Alarmed by the prospects of the Trump administration ordering the closure of the Palestinian mission in Washington, Americans for Peace Now (APN) is calling on the administration and Congress to allow the Palestine Liberation Organization to keep its office open.
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 the 40 year anniversary of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat's visit to Israel and the launch of the Middle East peace process; additional grand strategies from that era; indications of an emerging US-Israeli-Saudi grand strategy; the publication of protocols from Israeli government deliberations held in the months immediately following the Six-Day War of 1967; and whether we are witnessing the emergence of an Iran-Russia grand strategic axis for controlling at least the northern tier of the Middle East.
Like many activists in the peace camp, I’m occasionally afflicted with “hope fatigue” as I watch the Israeli government give up on the pursuit of peace.
When I think back to the high hopes we had for the Oslo Accords, the Camp David Summit, the Clinton Parameters, and
the Quartet’s Road Map, a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict seems more remote today than ever
before.
I can’t help feeling distressed that both the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority have permitted the extremists on both sides to dominate the political agenda. My despair deepens as I watch Israelis gobble up land in the West Bank and take over Palestinian property in East Jerusalem that’s supposed to be subject to negotiation in a future peace agreement between the two parties.
But the staff and supporters of Americans for Peace Now—and the young leaders and volunteers at Shalom Achshav, our sister organization in Israel—refuse to succumb to hopelessness and fatigue. They just keep plugging away. And because of them and their work, I keep getting reenergized and recommitted to the struggle to put an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Produced by the Foundation for Middle East Peace in cooperation with Americans for Peace Now, where the Legislative Round-Up was conceived
Daily Mail (AFP story): November 16, 2017
"Watchdog
fears Israel will seize more Palestinian land," Peace Now: legal opinion by the attorney general could pave the
way for the seizure of more Palestinian land in the West Bank.
Times of Israel: November 14, 2017
"In
first, Israel Prize to be awarded for promoting settlements — report," Peace Now slams Bennet for reported
intention to award Israel Prize to settlement activist.
Jerusalem Post: November 14, 2017
"Start
preparing for one million settlers in the West Bank," Peace Now data quoted in story on settlement growth.
Haaretz: November 5, 2017
"Tens of Thousands Attend 'Depoliticized' Rally Marking
Rabin's Assassination," Peace Now participates in Rabin memorial rally.
JTA: November 4, 2017
"Tens
of thousands of Israelis attend rally
marking Yitzhak Rabin’s murder," Peace Now participates in Rabin memorial rally.
Times of Israel: November 4, 2017
"85,000
attend rally marking 22nd
anniversary of
Rabin’s murder," Peace Now participates in Rabin memorial rally.
APN Board Member Letty Cottin Pogrebin in Moment Magazine: November 1, 2017
"Seeing Israel in its Contradictory
Glory"
Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting (Haaretz story): November 7, 2017
"Americans
for Peace Now Calls on Jewish Federations to Cease Settlement Funding," Pulitzer Center republished our story
in Haaretz.
Haaretz: November 6, 2017
"Americans for Peace Now Calls on Jewish Federations to
Cease Settlement Funding," In response to a Haaretz report, Americans for Peace Now called on the Jewish
Federations to cease settlement funding.
Times of Israel: October 27, 2017
"State taps
settler leader to head body that legalizes outposts," Peace Now outraged as state appoints settler leader to
head committee that would legalize outposts.
Jerusalem Post: October 27, 2017
"Settler
leader to head gov’t drive to legalize outposts," Peace Now condemns Netanyahu's appointment of settler leader
to head committee that would legalize structures in illegal outpost.
Jerusalem Post: October 26, 2017
"Ministers
to vote on bill to annex 19 settlements to Jerusalem," Peace Now blasts government intention to endorse bill
that would annex 19 settlements to Jerusalem.
Al-Monitor: October 23, 2017
"Israel,
US coordinated on settlement construction," Peace Now data quoted in story on West Bank settlement
construction.
Times of Israel: October 23, 2017
"4 new
lawmakers sworn in after Meretz, Zionist Union MKs quit," Former Peace Now Secretary General Mossi Raz sworn in
as Knesset member.
2017
