In his State of the Union address last night, President Obama addressed in detail the issues that are at the heart of APN's mission and activities.

APN's President and CEO Debra DeLee offered the following comments on the address:

"In his State of the Union -- his annual address to Congress and the American people highlighting the most important issues and priorities on the nation's agenda -- the President rightly singled out for special mention his Administration's efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 'As we speak,' he said, 'American diplomacy is supporting Israelis and Palestinians as they engage in difficult but necessary talks to end the conflict there; to achieve dignity and an independent state for Palestinians, and lasting peace and security for the State of Israel.'

As counterintuitive as it may be, when you see Scarlett Johansson’s Super Bowl ad on Sunday, promoting a product that lets you make carbonated drinks at home, try to see through bubbles and think about the future of the Middle East.

Jerusalem and the Two-State Solution: Breakdown or Breakthrough
Premier Jerusalem expert Danny Seidemann will discuss current developments in and around Jerusalem, and how they impact the viability of both Secretary Kerry’s ongoing peace efforts, and of the two-state solution itself.

No RSVP necessary

Sunday, February 9th
10:15-11:30 am
Temple Micah,
2829 Wisconsin Avenue NW (corner of Garfield)
in the Sanctuary

Daniel “Danny” Seidemann is the founder and director of Terrestrial Jerusalem (TJ), an Israeli non‐governmental organization that promotes an Israeli‐Palestinian permanent status peace agreement by working to ensure that an agreement is possible on the issue of Jerusalem. By providing decision‐makers and opinion‐shapers with relevant data, analyses and maps, TJ strives to engage them in preventing developments that are detrimental to (a) the two‐state solution, (b) the stability of Jerusalem, and (c) the humanitarian situation.

In addition, you can read his most recent article on Jerusalem here.

Peace for Israel and Palestine?
Public Opinion 20 Years after Oslo

In collaboration with

The Arab American Institute.

As Secretary of State John Kerry's April deadline for a peace agreement approaches, a key concern is whether the Israeli and Palestinian publics are ready to support an agreement. Where do Israelis and Palestinians stand on key issues, and what kind of peace agreement do they want?

Twenty years after the signing of the Oslo Accords, Zogby Research Services examined these questions in its latest public opinion poll on Israeli and Palestinian attitudes toward the peace process. Please join the Arab American Institute and the New America Foundation's Middle East Task Force for the survey's public release and a discussion of its findings. The poll, conducted for the Sir Bani Yas Forum in the UAE, provides critical insights for today's peace negotiators as they seek a viable agreement that both the Israeli and Palestinian publics can support.

Presenter:
James Zogby
President, Arab American Institute and Zogby Research Services

Panelists:
Khaled Elgindy
Fellow, Saban Center for Middle East Policy, Brookings Institution

Lara Friedman
Director, Policy and Government Relations, Americans for Peace Now

Moderator:
Leila Hilal
Director, Middle East Task Force, New American Foundation

Friday, January 31, 2014
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
New America Foundation
1899 L Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036

Join the conversation online using #20AfterOslo and following @NewAmerica and aaiusa.

If you are unable to join us in person, please tune in to our live webcast of the event. No signup is required to view the streaming video.

To RSVP for the event, click on the red button or go to the event page:
http://newamerica.net/events/2014/peace_for_israel_and_palestine

For questions, contact Liana Simonds at New America at (202) 735-2829 or simonds@newamerica.org.

Arutz 7 (AFP story) - January 21, 2014
Peace Now: Israeli government has approved plans to build 381 new homes in Givat Ze'ev
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/176551#.Ut8wqRQo5Mw

Fox News (AP story) - January 21, 2014
Peace Now: Povernment of Israel had advanced preliminary plans to build 381 new homes in Givat Zeev
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/01/21/israeli-opposition-leader-questions-if-netanyahu-has-guts-to-make-peace-with/

Maan News (AFP story) - January 22, 2014
Israel's government has approved plans to build 381 new homes in Givat Zeev
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=667145

Jerusalem Post - January 22, 2014
Peace Now publicizes several plans advanced by the Israeli government for construction in West Bank settlements and East Jerusalem

http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Jewish-building-plans-advanced-in-West-Bank-east-Jerusalem-338973

This week, Alpher discusses Netanyahu's comment at Davos last week that he "doesn't intend to remove a single settler" and the reactions it provoked; whether Livni has joined the chorus of Israelis despairing of this peace process, and if so, why doesn't she resign; why is the Israeli security establishment returning to the tactic of targeted killings of Gazan extremist now, after a two-year lull, and a few last words in memory of Shulamit Aloni.