As the entire world now knows, yesterday an Israeli planning committee approved Plan 13261, Mordot Gilo - South (aka "Gilo Slopes") - a plan for large-scale settlement construction in East Jerusalem, adjacent to the settlement of Gilo (map, courtesy of Daniel Seidemann). "This is new and different," (APN's Ori) Nir remarked in a brief interview after the debate. "There weren't any screams and shouts."
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Pro-Israel literature in hand, George Washington University student Stanley
Gonzalez-Martinez soaks up the atmosphere at the "Talk Israel" tent that was
erected last week on the quad at GWU.
by Richard Greenberg
Senior writer
Peace Now secretary-general Yariv Oppenheimer said that if the defense
establishment decides to ask the courts for an extension, it will be playing
into the hands of the people behind the price-tag attacks.
By YAAKOV KATZ
Watch highlights of speakers from the Thursday, September 22 rally expressing support of Israeli and international recognition of the Palestinian state, held opposite the building where the independence of Israel was proclaimed in 1948.
Among participants and speakers at the events were Yael Dayan (pictured), Alon Li'el, Amos Oz, Yoran Kanyuk, David Tartakover, Yehuda Bauer, Galia Golan and others.
Go HERE to watch the Israel Social TV video.
Lawmakers Falling Over One Another to Prove Pro-Israel Credentials
By Nathan Guttman
Washington -- A congressional drive to punish the Palestinian Authority for its statehood bid by cutting American aid is being greeted with enthusiasm by lawmakers of both parties.
But the White House is giving the move a cold shoulder, and even Israel itself and its strongest supporters have serious reservations.
Despite months of hype, the UN vote will in all likelihood disappoint; the American embrace of Israel is more a matter of President Obama's domestic considerations than any newfound love for Prime Minister Netanyahu.
By Barak Ravid and Natasha Mozgovaya
By MELANIE LIDMAN
27/09/2011
Project to build units in J'lem neighborhood over Green Line has been slammed by left-wing groups Ir Amim and Peace Now.
Are you discouraged about how far away Mideast peace seems to be?
Lawmakers Falling Over One Another to Prove Pro-Israel Credentials
By Nathan Guttman
Washington -- A congressional drive to punish the Palestinian Authority for its statehood bid by cutting American aid is being greeted with enthusiasm by lawmakers of both parties.
Yossi Alpher is an internationally renowned consultant and writer on Israel-related security issues. He served as an intelligence officer in the Israel Defense Forces, a senior officer in the Mossad, Israel's national intelligence agency, and as director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University. Prior to and during the Oslo peace process, Alpher coordinated several track II dialogues between Israelis and Arabs. He served as Special Adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak during the Camp David talks in July 2000.
Alpher serves on the executive committee of the Israeli Council for Peace and Security, and is coeditor, together with Ghassan Khatib, currently head of the Palestinian Authority Media Center, of the bitterlemons family of internet publications, dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and broader Middle East issues. Alpher writes "Hard Questions, Tough Answers", a weekly Q&A for Americans for Peace Now.
Ha'aretz: "U.S. Jews give Obama mixed reviews for 'pro-Israel' UN speech"
JTA: "Obama's U.N. speech--another 'get real' moment"
"Regrettably, the president's words offered very little in the way of hope to Israelis and Palestinians," Americans for Peace Now said.
Tablet: "Disappointment is the Byword of the Left"
(APN) spokesperson Ori Nir told me: "There was nothing substantial that he offered the Palestinians to keep them from pursuing their U.N. action."
Lara Friedman is Director of Policy and Government Relations at Americans for Peace Now
Israeli diplomats, AIPAC, and other groups on the American Jewish and Christian right are learning a tough lesson today: Be careful what you tell Congress to do on Israel, because it might come back to bite you.
Washington, DC - Americans for Peace Now (APN) reacted with disappointment to President Obama's speech today at the United Nations General Assembly. APN President and CEO Debra DeLee commented:
Read a story of reconciliation from David Harris Gershon, a writer whose recent work has appeared in The Jerusalem Post, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Colorado Review and elsewhere. His memoir, Shrapnel, is currently making the rounds. He received his MFA from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington.
Americans for Peace Now is proud that Mr. Gershon is an APN "Person for Peace", where you can follow his tweets and blog posts.
What kind of UN recognition are the Palestinians seeking? What are they expecting to achieve? Are they aware of the possible repercussion? To answer these questions, APN hosted a briefing call with Ambassador Riyad Mansour, the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations. Ambassador Mansour took questions from APN Board members and major supporters. To listen to a recording of the call, click here. NEW YORK (JTA) -- U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice briefed a dozen American Jewish leaders on the American efforts to avert the Palestinian bid for statehood in the U.N.
(The article indicates that APN Chairman Martin Bresler was reported present.)
What kind of UN recognition are the Palestinians seeking? What are they expecting to achieve? Are they aware of the possible repercussion? To answer these questions, APN hosted a briefing call with Ambassador Riyad Mansour, the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations. Ambassador Mansour took questions from APN Board members and major supporters.
APN provides links to items related to the Palestinians' statehood efforts at the United Nations.Posted by Jack Silverman
Contrary to popular belief, not all Zionists oppose the creation of a Palestinian state. In fact, many ardent supporters of Israel believe that a two-state solution is the only way to secure Israel's future.
Tonight at 7 p.m., Congregation Ohabai Shalom (aka "The Temple"), hosts Martin I. Bresler, chair of Americans for Peace Now, a Zionist organization that advocates for a two-state solution. The Temple is at 5015 Harding Road. The event is free and open to the public.
"Kiryat Arba is a symbol of racism. Artists and performers have no business there," said Peace Now Secretary-General Yariv Oppenheimer.
by Akiva Novick
Ha'aretz: "Shin Bet: Israel's extreme rightists organizing into terror groups"
YNET: "Price tag: Peace Now activist's entryway vandalized"
Jerusalem Post: "Activist's home vandalized in latest 'price tag' attack"
(full article in this post)
Israel's Peace Now movement today again became the target of the Israel's extreme right intimidation campaign.
Early this morning, the director of Peace Now's Settlements Watch project was awakened by neighbors who told her that the door to her apartment, as well as the apartment building's walkway, have been vandalized. Black graffiti sprayed on the door and the walkway read: "Revenge," "Death," "Peace Now - the End is Near," and "Price Tag."
Washington, DC - In the context of the approaching start of the United Nations General Assembly session, APN President and CEO Debra DeLee today issued the following statement:
Washington, D.C. - Americans for Peace Now (APN) today announced a new round of updates for its groundbreaking Facts on the Ground map app.
Mann, a graduate student who participated in a Birthright trip to Israel, interned with APN from January to August 2011, and on his last day spoke with APN's Ori Nir, Lara Friedman, and Stacey Frank about his rich experience. (Mann also wrote the essay "From Birthright to APN")
Hagit Ofran of Peace Now slammed the municipality for "continuing to ignore the courts' orders, and enabling this illegal and provocative settlement in Silwan, which constitutes a point of daily friction and a heavy security burden upon Jerusalem police.
"This by itself is enough to justify the eviction of the settlers," she told AFP.
1 September 2011
Hagit Ofran of Peace Now attacked the CBS report as inaccurate and said her organization was compiling contrary data.
"According to a ground survey that Peace Now is currently conducting in the settlements, construction is much higher than what was reported in the CBS," Ofran said.
By TOVAH LAZAROFF
09/02/2011
Continue Reading
JURIST Guest Columnist Shlomy Zachary of the Michael Sfard Law Offices in Israel says that the recent Israeli Supreme Court ruling ordering the demolition of the Migron outpost in the West Bank was an obvious one under Israeli and international law and was necessary to uphold the rule of law...
By Tovah Lazaroff 
Windows of mosque in Qusra smashed and graffiti sprayed in Hebrew following demolition of outpost homes in Migron
by Harriet Sherwood in Jerusalem
Alpher answers questions about US efforts to renew Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and the impact of Turkey's downgrade of relations with Israel.
