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.
Week 3 Book Recommendations - Contemplating and Questioning the Occupation plus BONUS Israeli-Palestinian Cookbook
Those who suggest a dead-on-arrival U.S. peace plan will be simply thrown into the dustbin of history and will have no long-term consequences are dangerously wrong. A defective plan could have catastrophic consequence.
An impending U.S. diplomatic initiative to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict used to make big headlines. Now, the Trump administration says its on the verge of issuing an "ultimate deal" plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - and hardly anyone seems to care.
Should we care? Absolutely. Not because the plan has a serious chance to succeed. It doesn’t. But because of the potentially catastrophic repercussions that a severely flawed plan would have.
What we know so far about this administration’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian question does not bode well for an effective peace plan.
Professor Shibley Telhami Briefing Call, Thursday, July 19, 2 pm
(Eastern)
Professor Shibley Telhami, one of America's leading experts on the Middle East, comments on the current state of American-Palestinian relations, on Donald Trump's Israeli-Palestinian policy, on Trump's prospective "peace plan," and on the role of Arab governments in the current dynamics between the US, Israel and the Palestinians.
The 'Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People,' passed by 62-55, with two abstentions
Knesset members approved overnight Wednesday-Thursday a controversial and long-debated law that officially defines Israel as the Jewish nation-state, voting the bill through in its second and third plenary readings by 62-55, with two abstentions.
The law for the first time enshrines Israel as “the national home of the Jewish people.” The law becomes one of the so-called Basic Laws, which, like a constitution, guide Israel’s legal system and are usually more difficult to repeal than regular laws.
What follows is a full translation of the final version of the bill approved by the Knesset plenary:
Land Allocation in the West Bank – For Israelis Only
A New Settlement Watch Report
Following a request under the Freedom of Information Act submitted by Peace Now and the Movement for Freedom of Information (and after refusing to give the information and a two-and-a-half year delay), the Civil Administration's response was received:
Professor Shibley Telhami Briefing Call, Thursday, July 19, 2 pm
(Eastern)
Professor Shibley Telhami, one of America's leading experts on the Middle East, will comment on the current state of American-Palestinian relations, on Donald Trump's Israeli-Palestinian policy, on Trump's prospective "peace plan," and on the role of Arab governments in the current dynamics between the US, Israel and the Palestinians.
Listen here
