better understand and judge Mr. Friedman, based entirely on his own words (downloadable pdf of this document is available here).

• Rejecting U.S. policy in support of peace efforts/two-state solution
• Attacking liberal U.S. Jews (as kapos, etc)
• Accusing President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry of anti-Semitism
• Attacking Hillary Clinton & Bill Clinton
• Other positions of note (pro-Putin/Assad; pro-quashing campus activism on Israel, attacking the New York Times, etc.)