"It's not the anti-Israel propaganda and it's not the BDS campaign. There is no need to give them an honor they don't deserve. It's the Israeli government."

Ben-Dror Yemimi, veteran Israeli columnist, in YNET: Israel losing public opinion support in US. A recent poll found that a 47% plurality of the American public would be in favor of imposing economic sanctions on Israel for the ongoing construction in the settlements.

Yossi Alpher is an independent security analyst. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

December 12, 2016 - Syria

Q. Aleppo in northern Syria is falling to the Assad regime and its allies from Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. What are the ramifications for Israel and the region?

A. ...This development has far-reaching ramifications for the Middle East region including Israel...

Q. So that ends the war...

A. Not at all...

Q. What will happen to Assad’s Russian, Iranian and Hezbollah allies as his regime regains control?

A. ...One way or another, they are in Syria to stay...

Q. Lebanon too is part of Iran’s hegemonic design?

A. ...Lebanon just elected a pro-Syria, pro-Hezbollah president, Michel Aoun...

Q. You mentioned Turkey and the Kurds. What sort of Turkey is emerging from recent years’ revolution in neighboring Syria and recent months’ abortive revolution in Turkey itself?

A. President Erdogan’s “Neo-Ottoman” strategy of eliminating all conflicts and friction along Turkey’s borders is in tatters...

Q. What sort of regime can we now expect to develop in Syria?

A. Here it is important to understand the nature of the Assad regime. Think of it as a mafia gang...

Q. Where does all this leave Israel?

A. ...the more he (Netanyahu) drags Israel toward the self-inflicted disaster of a messianic one-state apartheid-like reality with the Palestinians, the more he succeeds in enhancing Israel’s relations with its Sunni Arab neighbors...

Q. How does it contribute to enhanced Israeli-Sunni Arab relations?

A. Israel and its Sunni Arab neighbors share concern regarding all the militant Islamists in Syria...

Q. How does Syria affect the Palestinian situation?

A. The chaos in Syria has for several years dictated a wait-and-see, keep-your-powder-dry attitude on the part of both Hamas and the PLO...

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TODAY at 3:00 pm (Eastern) - Briefing Call with Senator George Mitchell and Alon Sachar

 

Senator George Mitchell, President Obama's Special Envoy to the Middle East in 2009, and Alon Sachar, who served with Senator Mitchell among several other positions connected to Israel and peace negotiations, will discuss their newly released book A Path to Peace: A Brief History of Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations and a Way Forward in the Middle East. The book has been described as providing "a practical roadmap for bringing peace to this complicated, troubled region."

Thursday, December 15, 3:00pm (Eastern Time)

To participate, phone 951-797-1058 and enter code 147414

Go HERE for more on the briefing call speakers.

Israel's settlement "Legalization Bill": What it is and what it means

If passed, the "Legalization Bill" will retroactively legalize settlement contstruction in the West Bank, which a State Department spokesman has said "would be a dramatic advancement of the settlement enterprise...already greatly endangering the prospects for a two-state solution."

The New Government Agreement on the Amona Illegal Outpost

According to media reports, the Israeli government has decided to relocate settlers from the Amona Illegal Outpost to adjacent West Bank land, contrary to previous Israeli court legal opinions.

"Count us Out"

Given the choice of partner (Azerbaijan) and the choice of venue (Trump International Hotel), APN lodged its objections and chose to forego last night's Hanukkah Party of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish American Organizations.

APN to Trump Team: Avoid inflammatory statements on Jerusalem

We urge President-elect Trump to avoid destabilizing moves and statements pertaining to moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, one of the most politically, religiously and culturally sensitive places on earth.

Fania Oz-Salzberger: "For Argument's Sake"

Historian Fania Oz-Salzberger is the author of "Jews and Words" with her father Amos Oz, the renowned Israeli author and a founder of Peace Now. In a special letter for Americans for Peace Now, Oz-Salzberger reflects on her Jewish and Zionist legacies, and her belief in their future crowning achievement: a peaceful and democratic Israel.