 "I do believe that Israel, because of decisions that are
being made on a daily basis quietly and without a lot of people seeing them or
fully processing the consequences, is heading to a place of danger."
Secretary of State John Kerry, in comments at the Brookings' Saban
Forum about Israeli government settlement policy and lack of effort in pursuing a
two-state solution.
Go HERE to read Kerry's comments on
Israel.
Yossi Alpher is an independent security analyst. Views and
positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent
APN's views and policy positions.
December 5, 2016 - Palestine-Israel: Abbas crowns himself again; France
labels settlement products
Q. Fateh just held its long-delayed seventh conference in Ramallah and
unanimously reelected Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) to head the movement. So what’s
new?
A. More than meets the eye...
Q. What's wrong with Abbas remaining in power? What are the
alternatives?
A. The most public challenge to Abbas's leadership has come
from Mohammad Dahlan, security chief of the Gaza Strip before the 2007 Hamas
takeover there...
Q. Hasn't this at least given us all an extension of peace and quiet on
the West Bank?
A. Not if we believe IDF Chief of Intelligence General Hertzi
Halevy...
Q. Granted that Abbas's principal effort, backed by people like Rajoub,
is to isolate Israel internationally. So isn’t France’s decision last week to label
all goods from the West Bank and the Golan as "settlement products" rather than
"made in Israel" a blow to Israel?
A. It is indeed a setback, but a minor one...
Q. So the French/EU approach is flawless?
A. It is hard to find fault with an approach that simply
recognizes the fact that the settlements are not part of sovereign Israel...
Q. So where do you stand on boycotting settlement goods?
A. I have long opposed any and all economic boycotts...
NOTE: APN does advocate for a boycott of settlement products and
supports other activism targeting the occupation - see our dedicated policy webpage
HERE
 
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Bills and Resolutions and Letters
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New Legislation Sailing Through Congress Equates Criticism of Israel
with Anti-Semitism
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Hearings
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On the Record
Follow APN on
Instagram
APN's Newest Instagram graphic highlights American support for a UN Resolution on
Israeli Settlements.
Go HERE to see APN's feed, and to follow
it.
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APN Sends Letter to the Conference of Presidents of Major
American Jewish Organizations Protesting Hanukkah Party Co-Sponsored by
Azerbaijan at Trump Hotel
As longtime members of the Conference of Presidents, APN takes issue
with the choice of both the partner and venue selected for its Hanukkah
party. Azerbaijan's record on human rights and civil rights is dismal,
and choosing the Trump International Hotel makes a controversial political
statement unrepresentative of the diversity of the Conference's member
organizations.
Go HERE to read APN's letter.
APN to Trump:
Clarify that your Aides' Statements on Israel Don't Reflect your
Policies
L to R: Jared Kushner, Donald Trump, David Friedman.
APN President and CEO Debra DeLee: "Yesterday, we heard David Friedman, one of
Trump's top advisers on Israel, say that the two-state solution is not 'the only
answer anymore' to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Today, we see
reports that Jared Kushner, Trump's son in law who was mentioned as potentially
being a Middle East peace envoy in the new administration, has been supporting
hardline West Bank settlements through the Kushner Family Foundation that he
directs. Last month, we heard another one of Trump's senior Israel-affairs
advisers, Jason Greenblatt, say that West Bank settlements are not an obstacle to
peace..."
APN joins with
52 NGO's - Jewish, Christian, and other - to call on Trump to nix national
security adviser choice
The letter includes reference to Mike Flynn's hostility to Islam and his retweeting
of an anti-Semitic tweet as indications that he is unfit to serve as US National
Security Adviser.
 December 15 Briefing Call with
Senator George Mitchell and Alon Sachar, co-authors of the new book A Path
to Peace
Senator George Mitchell, appointed by President Obama as Special Envoy to the
Middle East in 2009, and Alon Sachar, who served with Senator Mitchell and in
other US positions connected to Israel and peace negotiations, will discuss
their newly released book A Path to Peace: A Brief History of
Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations and a Way Forward in the Middle East. The
book has been described as providing "a practical roadmap for bringing peace to
this complicated, troubled region."
Thursday, December 15, 3:00pm (Eastern Time)
To participate, phone 951-797-1058 and enter code 147414
Go HERE for more on the briefing call
speakers.
Fania
Oz-Salzberger: "For Argument's Sake"
Historian Fania Oz-Salzberger is the author of "Jews and Words" with her father
Amos Oz, the renowned Israeli author and a founder of Peace Now. In a special
letter for Americans for Peace Now, Oz-Salzberger reflects on her Jewish and
Zionist legacies, and her belief in their future crowning achievement: a peaceful
and democratic Israel.
One land theft
replaced by another -- Settlers from Illegal Outpost of Amona to be moved to
nearby land confiscated from Palestinians
Peace Now has reported the news that the settlers from the Illegal Outpost of Amona
who are court-ordered to leave, will be moved to nearby land also confiscated from
Palestinians. The Israeli government claims these lands as "absentee property",
which until now has legally not been allowed for use in establishing settlements.
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