Security expenses for settlers living in Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem went up in the new budget, reaching NIS 3,160 per settler.

By Akiva Eldar

Go HERE for all installments of APN's "They Say, We Say"

They say: The Arabs' conflict with Israel has nothing to do with territory. It is all about the Arabs' hatred toward Jews. In other words, what fuels this conflict is anti-Semitism. Plain and simple. Trying to make peace with anti-Semites is futile. It will never work.

"Despite a clear court ruling requiring the house to be evacuated and sealed, (Jerusalem) Mayor Barkat has no intention of quarreling with those who helped him be elected as mayor--even if this means the systematic trampling of the rule of law."

Following the Ma'ariv op ed is a link to Ha'aretz: "Jerusalem mayor holds off eviction of settlers from East Jerusalem home"

Several programs of interest in the L.A. area will will help kick-off 2011:

Wednesday, January 5, 8:15 am Breakfast Briefing and Discussion with Americans for Peace Now's founder Professor Mark Rosenblum

Tuesday, January 25, 5-7 pm - "Is There an Arab-Israeli "Peace Process?" A Public Talk by Galia Golan

See more information.

A new generation of Israeli and Palestinian children is growing up in the midst of conflict, trapped by the occupation, ensnared by the fear of violence. It is not a conflict of their making, but it will play a huge role in their lives.

A peace agreement can change the course of their lives. Contribute now to help make that change possible.

APN and Peace Now work to make that peace a reality: We press for tough American leadership. We support honest reporting from the West Bank about the challenges that settlements pose. We mobilize tens of thousands of Israelis and Americans to demand progress.

Israeli West Bank settlement construction is booming three months after Israel ended its building freeze, possibly upsetting future peace talks, (Peace Now) said.

An additional 13,000 units have been approved...by contrast, in each of the last three years only 3,000 housing units were built.

See excerpts and links to:

Jewish Week: "Construction Without Consensus"
UPI: "Israeli construction booms in West Bank"
JTA: "Settlement building rises sharply following freeze"
YNET: "Since end of freeze: 13,000 homes approved"
AFP: "Israeli settlers building 100 illegal homes"
Jerusalem Post Frontlines: "Is settlement growth booming?"

Last Sunday I was deeply sorrowed by the fact that only 100 Israelis could take part in the historic meeting that was organized by the Geneva Initiative movement in the mukataa in Ramallah. Had it been up to me, all of Israel's citizens would have gone and seen, with their own eyes, the dramatic change that has taken place in Palestinian society.

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Go HERE to listen to Yariv share his impressions from the meeting.
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By HILARY LEILA KRIEGER

The new House Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman says she is determined to 'show Israel that we are strongly in its corner.'

Included are quotes from APN's Ori Nir, such as: "Thanks to Congress, America's aid program to the Palestinians is probably the most conditioned, restricted and audited aid program in the world."

By ROBERT MACKEY

As my colleague Ethan Bronner reports, Israelis are divided over a West Bank settlement construction boom.

Are you coming with APN to Israel this winter as part of APN's Israel Study Tour? If so, this is the place to check for information about the trip. We'll be updating it regularly as we get more information.

As always, if you have a question or feedback, please contact Barbara Green at israeltour@peacenow.org or 202-641-8685.

Israel's Peace Now movement is putting the squeeze on the Labor Party over its continued support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. By being part of a government that only pretends to pursue peace with the Palestinians, the Labor Party legitimizes Netanyahu's intransigent policies.