APN Urges US Jewish Groups to Condemn Yaalon's Anti-Kerry, Anti-Peace Comments

Washington, DC - Americans for Peace Now (APN) urges American Jewish organizations to join it and its Israeli sister organization, Israel’s Peace Now movement, in condemning Israel’s Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon’s offensive comments, lambasting Secretary of State John Kerry for his efforts to broker peace for Israel.

Yaalon was quoted this morning in the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth as criticizing Kerry for “acting out of misplaced obsession and messianic fervor” in his efforts to advance a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. Yaalon did not deny the quotes, and in a public appearance later in the day continued to criticize the US peacemaking efforts, stating that Israel’s government strives not to resolve its conflict with the Palestinians “but to manage it.”

State Department Spokesperson, Jennifer Psaki, called Yaalon’s remarks "offensive and inappropriate, especially given all that the U.S. is doing to support Israel's security needs." She added that “to question Secretary Kerry's motives and distort his proposal is not something we would expect from the defense minister of a close ally."

Several members of the Israeli cabinet also criticized Yaalon’s comments, as did Israel’s Peace Now movement, Shalom Achshav.

APN, the US sister-organization of Shalom Achshav, is outraged at Yaalon’s comments, and urges fellow American Jewish organizations to join it by speaking out against his tirade.

APN’s President and CEO Debra DeLee said: “This is a moment that calls for American friends of Israel to state clearly: We support peace for Israel. We recognize that it is in the national security interest of Israel and of the United States. We support our President and Secretary of State’s efforts to advance this goal. We do not support the vision of Israel living by its sword and ruling over another people in perpetuity, by ‘managing’ its conflict with the Palestinians.”

To read more about Yaalon’s comments, click here

To read the State Department’s reaction, click here

To read Peace Now’s statement, click here