Rabbi Jonah Rank is the Maskil ("Teacher of tradition") at Shaar Shalom Synagogue in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Rabbi Rank was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2015.

When the humorist Dave Barry released his book Dave Barry’s Bad Habits: A 100% Fact-Free Book in 1987, he might not have foreseen that, just three decades later, the United States would have become such a major player in promoting fact-free political discourse. The low bar of entry that permits most Americans access to the internet and the only slightly higher bar that permits most Americans to create web content of any kind have helped bring us to where we are today. When reading articles shared on digital media, if the facts don’t sound like the facts we’ve previously heard, we might ask if this news is real or not: Was it perhaps created from a fake-news website? Is this article actually based on found facts? Is this publication the eloquence of a gullible writer mistaking The Onion for news? Is this piece of journalism simply a collection of conspiracy theories all rooted in a series of truth-contorting tweets?

***********************************

TAKE ACTION TODAY!

Tell Your Senators: Reject Trump's Dangerous Choice for Ambassador to Israel

***********************************

APN explainer 2/15: Top 5 Questionable Claims Senators Are Likely to Hear From U.S. Ambassador to Israel-nominee David Friedman At His Confirmation Hearing

APN's Lara Friedman in The Hill newspaper 1/26: David Friedman is the wrong choice for US ambassador to Israel

Ambassador-nominee David Friedman, In His Own Words [compilation of quotes with links to original sources]

Yossi Alpher weighs in, in his Hard Questions, Tough Answers: US-Israel in the Trump era: Ambassador Friedman and a US embassy in Jerusalem

APN Press release: APN Opposes David Friedman's Nomination as US Ambassador to Israel

Haaretz 2/7: 10 Questions U.S. Senators Should Ask David Friedman, Trump's Pick for Israel Envoy 

To facilitate the confirmation process, Haaretz has prepared a list of 10 questions those participating in the confirmation hearings might consider asking Friedman:

1. You serve as president of an organization that fundraises for the settlement of Beit El. How much of your own money have you donated over the years to Beit El and does your personal investment in the settlement movement explain your opposition to a two-state solution?

2. It has been reported that you own at least one apartment in Jerusalem. Is that the only real estate you own in Israel, and if not, could you provide us with a list of all your properties in the country and tell us if you own any real estate over the Green Line?

3. Do you have any children who live in Israel, and if so, have any of them served or intend to serve in the Israeli army? If the answer is yes, are you not in conflict of interest as a representative of the U.S. government?

4. Have you ever contributed to the campaigns of Israeli political leaders or political parties? If so, could you specify which leaders and which parties and how much you gave them?

5. Do you believe it is important for Israel to remain a Jewish and democratic state?

6. Do you favor Israel’s annexation of the West Bank, and if so, do you believe that Israel can remain a Jewish and democratic state if that happens?

7. As a real estate lawyer, how do you view the new Israeli law that legalizes the expropriation of Palestinian land in the West Bank?

8. President Donald Trump has said that making peace between Israelis and Palestinians is a top priority for him and has even referred to this as “the ultimate deal.” What would be your basic principles for such a deal?

9. Palestinians have voiced serious concerns that with your views, you cannot serve as an honest broker in any future peace talks. How do you hope to reassure them otherwise, if at all?

10. Your use of terms like “kapos” and “morons” to berate respected Jewish organizations has raised serious questions about your suitability for a diplomatic role. Do you truly believe you are cut out to serve as an ambassador?

 

 

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 whether President-elect Trump's selection of David Friedman as US ambassador to Israel will be the "game-changer from hell;" what happens if the embassy is really moved to Jerusalem; what should Trump be doing about the embassy; and how the ambassadorial appointment and the Jerusalem embassy issues factor into the existing divides and conflicts within world Jewry.

On December 16 2016, APN held a briefing call with Senator George Mitchell and Alon Sachar.  Senator George Mitchell and Alon Sachar are the authors of the newly published book "A Path to Peace: A Brief History of Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations and a Way Forward in the Middle East."

NPR: December 16, 2016
“Trump's Pick For Ambassador To Israel: 'End The 2-State Narrative,'” Several left-wing U.S. Jewish groups — among them Americans for Peace Now and J-Street — say they will work to defeat David Friedman’s nomination.

JTA: December 16, 2016
“Jewish doves vow to lobby Senate to block Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Israel,” Americans for Peace Now called Friedman’s nomination “destabilizing.” “Friedman opposes the very essence of APN’s values and mission,” it said in a statement.

The Guardian: December 16, 2016
“Donald Trump's Israel ambassador is hardline pro-settler lawyer,” Lara Friedman, of Americans for Peace Now, tweeted: “I don’t know about the Palestinians, but I know Jews who truly care about Israel’s security, democracy & place in the world are outraged.”

Times of Israel: December 16, 2016
“Liberal Jewish groups rage against Trump’s Israel ambassador pick,” Lara Friedman, the director of policy and government relations for Americans for Peace Now, did not mince words either, tweeting: “I don’t know about the Palestinians, but I know Jews who truly care about Israel’s security, democracy & place in the world are outraged.”

New York Times: December 15, 2016
“Hanukkah Event at a Trump Hotel Highlights a Rift Among Jews,” Ori Nir, the communications director at Americans for Peace Now, a group that declined an invitation to the event, said he and his colleagues initially thought the invitation was a hoax. The group wrote a letter to the Conference of Presidents expressing its concerns. “As members of the conference we try to be discreet,” he said. “But this time around it was so insensitive that it really merited a public expression.”

Jerusalem Post: December 14, 2016
“Jewish groups opt for White House bash over Trump hotel Hanukkah party,” Americans for Peace Now among Jewish groups who stand against the Conference of President’s Hanukkah party at Trump hotel.

The Jewish Week: December 14, 2016
“Ellison Acceptable,” J Street and Peace Now are two of the most pro-Israel pro-peace groups . . . If J Street and Peace Now support Ellison it shows that he is responsive to our concerns about the peace process and Israeli occupation.

American Prospect: December 14, 2016
“The Last Thing Netanyahu Wants to Say is ‘Annexation,’” according to Hagit Ofran of Peace Now, 41 families are still living in Amona in mobile homes and the grace period has ended.

Times of Israel: December 11, 2016
“Ministers back bill barring national service volunteers from B'Tselem,” the Ministerial Committee for Legislation gave the go-ahead for a bill barring national service volunteers from working with organizations that get most of their funding from foreign sources – this bill is seen as targeting human rights groups like B’Tselem and Americans for Peace Now.

i24 News: December 11, 2016
“Bill barring completion of Israeli national service at B'Tselem heads to Knesset,” the bill was initiated by Amir Ohana of the ruling Likud party after human rights NGOs B’Tselem and Americans for Peace Now testified against Israel's West Bank settlement building policies at a United Nations Security Council forum in October.

The Hill: December 10, 2016
“Jewish groups divided over Hanukkah party at Trump hotel,” Americans for Peace Now among the progressive Jewish organizations objecting to the Conference of President’s Hanukkah party at Trump hotel with the Republic of Azerbaijan.