"It is deeply troubling that Governor Romney, his advisors, and some of his key supporters are seeking to exploit Israel as a partisan issue to score political points in this election campaign.  This is a reckless and irresponsible tactic that comes at the expense of the best interests of both the U.S. and Israel.  

Today's New York Times features an op-ed by Dani Dayan, the head of the Yesha Council (the group that represents settlers and their interests). There isn't really any news here: it shouldn't surprise anyone that the settlers want the world to believe that settlements are good, peace efforts are pointless, and that the way forward should be premised on leaving all settlements in place, and leaving the West Bank under Israeli control, in perpetuity. Nonetheless, it is worth examining some representative snippets from this high profile op-ed.

APN's Lara Friedman recently returned from Istanbul, where she participated in a Hollings Center's dialogue on Foreign Policy and Competing Mediation in the Middle East and Central Asia. 

Tisha B'Av (the 9th of Av), which is observed beginning the evening of July 28th this year, is a fast day commemorating the destruction of both the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem.  It is considered the saddest day on the Jewish calendar.

(Pictured: Arch of Titus in Rome depicts Roman soldiers carrying the Menorah away from the Second Temple in the year 70)

It happens all the time. More than 10,000 Palestinian olive trees have been uprooted or vandalized in the West Bank in the past decade. No one is ever arrested.

"It's not about shame. It's about mutual responsibility... Segal says that American Jews are not obligated to call out injustice wherever they see it. But do the sages agree? The above passage suggests that Jews are obligated to rebuke, especially other Jews, whenever they see evil done, regardless of who is doing it."

Boaz Okon, a former Israeli Magistrate and District Court judge and currently the legal commentator of the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, today published an important analysis of the Levy Committee report. The report, Okon writes, is more likely to impact the political and public discourse on settlements than the realm of Israeli jurisprudence. But on an issue that is influenced more by politicians than it is by the Court, such influence is very important too.

Here is Okon's article, as translated by Israel News Today:

Free Territories with Occupied Residents

By Boaz Okon

Yedioth Ahronoth, 11 July, 2012

Judge Edmond Levi's report about legalizing the outposts will not be able to legalize Israel's actions in the territories. The demand for the freedom of millions of Palestinians cannot be stopped by legal reports. In the end, the report will be shelved and its central contribution will be an increase in the cynicism and suspicion toward judges. In this respect it supplies us with an opportunity to recognize the limitations of our legal system.

Is it 1984?

It seems to be. George Orwell gave us, in his book by that name, the term "Doublethink," in which "war is peace, freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength." The Levy Committee - an Israeli government Committee- with a straight face expects us to believe that occupation can be erased simply by defining it out of existence. But no one does believe it.

Reject Doublethink! Tell Ambassador Oren that Israel's future rests on rejecting the Levy Committee report.

Americans for Peace Now Intern featured in Times of Israel

Late last week the Times of Israel showcased an inspiring program that Americans for Peace Now and the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) have been jointly sponsoring for the third year running.

Despite the depressing news from the region, we at APN are not losing hope and are working every day to build a better future for Israel - a future of peace with her neighbors, a future free of the occupation, and a future based on two states for two peoples. We are making a difference, particularly with young people. Our joint program with ATFP attracts tremendous interest. Two years ago, the Washington Post featured it in a prominent article. The program serves to further demonstrate that Israelis and Palestinians - and their friends overseas - have a solid political agenda: A solution of peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians, each people in its own independent state.

APN's daily news review from Israel

Tuesday July 10, 2012

Quote of the day:

"How can this report, which is supposed to reflect the current situation, fail to represent the situation that has been upheld by the High Court of Justice for the past 45 years?"
--Adv. Talia Sasson, who prepared the 2005 report on settlements, reacts to Judge Edmund Levy's 2012 report that says Israel is not an occupier and outposts are legal.**

Washington, DC - Americans for Peace Now (APN) today joined its Israeli sister organization, Peace Now (Shalom Achshav) in calling on the government of Israel to repudiate the findings of the commission it appointed to address the problem of illegal outposts in the West Bank. APN calls on other US Jewish groups that support the two-state solution to raise their voices in opposition to this report.

(Pictured: Committee Chairman Levy presents report to Prime Minister Netanyahu superimposed over APN's Settlement Map)

Washington, DC - Americans for Peace Now (APN) joins the people of Israel in mourning the death of Yitzhak Shamir, Israel's seventh prime minister, who died Saturday at the age of 96.

APN's president and CEO Debra DeLee said: "Prime Minister Shamir was a patriot who cared deeply about his country's security and wellbeing. We did not agree with his hardline policies on peace with the Palestinians and with Israel's neighboring Arab states, but we recognized Mr. Shamir's dedication to his country and his people and his deep sense of responsibility for Israel's security. We send our deepest condolences to the Shamir family and to the people of Israel."