This week, Alpher discusses whether we are witnessing the beginning of a new intifada; how Abbas’s UN General Assembly speech figures into the violence; if there was a prominent message in Netanyahu’s UN speech; if it is possible to draw any conclusions regarding the evolution of Israeli societal values from the appointment of Shin Bet deputy head Roni Alsheich to head the Israel Police; and, with the Russians and Iranians apparently expanding their deployment in Syria, an outline of the emerging strategic picture.

Americans for Peace Now (APN) is alarmed at the rapidly spiraling violence in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, and calls on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to act to stop the violence and save lives.

Over the weekend, following the murder of an Israeli couple in the West Bank, there was a stabbing and shooting attack in Jerusalem’s Old City. Two people were killed in this attack. Another Israeli, a teenager, was stabbed and lightly injured near the Old City. APN strongly condemns these attacks, sends its condolences to the families of the Israelis who were killed, and wishes full recovery to those injured. 

Following these attacks, West Bank settlers went on a widespread rampage across the West Bank, further fanning the flames of violence and revenge. 

Americans for Peace Now (APN) strongly condemns the brutal murder of two Israelis, husband and wife, in a drive-by shooting attack in the West Bank today. The two were shot dead before their four children, who were in the car with them, and were lightly injured.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas today told the United Nations General Assembly that due to Israel’s violations of its agreements with the PLO, the Palestinian leadership does not see itself as beholden to those agreements.

APN today called on the Obama Administration to lead or co-lead action in the United Nations Security Council to resuscitate and re-accredit the two-state solution.  APN President and CEO Debra DeLee issued the following statement:

“As a pro-Israel, pro-peace organization, we are committed first and foremost to Israel’s security and its survival as a democracy and a state with a proud Jewish character – things that only a two-state peace agreement can deliver. Regrettably, for his entire career – including his three previous terms in office as Prime Minister of Israel – Benjamin Netanyahu has demonstrated by his own actions that rather than seeking Israeli-Palestinian or Israeli-Arab peace, he is wholly supportive of settlements and an expansionist ‘Greater Israel’ agenda. And, in the last Israeli election campaign, Netanyahu proudly touted his pro-settlement credentials and unabashedly vowed that no Palestinian state would be established while he is in office.

Barbara Green has been a volunteer for Americans for Peace Now for many years.   She lives in Washington, DC.      

 

"Kol ha-hatchalot kashot," as every Israeli school child learns, means "All beginnings are hard."  We know this to be true in our everyday lives but the Torah gives new meaning to the concept.  

            God  gave us the ultimate new beginning when he created the world, but within 3 short chapters the inhabitants of Paradise were expelled and in the next chapter we have the world's first fratricide. Before long God realizes He made a major mistake when His creation scheme included human beings.  He vows to end the entire enterprise.

Sunday night, September 27th, the Jewish holiday of Sukkot began. During the week-long holiday, Jews build a special kind of home to dwell in for the week, called a sukkah. The sukkah is a deliberately temporary house, which can have no more than one permanent wall, and whose roof must be open to the sky, covered only partially by natural materials such as branches. Over the course of the week, the Sukkah is supposed to be one’s home: to eat meals in, to celebrate, and even to sleep in.

This week, Alpher discusses whether there is even the possibility of progress regarding Syria at the UN; how to characterize Putin’s “take” on the region; how this approach contrasts with Obama’s; assuming Russia and the US do not join forces in Syria, what Russia’s military options are; where Israel is in this picture