Saturday night’s Shalom Achshav (Peace Now) rally brought out thousands of people, Israelis sick of the status quo, to protest the Netanyahu government’s intransigence, its diplomatic inaction and its fomenting of violence and brutality.

Under the slogan “There is no Security without a Political Solution,” thousands of Israelis urged their government to choose dialogue over demagoguery and incitement, diplomacy over force and subjugation, to offer Israelis hope, and to lead Israelis toward peace with the Palestinians.

You are probably following with horror the news from Israel and the West Bank. It’s easy to despair in the face of all the misery. Israelis and Palestinians have been deadlocked in this violent embrace, unable to find a way to separate into two states living side by side in peace and security.

In such times, when there is no political horizon to give us hope, we can find solace in the work of individuals, people on both sides – yes, on both sides – who despite the trouble around them choose to reach out and build bridges.

One such hero is my friend David Broza, the famous Israeli singer-songwriter, who is a committed peace activist and a longtime friend of Israel’s Peace Now movement.

David recently made an album, produced by Steve Earle, devoted to peace, collaborating with Palestinian musicians to build musical bridges to Palestinians in East Jerusalem. His album, and a documentary that tells the story of the making of this album, are now available as a set, exclusively to APN donors like you.

Please read David’s letter below. It will give you hope, and – hopefully – inspiration.

Although the High Holidays have concluded, we have an obligation to continue reflecting on our thoughts, words and actions - not just as individuals, but as a Jewish community. I hope that during this time of continued contemplation, we can take an honest accounting of the current state of the land of Israel - not only its many accomplishments and gifts, but its frightening move towards intolerance and violence. Former APN chair, Martin Bresler, has eloquently made the case for this self-examination in his essay below; APN makes the case every day for the imperative to act against this danger. We ask that during this holiday season you support our critical work. It's not about right and left, it's about right and wrong.

B'Shalom,
Debra DeLee, President and CEO, APN

What would you say if I told you that the most recent right-wing initiative to stifle progressive organizations in Israel is a Knesset bill that would compel members of such organizations to wear a special badge, “visibly, on their clothing,” when they are in the Knesset?

You’d probably tell me that it’s an ugly joke, and that even satire shouldn’t use such loaded symbols for the sake of ridicule. And I would completely agree with you.

The problem, you see, is that this is not a joke. This is not The Onion. It’s yet another example of grotesque legislative overreach by right-wing Knesset members – in this case the Jewish Home’s Bezalel Smotrich – intended to delegitimize progressive Israeli organizations, to humiliate them and to stifle them. That, of course, includes representatives of our Israeli sister-organization, Israel’s Peace Now movement, the nemesis of extremist West Bank settlers who are chiefly represented in the Knesset by Smotrich’s party.

On Shavuot, we celebrate the giving of the Torah and the Ten Commandments.

In the spirit of this holiday, let us all remember that the two-state solution we seek is anchored in a two-slate imperative…

Americans for Peace Now wishes you a Hag Sameah, happy Shavuot.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to APN on this holiday, to help us work even harder to advance the two-state solution – the only way to achieve long-lasting peace, security, stability and dignity for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Thank you from all of us at APN.

Israel’s new government - which, at least in its initial composition, is one of the most hardline in Israel’s history - will be sworn in within days.

This government brings together Israel's ultra-nationalist and ultra-Orthodox parties along with a new centrist party. Past positions of this government's members suggest future policies that are the antithesis of what we stand for. This government seems bound to act to further hinder the viability of a two-state solution, to further exacerbate Israel's isolation internationally, to intensify West Bank settlement construction, promote undemocratic legislation and to act to stifle dissent. The Palestinian question is not even mentioned in the government’s guidelines! The cabinet’s super-important Justice portfolio has been given to The Jewish Home’s Ayelet Shaked, who for years has been pushing legislation to dry up the funding sources of Israel’s pro-democracy, pro-peace nonprofit organizations such as Peace Now.