Washington's failure to clinch two-state deal would shift Palestinian focus to international groups and college campuses where organized Jewry holds little sway.

In the spirit of the season, let me hazard a prediction: 2014 will be the year that America's Israel debate begins to pass the organized American Jewish community by.

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APN's daily news review from Israel

Tuesday January 07, 2014

Quote of the day:

"Even a very stupid prime minister who makes peace will get positive press. But a prime minister who is an idiot will not make peace."
--Former prime minister Ehud Olmert sends a message to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.**

Regardless of the claims that the new housing units would be delayed until after US Secretary of State Kerry's visit, Peace Now has just revealed 272 housing units were approved for validation yesterday (5/1/14).

The plans are for 250 units in the settlement of Ofra and 22 units in the settlement Karnei Shomron. These plans were published for validation online by the Civil Administration's Subcommittee for Settlements.

Regardless of the claims that the new housing units would be delayed until after US Secretary of State Kerry's visit, Peace Now has just revealed 272 housing units were approved for validation yesterday (5/1/14).

This week, Alpher discusses the pronouncements on the peace process made by Secretary of State John Kerry in the course of his most recent Middle East trip, Foreign Minister Lieberman's departure from his traditional hawkish stance in his pronouncements that seem to view Kerry's performance as highly constructive, the relevance of Ariel Sharon's legacy for the current situation, and whether there is a Palestinian angle to Sunday's demonstration of more than 20,000 Eritreans in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square, demanding freedom to work and live in Tel Aviv.

Update: this action, now closed, ran from December 2013-January 2014. 

We knew the fight to keep Iran-focused diplomacy alive wasn't over - and we were right. Just before the Senate went home for the holidays, Senators Menendez (D-NJ), Kirk (R-IL) and a group of 25 colleagues introduced a new and highly problematic Iran sanctions bill in the Senate - S. 1881, ironically named the "Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act of 2013." Over the holiday break, this bill was the focal point of a major lobbying effort, with AIPAC and other groups working intensively to get Senators to cosponsor the measure -- and this effort will pick up additional steam in the coming days.

APN's daily news review from Israel

Monday January 06, 2014

Quote of the day:

"Friends, Bibi (Netanyahu) is not missing votes in the Knesset, the question is only if he has the backbone."
--Opposition leader and Labor party chief Isaac Herzog says Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has a mandate to reach a peace deal, but doubts if he has the courage.**

APN's daily news review from Israel

Sunday January 05, 2014

Quote of the day:

"I have no problem with the political demand that the valley should be part of the State of Israel. Such a position is permissible. What bothers me is that it's being depicted as some kind of security problem."

--Former Mossad chief refuted the claim that Israel needs to keep the Jordan Beqaa Valley for its security.**

The Forward (JJ Goldberg's blog) - December 20, 2013 
APN is one of two pro-Israel organizations opposing new Iran sanctions bill
http://blogs.forward.com/jj-goldberg/189632/jewish-groups-back-new-sanctions-senators-split/#ixzz2o82O96sW

Haaretz (AP story) - December 22, 2013 
Peace Now legal counsel Michael Sfard profiled 
http://www.haaretz.com/news/features/1.564791

Ynet (AP story) - December 23, 2013 
Peace Now legal counsel Michael Sfard profiled 
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4468424,00.html

The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle - December 26, 2013 
APN's Lara Friedman: Taking 'yes' for an answer on Iran 
http://thejewishchronicle.net/view/full_story/24291935/article-Taking--yes--for-an-answer-on-Iran?instance=secondary_stories_right_column

Haaretz - December 30, 2013 
Op-ed mentions APN as opposing new Iran sanctions bill 
http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.566163

Oregon Salem News (online) - December 31, 2013 
APN press release re: Kerry plan carried in entirety 
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/december312013/kerry-plan-apn.php

APN's daily news review from Israel

Friday January 03, 2014

Numbers of the day:

82.5 and 65.5
Percentage of Jewish Israeli respondents of poll that believes in teaching openness and critical thinking in schools and percentage that believes that the schools must "teach Jewish and Zionist values without taking a critical stance," respectively. **