Earlier this fall, when my friend Hadar asked me to be a part of APN’s commemoration of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, marking 25 years since he was killed at a peace rally in Tel Aviv, I immediately said yes. For not only am I, like Hadar and all of you, a seeker of justice and peace and have dedicated my life to healing the world, but Prime Minister Rabin holds a particular place in my history and my heart. 

Those of you who heard me speak in October may remember that I described how Rabin’s assassination took place in my senior year of high school. Each graduating senior was asked to give a senior speech around the time of their birthday. After dithering and waiting to write my speech, unsure as to what I would say that might sound prophetic or at least a little bit interesting, as I watched the terrible news unfold on November 4, 1995, I knew at last what I would talk about.

 
Click HERE or the above photo to watch Ginna Green's remarks at APN's Yitzhak Rabin 25-Year Memorial Event 

APN's daily news review from Israel - Sunday December 20, 2020

Quote of the day:

"It's easier to buy an M-16 than jeans."
--An Arab-Israeli citizen wrote on social media networks after three Arab-Israeli relatives were shot dead in their town in two incidents within minutes of each other, as murders of Arab-Israelis hits a record high.*

1. Bills, Resolutions & Letters
2. Hearings & Markups
3. On the Record

Produced by the Foundation for Middle East Peace in cooperation with Americans for Peace Now, where the Legislative Round-Up was conceived. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

From Forward: 15 American-Jewish Leaders on how to bridge the divide between Israel and the Diaspora:

Hadar Susskind, President and CEO of Americans for Peace Now: American Jews overwhelmingly support Israel, believing deeply in the idea of a Jewish and democratic state. They also overwhelmingly oppose endless occupation, annexation, and the apartheid-like reality that annexation would bring. Unfortunately, recent Israeli governments have doubled down on occupation and raised the specter of annexation, while at the same time weakening Israeli democracy through the passage of the Nation State Law. To bridge the divide between Israel and American Jews, Israeli leaders must recommit to the long neglected “democratic” nature of Israel, showing that it is as important as the “Jewish” character.

The article also has comments from friends of APN such as Rabbi Jill Jacobs of T'ruah, Jeremy Ben-Ami of J Street, and Libby Lenkinski.

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.

Last week, over 150 APN supporters joined me and Hadar Susskind and Ori Nir to discuss the latest developments in the ongoing annexation of the West Bank, and to begin to predict the impact the incoming Biden administration may have on this seemingly intractable issue.

We at Settlement Watch, the Shalom Achshav program designed to monitor and evaluate the impact of Israel’s settlement enterprise on the chances for a two state solution and on Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, are grateful for your keen interest and concern over the growing threat that the settlements pose to peace.

Knowing that our APN family is championing our work helps us renew our commitment each day to fighting the expansion of the settlements and the de facto annexation that has been taking place for years, and which has ramped up shamelessly during the four years of the Trump/Bibi alliance.

Trump promised “the deal of the century” when he took office, but, needless to say, Palestinians were not included in that promise. His policies wound up instituting a total reversal of previous U.S. involvement, and included a complete defunding of all US aid programs to the Palestinians, including humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees.

What’s more, with U.S. backing, the push to strengthen the settlements has intensified, including building roads and infrastructure that will encourage a projected million more settlers to move into the West Bank in the coming years. Everything that might support the development of a two-state solution has essentially withered on the vine over the past four years.

Given this disheartening overview, I was asked on the call if we have reached the point of no return. I still say no. If we succumb to the idea that there is no road to peace, then we’d be dooming Israel to operating as a segregationist, occupying force forever. That is not the future that I want for me, for my children, or for the Palestinians who share this land with us.

APN's daily news review from Israel - Sunday December 13, 2020

You Must Be Kidding: 

“I trust Israel’s wisdom that it will know how to advance a solution to the (Palestinian) issue and not just (focus) on the issue of tourism.”

--Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said that solving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict was a key part of the Morocco-Israel normalization deal.*

1. Bills, Resolutions & Letters
2. Hearings & Markups
3. On the Record

Produced by the Foundation for Middle East Peace in cooperation with Americans for Peace Now, where the Legislative Round-Up was conceived. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

APN's daily news review from Israel - Thursday December 10, 2020

Quote of the day:

"Only in an Israel stricken with hatred for Netanyahu, and where the left doesn’t exist and the center is duplicitous, can one talk about a supporter of apartheid as a liberal and a fan of annexation as statesmanlike. If someone who worked to shut Tel Aviv down on Shabbat, who sent students [on school trips] to prostrate themselves at Abraham’s tomb in Hebron and established the disgrace of the Holot detention center [for African refugees] is liberal, what should we say about Bezalel Smotrich? That he isn’t liberal?"
--Gideon Levy writes in Haaretz how center-left-wing Israelis are considering supporting far right-wing Likud MK Gideon Sa'ar, who broke off to form his own party.*