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.*

APN's daily news review from Israel - Wednesday December 9, 2020 

Quotes of the day:

"Allowing Israel to arbitrate on land rights in the West Bank is like asking Tony Soprano to adjudicate all the financial disputes in New Jersey."
-- Attorney Michael Sfard writes about why the Knesset's attempt to approve Israel administrating land registration in the West Bank must be stopped.*

“They are brainwashed people on the dark side. We will show them the light."
--Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, the Emirati businessman who bought 50% of the Beitar Jerusalem soccer team, plans to turn the team's infamously right-wing anti-Arab racist fans from 'brain-washed' into believers in co-existence.**

Audio recording of the APN Webinar from December 9, 2020 - LISTEN

Dr. Hanan Ashrawi

Palestinian leader, legislator, activist, and scholar

Dr. Ashrawi discussed the Palestinian perspective on the Trump to Biden transition, and examined the state of US-Palestinian relations after Donald Trump’s four years in the White House, the Palestinian leadership’s efforts to push the reset button on the relationship as President-elect Biden prepares to enter the Oval Office next month, and the Palestinian expectations from the Biden administration. 

Dr. Ashrawi has recently resigned after long serving as a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization. She has held official positions with the Palestinian Authority, was a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, and founded the Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights (MIFTAH). She is considered one of the most compelling spokespeople for the Palestinian national cause.

LISTEN

APN's daily news review from Israel - Tuesday December 8, 2020

Quote of the day:

“There is an educational lesson in this story – if a high school in Haifa is unable to bear an hour of dialogue on human rights, the students and parents would be better off to reflect on how Palestinians spent 53 years without human rights.”
--B’Tselem director, Hagai El-Ad, said after the renowned Re'ali High School in Haifa cancelled his lecture about human rights to be held today marking International Human Rights Day.*

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