Ameinu, Americans for Peace Now, Habonim Dror North America, Hashomer Hatzair, The Jewish Labor Committee, J Street, The New Israel Fund, Partners for Progressive Israel, Reconstructing Judaism, and T’ruah Join Together To Support Progressive Vision For Israel

Today, ten leading organizations representing Americans who are committed to pursuing democracy, equality and peace in Israel announced the launch of the Progressive Israel Network. The new coalition will provide a strong, unified voice in support of its members’ common goals: democracy and equal rights, religious freedom and pluralism, and a two-state solution that would secure a peaceful future for Israel and end the 52-year-long occupation.

The Network will weigh in on the significant challenges that face Israel and the US-Israel relationship. It will coordinate campaigns designed to mobilize the majority of American Jews who share its progressive values and goals, support the work of Israeli progressives, and urge the US government to adopt policies that further Israeli-Palestinian peace. The Network will fight against US and Israeli policies that promote annexation, entrench occupation and undermine liberal democracy in Israel.

With Israel heading into another round of contentious elections and the Trump administration advancing a dangerous so-called peace initiative in the region, the Network will cooperate closely to defend the core principles of democracy and diplomacy. The Network will also run a joint list for the upcoming elections to the 38th World Zionist Congress, because the time has come for our institutions to reflect our values.

The network’s founding members are Ameinu, Americans for Peace Now, Habonim Dror North America, Hashomer Hatzair, The Jewish Labor Committee, J Street, The New Israel Fund, Partners for Progressive Israel, Reconstructing Judaism, and T’ruah. The organizations have chosen this moment to launch because of the extreme peril that far-right leaders and parties pose to the fundamental values on which the State of Israel was founded and that American Jews hold most dear.

In its Statement of Principles, the Network writes, “Our values and commitments make us proudly progressive and proudly pro-Israel and speak for the majority of Jews around the world.” These values are deeply rooted in the spirit of the Israeli Declaration of Independence, which enshrines the Israeli government’s sacred duty to provide “complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants.”

The full Statement of Principles is below.

This group of organizations has worked together for a number of years on an ad hoc basis. Some of its joint work includes a post-election message to President Donald Trump demanding that he reject anti-Semitism and all forms of discrimination; a letter denouncing Israel’s Nation State Law sent to twelve members of the Israeli opposition; a pledge for American Jews to ask Knesset members who voted for this discriminatory and undemocratic law why they voted for it; and a letter to the American Jewish community affirming that the racist Kahanist party does not belong in Knesset and asking other Jewish community leaders to do the same.

Americans for Peace Now (APN) strongly rejects statements by US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman indicating support for Israeli annexation of parts of the West Bank which he says Israel “has the right to retain.” APN calls on President Trump to oppose annexation. We renew our call for Trump to fire Friedman, and urge fellow American Jewish organizations to join this effort. 

Americans for Peace Now (APN) welcomes congressional resolutions affirming the commitment of the United States to an Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution, and urges legislators to support them.

Americans for Peace Now (APN) welcomes the ceasefire reached between Israel and Hamas, while recognizing that it will provide only a lull between flareups. Security and stability for Israelis and Palestinians depend on a political settlement for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

APN strongly condemns the barrage of some 700 rockets launched by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad from the Gaza Strip at civilian communities in southern Israel. We stand with our Israeli brothers and sisters.

Americans for Peace Now (APN) mourns the passing of Franklin Fisher z"l, who was twice the chair of its Board of Directors (1985-1989; 2006-2009) and a leading advocate for Jewish and progressive causes in the United States and in Israel.

Alarmed by Prime Minister Netanyahu's repeated statements of intent to annex Israeli West Bank settlements if elected for another term, Americans for Peace Now calls on all stakeholders to unequivocally reject Netanyahu's pledge and underscore its disastrous repercussions.

Americans for Peace Now (APN) joins its Israeli sister organization Shalom Achshav (Peace Now) in asserting that by vowing to annex the settlements, Netanyahu is threatening Israel's future as a democracy and a Jewish state. West Bank annexation will severely threaten Israel's national security. It is also a detrimental to US national security interests. 

Washington, DC  - Americans for Peace Now (APN) strongly condemns the launch of a rocket from the Gaza Strip at central Israel. The rocket hit a house in Moshav Mishmeret, near Kfar Sava, injuring seven people, including two infants, and destroying a home. We wish them a fast and full recovery.

Americans for Peace Now (APN) strongly condemns President Trump’s Twitter declaration that “it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel’s Sovereignty over the Golan Heights.” We resolutely oppose a change in US policy – consistent across consecutive administrations, Republican and Democratic – that would recognize Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights.

Such a revolutionary policy shift would hurt prospects for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and harm Israel’s chances for peace with Arab states. This step, as a result, would negatively impact Israel’s national security. It would also severely harm America’s moral standing and national security interests.

We deeply regret and are disappointed by a comment made on Wednesday by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn), who was quoted as saying: “I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is okay to push for allegiance to a foreign country.” 

Americans for Peace Now (APN) calls on the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) to condemn Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his alliance with a racist ultra-nationalist Israeli party, and to disinvite him from its annual policy conference.

In response to the firestorm that has erupted over Prime Minister Netanyahu’s brokering a deal designed to bring Kahanists into the Knesset, AIPAC on Friday issued a tepid statement. It called the Otzma Yehudit (“Jewish Power”) party “racist and reprehensible.” It failed, however, to say a word about the Prime Minister, who has aligned himself with this Kahanist party and is working to bring it into government.

On Saturday, the very next day, AIPAC announced it was “honored” that Benjamin Netanyahu will speak at its policy conference next month, just days before Israel’s general elections.