Americans for Peace Now

Times of Israel: Final text of Jewish nation-state law, approved by the Knesset early on July 19

by APN 07/19/18

The 'Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People,' passed by 62-55, with two abstentions

Illustrative: The Knesset, Israel's parliament building in Jerusalem. (Orel Cohen/Flash90)

Knesset members approved overnight Wednesday-Thursday a controversial and long-debated law that officially defines Israel as the Jewish nation-state, voting the bill through in its second and third plenary readings by 62-55, with two abstentions.

The law for the first time enshrines Israel as “the national home of the Jewish people.” The law becomes one of the so-called Basic Laws, which, like a constitution, guide Israel’s legal system and are usually more difficult to repeal than regular laws.

What follows is a full translation of the final version of the bill approved by the Knesset plenary:

Peace Now's Settlement Watch: Land Allocation in the West Bank – For Israelis Only

by APN 07/19/18

Land Allocation in the West Bank – For Israelis Only

A New Settlement Watch Report

Following a request under the Freedom of Information Act submitted by Peace Now and the Movement for Freedom of Information (and after refusing to give the information and a two-and-a-half year delay), the Civil Administration's response was received:

News Nosh: 7.19.18

by APN 07/19/18

APN's daily news review from Israel

Thursday, July 19, 2018

Quote of the day:

“Land is one of the most important public resources, and designating it for the use of one group only at the expense of another is one of the clearest characteristics of apartheid."
--Shabtay Bendet, of Peace Now’s settlement-monitoring team, reacted to the news that since 1967, Israel has only allotted .25% (401 acres) of the state land in the West Bank to Palestinians, but almost 50% (148,263 acres) to Israeli settlements. The numbers were revealed by the State following a request by Peace Now and the Movement for Freedom of Information.*

You Must Be Kidding:
“As of now, I’ve paid about 100,000 shekels [$27,457] and I don’t know when I’ll get it. It’s not defective and it’s hallal.”
--Long-time Gazan meat importer, Mohammed Shaker, is being forced to pay $600 a day for storage at an Israeli port for canned meat he imports to Gaza, because Israel suddenly decided that meat for Palestinians in Gaza requires a Jewish kosher certificate.*

Briefing Call: Professor Shibley Telhami, one of America's leading experts on the Middle East on the current state of American-Palestinian relations and more

by APN 07/18/18

Professor Shibley Telhami Briefing Call, Thursday, July 19, 2 pm (Eastern)

Professor Shibley Telhami, one of America's leading experts on the Middle East, will comment on the current state of American-Palestinian relations, on Donald Trump's Israeli-Palestinian policy, on Trump's prospective "peace plan," and on the role of Arab governments in the current dynamics between the US, Israel and the Palestinians.

Listen here

New York Times Features Peace Now Report: 99.7% of West Bank Public Land Goes to the Settlers

by APN 07/18/18

The New York Times today published an article based on data collected by Israel's Peace Now movement, quoting Hagit Ofran of Peace Now's Settlement Watch project. Following is the article:

In West Bank, 99.7% of Public Land Grants by Israel Go to Settlers In West Bank, 99.7% of Public Land Grants by Israel Go to Settlers

By Isabel Kershner
July 17, 2018

JERUSALEM — Over five decades in control of the West Bank, Israel has marked out hundreds of thousands of acres as public land, and it has allocated almost half of them for use.

But only 400 of those acres — 0.24 percent of the total allocated so far — have been earmarked for the use of Palestinians, according to official data obtained recently by an anti-settlement group after a freedom of information request. Palestinians make up about 88 percent of the West Bank’s population.

News Nosh: 7.18.18

by APN 07/18/18

APN's daily news review from Israel

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Quote of the day:
"Reuven had a pure heart. He loved everyone, I met him in the 1990s, when I used to import goods from China. He was a good man. What they did to him is horrific. If more people were like Reuven, peace would have been achieved a long ago."
--A Palestinian man, who asked to remain anonymous, was one of a number of Palestinians who donated to a fund to establish a synagogue in honor of Reuven Schmerling, who was murdered by two Palestinian employees.*

News Nosh: 7.17.18

by APN 07/17/18

APN's daily news review from Israel

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Quote of the Day #1:

"Education is about thinking critically. It's about hearing people you don't agree with. And this is what we want to teach our children. In order for us to educate our young people to be democratic, to be liberal, they have to hear the other side."
--Amir Fuchs, who heads the Israel Democracy Institute's Defending Democratic Values Program, said the law passed banning some left-wing groups from speaking at schools was part of a wider phenomenon in Israel of trying to discredit left-wing groups.

Quote of the Day #2:
"What would we do with this money? Would we build a school there, agree to the occupation and our presence in the ghetto, or would we build tunnels and bombs to get out of the ghetto and free our brothers and sisters? This is a real dilemma."
--In a debate with a right-wing journalist in a radio interview, Israeli director Ran Kahlili said Israelis must not be afraid to put themselves in Hamas' shoes.**

Hard Questions, Tough Answers (July 16, 2018) – Gaza

by APN 07/16/18

Yossi Alpher is an independent security analyst. He is the former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, a former senior official with the Mossad, and a former IDF intelligence officer. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

News Nosh: 7.16.18

by APN 07/16/18

APN's daily news review from Israel

Monday July 16, 2018

Quote of the day:

“We tried to point during the tour to the fact that they won't speak to us about the occupation, but we got no answers. They gave us a map of Israel that doesn't have the West Bank borders depicted on it. It's really unfortunate because Birthright is often the only opportunity for young Americans to learn about what's going on."
—Becky Wasserman, 26, from Boston, one of eight Jewish-American youth who left a Birthright tour while in E. Jerusalem and contacted Peace Now to show them the occupation.*

News Nosh: 7.15.18

by APN 07/15/18

APN's daily news review from Israel

Sunday July 15, 2018

Quote of the day:

"Were it not for the kites, the fires, the Qassam rockets, the Palestinians would have entirely exited the awareness of everyone in Israel"
--Haaretz commentator Gideon Levy commends Gazans for their almost four-month-long protest, which brought to the attention of Israelis and the world the plight of the Palestinians and their desire for an end to the Israeli siege and occupation, even at the cost of their lives.*

Front Page:

Times of Israel: Final text of Jewish nation-state law, approved by the Knesset early on July 19

Peace Now's Settlement Watch: Land Allocation in the West Bank – For Israelis Only

News Nosh: 7.19.18

Briefing Call: Professor Shibley Telhami, one of America's leading experts on the Middle East on the current state of American-Palestinian relations and more

New York Times Features Peace Now Report: 99.7% of West Bank Public Land Goes to the Settlers

News Nosh: 7.18.18

News Nosh: 7.17.18

Hard Questions, Tough Answers (July 16, 2018) – Gaza

News Nosh: 7.16.18

News Nosh: 7.15.18

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