"At the beginning of my path as Mossad chief, I met with a senior official in the Arab periphery, who asked me
if we had chosen to live in the Middle East, because in his opinion, we had decided not to. When I asked
him why he thought so, he asked: 'How many Jews born in Israel know Arabic? How many of them are familiar
with Arab culture? How many of them even want to get to know it?'"
--Singer Dana International told foreign journalists last night in a comical
hasbara speech, in which she flattered the journalists as the "most intelligent people in the
world."
On January 14, 2016, APN, together with New Israel Fund (NIF), J Street, Ameinu, T’ruah, Partners for
Progressive Israel (PPI), Foundation for Middle-East Peace (FMEP), and B'Tselem USA, hosted MK Merav Michaeli,
former Deputy Knesset Speaker Naomi Chazan, and Attorney Michael Sfard, moderated by Matt Duss, President of
the Foundation for Middle East Peace for a conversation on the legislation now being considered by the Knesset that
targets progressive NGOs for extra scrutiny of their foreign donations, but does not require similar scrutiny of
right-wing or settler groups.
This legislation is part of a long-term effort by some Israeli hardliners, backed by the government, to weaken
Israel’s democracy by stifling dissent. While its supporters attempt to liken it to existing US law, it has drawn
significant opposition from many quarters, both within Israel, from the US State Department
and among the American Jewish community. And still, there is a real possibility that the bill will pass in the next
few weeks.
On Thursday, January 14, APN's Lara Friedman joined Zeina Azzam, the
Executive Director of the Jerusalem Fund for a panel moderated by John Feffer, the Director for Epicenter
at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington DC for a panel discussing the performance Wrestling
Jerusalem. More information can be found here.
Wrestling Jerusalem, written by and starring Aaron Davidman, is about one
man’s journey to comprehend the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as it courses through his divided psyche and
argumentative community. Originally commissioned by Theater J in 2007, Davidman’s evolving excavation into
the contours of conflict now illuminates a personal story that grapples with the complexities of identity,
history and social justice. Wrestling Jerusalem gives voice to a dozen characters, animating their
struggles, soul searchings and defensive barriers that give way to a spiritual oneness that offers a promise
of peace in the midst of bloodshed. Part of the Voices From a Changing Middle East Festival.
"You’re the age of my son. How could you?"
--Mother of Mohammed Abu-Khdeir turned in court to the two youth on trial for burning her son alive,
after telling the court how her life ended ever since. Her husband asked for the boys' homes to be demolished.
You Must Be Kidding: “The only thing that the Swedish Foreign Minister has yet to do is physically join the Palestinian
terrorists and stab Jews. In light of her conduct now, we need to hope very much that this won’t
happen.”
--Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman reacts to the call by the Swedish Foreign Minister for a probe into possible
extra-judicial killings of Palestinians by Israeli forces in the recent wave of violence.
Last week the High Court rejected a petition submitted by landowners of the village of Nahla, located south of
Bethlehem, and approved the declaration of 1,341 of their lands as state land. This petition was the last legal
obstacle that stood in the way of the government's plan to establish a new settlement with thousands of housing
units east of the separation barrier in Givat Eitam. The plan, known as "E2," has disastrous consequences on the
two state solution as it blocs Bethlehem from the south and cuts the southern part of the West Bank in half, quite
similarly to the plan known as E1.
"This is also the best evidence that (Alon) Liel and those like him love Israel and are loyal to it.
Because if they weren’t, none of them would bother to struggle and pay such a public price. They could easily,
and with honor, abandon the sinking ship."
--Israeli Journalist Yehuda Shohat wrote in Op-Ed after the former Foreign Ministry director was secretly recorded advising
'Breaking the Silence' how to push its message abroad to end the occupation. (See Features and Commentary)
You Must Be Kidding:
IDF document reveals the IDF's Rabbinate guidelines that require military rabbis hold a conversation “on the
subject of acquaintance with and connection to Jewish heritage, tradition and sources, strengthening the
fighting spirit, mission and motivation to serve" every month for combat units and every two months for
non-combat units and a conversation every six months with married secular soldiers on the subject of
‘family strength’ from the Jewish sources.
The Knesset is now considering legislation that targets progressive NGOs for extra scrutiny of their foreign
donations, but does not require similar scrutiny of right-wing or settler groups. This legislation is part of a
long-term effort by some Israeli hardliners, backed by the government, to weaken Israel’s democracy by stifling
dissent. While its supporters attempt to liken it to existing US law, it has drawn significant opposition from many
quarters, both within Israel, from the US State Department
and among the American Jewish community. And still, there is a real possibility that the bill will pass in the next
few weeks.
“I told him the band would never believe that I’d gone for a week to record with him and asked if
he could write me a note, like for a teacher. He gladly agreed.”
--Israeli bassist Yossi Fine recalls the life-changing experience of recording alongside music legend David Bowie.