As organizations within the Jewish community, we stand together to reject Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s baseless and ugly attack on the New Israel Fund (NIF).
As organizations within the Jewish community, we stand together to reject Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s baseless and ugly attack on the New Israel Fund (NIF).
Nearly two months after the Boston Marathon bombing, Mike Pompeo, then a congressman from Kansas, took to the floor of the House to denounce American Muslim leaders for what he called their “silence” in response to the heinous terrorist attack.
“Silence has made these Islamic leaders across America potentially complicit in these acts,” Mr. Pompeo said, reading from prepared remarks.
In fact, more than half a dozen American Muslim organizations had issued statements condemning the bombing within hours of the attack. In the days following, Muslim groups organized news conferences, blood drives and prayer vigils. Mr. Pompeo was immediately informed that he was wrong, but did not apologize or respond to Muslim groups stung by his remarks.
Mr. Pompeo, now the C.I.A. director, has been chosen by President Trump to replace Rex Tillerson as secretary of state. He faces what is expected to be a relatively smooth confirmation hearing in the Senate. But an array of voices are raising alarm over what they say is Mr. Pompeo’s record of anti-Muslim remarks and ties to anti-Islam groups. American Muslims, Jews, civil rights groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and former State Department officials are among those pushing senators on the Foreign Relations Committee to take a closer look.
PROGRESSIVE GROUPS URGE SENATE TO REJECT POMPEO -- Dozens of national progressive groups
are calling on the Senate to reject CIA Director Mike Pompeo’s nomination to be secretary of state. Roughly 70
groups signed onto a letter obtained by Huddle expressing opposition to Pompeo, warning that he “promotes
principles and policies that are antithetical to American values.” “His repeated advocacy for war,
Islamophobia, climate change denial, hostility to human rights, including reproductive and LGBT rights, and
support for torture make him dangerous and unfit to be a chief architect of U.S. foreign policy,” they write.
Pompeo’s confirmation faces an uncertain path in the Senate, where Republicans hold a narrow 51-49 majority. Fourteen Senate Democrats voted for him to be CIA director. But with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) publicly opposed and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) recovering from cancer treatment, Democrats could sink Pompeo’s confirmation bid with united opposition. Republicans, however, could find support from vulnerable red-state Democrats running for reelection this year. But progressive groups are arguing that a Secretary of State Pompeo would be the leader of Trump’s “War Cabinet.” “Pompeo is unfit to serve as Secretary of State,” the groups conclude. “We urge you to oppose and reject his nomination.”
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.
This week, Alpher discusses what the leaders of the mass Gaza demonstrations at the fence hope to achieve; why there are so many dead and wounded demonstrators; a prognosis; how developments in Syria affect Israel; and Honduras.
In 2003, four former heads of Israel’s secret counter-terrorism service, Shin-Bet, were interviewed by the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth. Their criticism of then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s inaction to advance a diplomatic resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict caused an uproar and deeply influenced Sharon. The interview later triggered the award-winning documentary film The Gatekeepers, featuring six past Shin-Bet directors who criticized the political status-quo.
Palestinians announced their intention to hold peaceful demonstrations from Land Day (March 30)
through Nakba Day (May 15), with Gaza as the focal point. APN and Shalom Achshav respect the right of
Palestinians to protest nonviolently, and call on Israelis and Palestinians to exercise restraint and act
responsibly to avoid further bloodshed. We call on Prime Minister Netanyahu to pursue a political solution.
Action Alert: Tell Your Senators to Support Humanitarian Relief for Gaza
APN and Shalom Achshav Publications
7.30.2018 Hard Questions, Tough Answers (July 30, 2018) –
Syria/Iran and Gaza: two fronts and two policy proposals
7.16.2018 Hard Questions, Tough Answers (July 16, 2018) –
Gaza
5.1.2018 Hard Questions, Tough Answers - Africans and Gazans:
refugees, job seekers, "terrorists"?
4.10.2018 Briefing Call with Israeli political columnist Akiva
Eldar. Eldar discusses the current Israel-Gaza crisis, Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing and legal challenges,
Israel-US relations, and more.
3.30.2018 Press Release: APN Alarmed at Gaza Death
Toll; Calls for Responsible Action to Prevent Further Deterioration
3.31.2018 Shalom Achshav: Netanyahu – Stop the
Escalation Now!
4.2.2018 Video from Shalom Achshav
protest at Likud HQ in Tel Aviv
3.19.2018 APN’s Debra Shushan in Haaretz: Trump’s
Inept and Cruel Gaza Policies
PeaceCast episode #44: Brian Barber Seeks Words for Gaza
PeaceCast episode #43: Omar Shaban sees hope in Gaza
PeaceCast episode #23: Gaza
Misery with Abby Smardon of UNRWA
PeaceCast
episode #14: Gaza Unplugged
PeaceCast episode #13: Gaza Crisis and
Qatar’s Role
They Say, We Say: What About Hamas and Gaza?
Recommended Reading
8.8.2018 Haaretz: Israel,
Hamas to Agree on Cease-fire by End of August, Report Says
8.8.2018 YNet: Erdan: There may be secret
channels to talks with Hamas
4.9.2018 Amos Yadlin for the Institute for National Security Studies: A Sense of Victory on Both Sides: A Recipe for Escalation in
Gaza?
4.2.2018 The New York Times (editorial): Israel Courts Catastrophe in Gaza
Protests
4.2.2018 International Crisis Group backgrounder:
Gaza Protests Mark Shift in Palestinian National Consciousness
11.11.2017 B'tselem backgrounder on Gaza