APN Congratulations and Resources for the 116th Congress (11/7/18)

APN congratulates the legislators elected yesterday to the House of Representatives and the Senate. In particular, we welcome new members of Congress. As they prepare to come to Washington, we encourage them to deepen their understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We invite them to use APN as a resource for enhancing their efforts on Capitol Hill to advance peace between Israel, the Palestinians, and the Arab world.

Trump's New Iran Sanctions Isolate US and Increase Risk of War (11/5/18)

APN opposes the Trump administration's decision to reimpose sanctions on Iran, a step that jeopardizes both American and Israeli security and is likely to embolden Iran's hardliners.

The Times of Israel: "A ‘balanced’ Rabin rally does us all a disfavor by Peace Now's Brian Reeves" by Peace Now's Brian Reeves (11/2/18)

We don’t need another vanilla gathering to pat ourselves on the back. If you want to galvanize the moderate majority, take on a real challenge to repair and strengthen our country — one worthy of Rabin’s legacy.

Ha'aretz Compendium: "Two Years of Trump Donald Trump, President of the United States of Hate?" (11/1/18)

includes:

Letty Cottin Pogrebin's "For 40 Years, I’ve Fought for Israeli-Palestinian Peace. But a Trump-brokered Deal?

No Israeli-Palestinian deal sullied by Donald Trump's fingerprints can be trusted, because the man himself can’t be trusted and neither can his word

Debra Shushan's "The Day Donald Trump Was Crowned King in Jerusalem"

Along with many other U.S. Jews, I wanted to feel pride at the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. But amid the carnage in Gaza, I felt nausea.

Ha'aretz: "U.S. Jewish Groups Say They Support a Two State Solution. So Why Are They So Quiet While Trump Dismantles It? " by APN's Debra Shushan and Ori Nir (10/24/18)

Amid a barrage of anti-Palestinian actions, a tacit endorsement of Israel’s West Bank annexation, and an occupation-denying U.S. Ambassador, are the big guns of U.S. Jewry – AIPAC, ADL, AJC, JFNA – really too afraid to rock the boat with Trump?

Read »

San Diego Jewish World: "U.S. to combine embassy and consulate in Jerusalem" (10/16/18)

The move was promptly condemned by Americans for Peace Now in a press release suggesting that it will undermine efforts to achieve a two-state solution.

Jerusalem Post: "Gov't to approve budget for first Jewish building in Hebron in 16 years" (10/13/18)

Peace Now said that: “The government continues to waste public funds on construction for a hallucinatory settlement in the heart of a Palestinian population. Hebron is the settlement that does the most harm to Israel’s good name. Instead of evacuating it, the government has caved in to extremists. It is trying with force to complicate matters for Israel and distance us from peace.”

Ma'an News Agency: "Lieberman to approve 31 settlement housing units in Hebron City" (10/12/18)

The NGO settlement watchdog, Peace Now, and the Hebron municipality have issued an appeal to the Israeli Civil Administration against the plan. In response to Leiberman's announcement, Peace Now said that "nothing harms Israel’s reputation as much as construction projects for Israeli settlers in Hebron City. Instead of evacuating them, the government surrenders to extremists and seems intent on forcing us away from peace."

APN to Israel's Government: Let Lara Alqasem In! (10/11/18)

APN calls on the government of Israel to permit entry into Israel to Lara Alqasem, an American of Palestinian descent who received a student visa from an Israeli consulate in the US to undertake a master’s program at Hebrew University.

Alqasem was detained upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport and has been held by Israeli authorities for over a week pending appeal of the order to deport her. The basis for the detention apparently was information published about Alqasem by the Canary Mission, a shadowy website that seeks to intimidate critics of Israel...

Ha'aretz: "Jewish Federation of San Francisco Says No More Donations to 'Canary Mission' Blacklist" (10/3/18)

“It is extremely disturbing that a major mainstream American Jewish organization is bankrolling the activities of the Canary Mission... a shadowy enterprise which seeks to intimidate college students who do not fall in line with its right-wing perspective on Israel,” said Debra Shushan, director of policy at Americans for Peace Now.

Ynet: "Amona outpost activist convicted" (9/28/18)

In 2014, Oved was sentenced to one year for a “price tag” attack including hateful graffiti sprayed on the building of Peace Now activist Hagit Ofran.

Times of Israel: "Angry' Abbas condemns violence after deadly terror attack" (9/17/18)

Abbas tells former Israeli lawmakers that ‘everyone loses from violence,’ hours after Israeli Ari Fuld killed in West Bank stabbing...He told Israeli peace activists [the Peace Now delegation] in a meeting in Ramallah two weeks ago that he supports Israel’s security, underlining that the Palestinian and the Israeli security forces work together “on a daily basis” and that he and his people “do anything possible so that no Israeli gets hurt...”

Jerusalem Post: "Housing starts in settlements up by 187% in second quarter" (9/10/18)

"The government of Netanyahu continues to destroy the chances for peace and a two-state solution by building in settlements,” said left-wing group Peace Now in response to the data. “Unfortunately, we see that since the Trump administration, there is an increase in approvals in construction and now we start to see it on the ground.

Ha'aretz: "There's No 'Resistance' Saving Israel-Palestine From Trump - and Unimaginable Catastrophe" by APN's Debra Shushan (9/6/18)

There are no adults in the room, anonymous or not, diligently frustrating Trump's cruel, disastrous Mideast policy, only arsonists - Jared Kushner, Jason Greenblatt and David Friedman - dousing the house with kerosene.

Vineyard Gazette: "Waging Peace, Fighting for Justice, Together" (9/5/18)

Sitting together in the living room of their Aquinnah home, Cora and Peter Weiss work in tandem to tell the stories of their lives...

Israel i24 News: "APN's Debra Shushan - Video Clips" BYLINE(optional) (9/5/18)

Watch clips from this week's show on Netanyahu's affinity for human rights violators in light of Philippine President Duterte's visit to Israel; Jared Kushner's Palestinian-Jordanian confederation proposal to President Abbas; Ambassador Friedman's assault on UNRWA and aid to Palestinians; and what revelations from Bob Woodward's Fear mean for Netanyahu.

France 24: "Jordan rejects idea of confederation with Palestinians" (9/5/18)

Hagit Ofran of Israel's Peace Now NGO reported Abbas as saying he had told the US officials, who are working on a peace plan, that he would only be interested if Israel was also part of such a confederation.

Ha'aretz: "Dozens of Housing Units Approved for Jewish Residents in East Jerusalem" (9/6/18)

Hagit Ofran of the organization Peace Now said that "this is not a real estate project but a project of defiance and settlement."

Times of Israel (Live Update): "Abbas says Trump team offered Palestinian-Jordanian confederation" (9/6/18)

...He makes the remarks at a meeting with Knesset members and activists from the NGO Peace Now in Ramallah.

Xinhua: "Palestinian president says refugee issue must be solved with int'l resolutions" BYLINE(optional) (DATE)

Abbas made his remarks in a meeting with an Israeli delegation representing the Israeli "Peace Now" movement at his office in Ramallah, where he reacted to the United States decision to stop its aid to the Palestinian refugees' agency UNRWA.

Jerusalem Post: "PM Says Gush Katif evacuees akin to Palestinian refugees" (9/2/08)

“The US wants to totally sabotage UNRWA,” Abbas told a visiting delegation from the left-wing Israeli NGO Peace Now.

Arutz Sheva: "'Likud Youth' leader booted for meeting with Abbas" (9/3/18)

Deputy head of Likud youth movement dismissed for participating in meeting with PA chairman organized by Peace Now.

The Jordan Times: "Abbas offered confederation with Jordan by US team — NGO" (9/7/18)

Sunday’s meeting included members of Peace Now and other organisations, as well as two Israeli parliament members.

Ma'an News Agency: "Abbas: 'US administration proposed confederation with Jordan'" BYLINE(optional) (9/3/18)

(Peace Now Director) Morag concluded the meeting by assuring Abbas that "The Israeli peace camp is widespread and during the next general election Peace Now will demand from the leaders a commitment to advancing the two-state solution."

Forward: "Want To Stop Hemorrhaging Diaspora Support, Israel? Here’s What We Need" by APN's Debra Shushan (8/23/18)

It has become axiomatic that a widening schism exists in relations between Israel and Diaspora Jewry. Relations with American Jews (who constitute over 70% of Diaspora Jewry) are increasingly fraught. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems unperturbed.

JTA/Cleveland Jewish News: "In West Bank settlements, the housing market is booming" (8/23/18)

Hagit Ofran, who heads Peace Now’s Settlement Watch project, said the main problem facing any potential settlement evacuation is the sheer number of residents who live in isolated settlements.

VIDEO CLIP of APN's Debra Shushan - "Bibi's Partisan Divide" - Israel i24 News "The Spin Room" (8/23/18)

Watch Shushan, selected to be a regular panelist, speak about the US partisan divide in approval/disapproval of Prime Minister Neyanyahu. NOTE: Link takes you to the page with all the Shushan videos.

Ha'aretz: "For West Bank Settlement Marking 40 Years, Donald Trump Is Just Another Reason to Celebrate" (8/17/18)

Peace Now's Shabtay Bendet quoted in this article about the 40 year anniversary of the Ariel settlement.

Video clips of APN's Debra Shushan from Israel i24 News "The Spin Room" (8/15/18)

Shushan speaks passionately about the questioning and detaining of Peter Beinart, Reza Aslan, and others on political grounds at Israeli ports of entry.

Times of Israel: "Parshat Shoftim: A Political Imperative for Liberal Jews" by Elana Kravitz, APN Intern (8/15/18)

Elul, the Jewish month leading up to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, is a time of reflection, soul-searching, and repentance... Jews in the US and in Israel have a lot to contemplate.

Jerusalem Post: "Jerusalem Heritage House's list of 'haters of Israel' includes Jon Stewart, Bette Midler, Natalie Portman, Bernie Sanders and more" (8/14/18)

The list also includes "Peace Now staff and supporters."