Published in Ha'aretz

The Settlers' Billionaire Backer, an investigative documentary by BBC News Arabic, revolves around the discovery that Russian oligarch, Roman Abramovich, granted Israeli citizenship in 2018, controls companies that have donated $100 million to Elad, an Israeli settler organization that operates in occupied East Jerusalem. 

Thursday, October 8, 2020

Update: this action, now closed, ran in October 2020. 

On October 1, both the Senate and the House of Representatives introduced resolutions (S. Res. 745 / H. Res. 1173) honoring the life, legacy, and example of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin on the 25th anniversary of his assassination.

Urge your Senators and Representatives to cosponsor the resolutions.

As I demonstrate against Netanyahu, black banner and Israel flag in hand . . .

Early Saturday evening. I stand at a busy junction not far from my house. I wave a flag of Israel and a black banner. With me are around 25 neighbors. We are strangers to one another, having been drawn togetheer solely by the drive to protest against Prime Minister Netanyahu--Bibi.

Because we are all spaced two or more meters apart and all wearing masks and waving flags, and because tides of approving drivers honk as they go by, and because we are not exactly old friends, we broadly avoid conversation while we demonstrate against Bibi. So I have the time and opportunity to think. Indeed, to think in depth, insofar as I’m one of those Jews who searches their soul every day rather than specifically on Yom Kippur.

The first and inevitable thought that crosses my mind as I stand in silence is, what good is this doing? I and tens of thousands of fellow Israelis line up at more than 300 traffic junctions and bridges spanning superhighways across Israel, demonstrating week after week. The younger and more adventuresome demonstrate in huge numbers outside PM Netanyahu’s residences. We are constantly growing, our numbers swelled by the apprehensions Netanyahu has instilled in us.

We are sorry to hear that Rep. Ocasio-Cortez will no longer be speaking at our Oct. 20th Yitzhak Rabin memorial. Her participation would have added to the event. We are certain that the event will be a success and invite the public to register and attend. 

Rafi Nets-Zehngut’s new book (currently in Hebrew only) focuses on the collective memory among Israeli Jews of the question of the Palestinian exodus from Palestine during the 1948 war, the war that Israeli Jews refer to as the War of Independence and that the Palestinians refer to as the Naqba, the catastrophe.

One of his most intriguing and surprising findings is that the biased “official” Zionist narrative regarding this experience has been challenged in Israel and then lost its grounding much earlier than one may think.

How did this happen? Why is it important? How may it impact efforts to advance peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians?

Dr. Nets-Zehngut addresses these questions and others in this episode of PeaceCast.

LISTEN

A BBC News investigation has disclosed that Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, who was granted Israeli citizenship in 2018, controls companies that have donated $100 million to Elad, the East Jerusalem settlers' organization. 

For years, Elad has worked to "Judaize" Palestinian areas of East Jerusalem, such as Silwan, causing disruption to the Palestinian residents, and in some cases, the eviction of families from their homes. 

WATCH this important report, which includes both information provided to the BBC by Peace Now and comments from Hagit Ofran, Peace Now Settlement Watch director.

I'm happy to see Hadar Susskind leading Americans for Peace Now not only because of his experience, management, skills and expertise but because he embodies the best of our movement's next generation.

Please read Hadar's letter, which follows. I was so moved by it, I increased my donation over last year's.

As we welcome a New Year and all the change we hope it brings, join me in contributing with your tax-deductible donation today​.

Shana Tovah U'metukah,

Letty Cottin Pogrebin
APN Board Member and past Chair of the Board

WASHINGTON (JTA) — I’ve been asked why a pro-Israel Jewish peace organization like mine is not enthusiastically celebrating the signing of a peace deal between Israel and two important Arab states. 

We do welcome the agreement that Israel will sign here Tuesday with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. In and of itself, the trend of Israel’s normalizing relations with Arab states is a positive development. 

But this is not happening in a vacuum. It’s happening at a time that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under multiple indictments for corruption and bribery, at a time when tens of thousands are gathering in protest around the nation and calling for his removal. And most important, it’s happening at a time when his government continues to entrench the occupation and undermine even the hope of a two-state solution. 

Normalization with the UAE and Bahrain is great for the venture capitalists who will benefit from it, but does nothing to remedy Israel’s existential problem: its conflict with the Palestinians and the occupation that does so much damage.

I’m sure that Tuesday’s White House ceremony will provide a beautiful photo op, but I’m not eager to take part in festivities that are intended to paper over the real threat to Israel’s national security by celebrating a “peace deal” with countries that Israel was not at war with, as Israel fails to contain even the immediate threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.