I have written to you in past years to alert you to Americans for Peace Now’s annual Israel study
tour, which I lead. These tours focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and efforts to resolve it, and examine
Israel’s security and diplomatic challenges, as well as the situation on the Palestinian side.
This year’s tour is different. For one thing, it takes place earlier than the usual – April 25 to April 30 – which
means that time for registration is short.
The timing of this year’s tour gives us a unique opportunity to observe Israeli society right after general
elections, as a new government coalition takes shape, and with it new policies – for better or worse. By the time
we start our tour, five weeks after the March 17 general elections, we should expect a government coalition to have
been formed and maybe even sworn in. Considering the importance of these elections, and regardless of their
results, the period following the elections will be pivotal for Israel’s future as is the ever-revolving Middle
Eastern regional kaleidoscope.
Participants will explore Israel and the West Bank, focusing on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and efforts to resolve it.
This year, we are planning some new programming with a special emphasis on Israel’s policy path following its March 17 general elections.
Dear Friend,
What is your vision for 2015?
Those of us who care about Israel know that the coming year will be a critical one in determining Israel’s future character. Will Israel pursue the xenophobic vision of the nationalistic extreme-right? Or will it pursue a progressive vision, reflecting the values of its majority -- Jewish values of peace, pluralism, and democracy?
Philadelphia Inquirer - December 14, 2014
APN's Ori Nir quoted in Trudy Rubin's column on Israeli elections
http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20141214_Worldview__Israel_is_facing_a_big_election.html
Associated Press - December 15, 2014
Peace Now's Lior Amihai: Significant growth in settlement construction under Netanyahu
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2014/12/15/4028741_netanyahu-years-see-surge-in-west.html?rh=1
San Diego Jewish World - December 15, 2014
APN press release on UN Action reprinted in its entirety
http://www.sdjewishworld.com/2014/12/15/apn-u-s-support-frances-mideast-proposal/
Israel’s policy of perpetual occupation is already causing an increase in animosity toward the Jewish people and their state. Perpetuating this policy fosters the beginning of an anti-Israel movement – from within and without the state – that will be difficult to reverse.
Casino tycoon and right-wing political patron Sheldon Adelson has finally spoken to the existential issue of
Israeli democracy absent a Palestinian state. Many observers were shocked by the multi billionaire, hard-liner's
recent statement proclaiming, "Israel
isn’t going to be a democratic state – so what?”
While I passionately oppose Adelson's views, his remarks provided clarity by openly acknowledging that a binational
Jewish state would not be a democracy, an obvious consequence largely ignored by the Israeli right wing.
