1. Bills, Resolutions & Letters
2. Hearings/Briefings
3. Members on the Record
4. From the Press/Blogs

I am the Chair of Americans for Peace Now in part because Israel is an important part of my Jewish identity and I feel the efforts of Americans for Peace Now offer hope for its survival, I want to tell you how you too can help APN achieve its goals and at the same time do something good for yourself and your loved ones.

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As Secretary of State John Kerry heads to the region in his ongoing efforts to re-launch Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations,  Americans for Peace Now (APN) today called on the country's top diplomat to hold on to his sense of urgency and persevere.

As Secretary of State John Kerry heads to the Middle East to continue pushing for Israeli-Palestinian peace, APN is reiterating its call on American Jews to heed Kerry's call and urge their community's leaders to unequivocally support Kerry's mission. In a speech that Secretary Kerry delivered earlier this month (you can read the full text of his speech here), he exhorted a large crowd of American Jewish community activists to "send a message ... that you are behind this hopeful vision of what can be. Let your leaders and your neighbors alike know that you understand this will be a tough process with tough decisions and that you are ready to back the leaders who make them."

1. Keep doing what you're doing.
2. Yes, you can.
3. Israeli-Palestinian peace is a vital U.S. national security interest.
4. Yes, the U.S. can "want it" more than the parties.
5. Hold on to your sense of urgency.

by Lara Friedman

Last week, friends forwarded me a mailing they had recently received from AIPAC. Included with the letter touting AIPAC's accomplishments and the expected call for donations was a map-style fold-out insert, headlined with the ominous message: "Israel Faces Increasing Threats." Under that headline, taking up more than half the page, is a photo of an Israeli policewoman shepherding to safety an Israeli woman who clearly has been the victim of a bombing attack.

This week, Alpher discusses the resignation of the newly appointed Palestinian Authority prime minister after two weeks, the strategic ramifications of the Netanyahu government's decision that Israel will channel more of its new natural gas resources to domestic use and less to export, why President Peres' ninetieth birthday shebang caused such a controversy in Israel, and what ex-Mossad head Meir Dagan meant when he called last week for Israel to exploit the current "unique opportunity to seek different alliances" and "reassert our presence in the Middle East."

1. Bills, Resolutions & Letters
2. Syria in the Spotlight
3. Hearings/Briefings
4. Members on the Record
5. From the Press/Blogs

by Lara Friedman

The Gaza Strip! IDF Girls Gone Wild! These are some of the nicknames for the recent scandal sparked by Facebook photos and video of semi-nude female IDF soldiers, striking poses and dancing on IDF bases and inside IDF facilities, in some cases carrying weapons and sporting (parts of) IDF uniforms. These stories seemed to be everywhere -- including at the Forward.

There is rare good news on the Iran front. Last Friday, Iran held elections for its next president - the person who would replace the infamous Mahmoud Ahmedinijad. Million of Iranians - more than 70% of Iran's 50 million registered voters - cast a ballot in this election, and they voted for Hassan Rouhani to be their next president. While these elections were by no standard fully free and fair, starting with the fact that Iran's ruling mullahs disqualified all but a handful of candidates, it is indisputable that something else is also clear: this election was an upset. The winner of these elections was not the candidate of choice of these same mullahs and, comparatively speaking, he is a political and ideological moderate who ran on pro-change, anti-extremism platform.

Today Alpher offers:

• An assessment of the Rowhani victory in Iran's presidential election.

• How the Rowhani victory will affect Israel.

• How it will affect Israel if the current trend continues and Bashar Assad, supported by Iran, Russia and Hezbollah, defeats the rebellion in Syria.

• Commentary on British documents purporting to show Israel selling arms to a strange list of buyers.

1. Bills, Resolutions & Letters
2. House Takes up FY14 NDAA - Middle East-related Amendments
3. Hearings/Briefings
4. Members on the Record
5. From the Press/Blogs

For years, APN and Peace Now have argued that our pro-peace, pro-two-state views are reflective of the majority of Israelis. Now, a new opinion poll officially released yesterday, by - of all sources - the "University" located in the West Bank settlement of Ariel - bolsters that argument. That poll, the fifth in a series conducted by the settler institution examining the attitudes of non-settler Israelis about settlements and the future of the West Bank, shows a sharp decline in Israeli public support for the settlement enterprise.

New construction in Judea and Samaria is now proceeding at the highest pace in seven years. If this continues, the Netanyahu-Lapid-Bennett government will put an end to the two-state solution, the Jewish democratic entity, and the Zionist dream.

by Ari Shavit

Few people paid attention to the news that during the first quarter of 2013, there were 865 housing starts in the settlements. That was a 176 percent increase over the parallel quarter last year and a 355 percent increase over the fourth quarter of 2012. Although settlers are only four out of every 100 Israelis, of every 100 housing starts this year, 8.5 were in the settlements. While in sovereign Israel the scope of new construction is slowing, new construction in Judea and Samaria is now proceeding at the highest pace in seven years.

The trend is clear: Within a short time the number of settlers will increase dramatically, as will their ability to block any attempt to divide the land. If it continues this way, the Netanyahu-Lapid-Bennett government will put an end to the two-state solution, the Jewish democratic entity, and the Zionist dream.

While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to insist that he is serious about peace and continues to call on the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table, the actions of his government send a message that fruitful negotiations, peace, and the two-state solution are not on his agenda. Indeed, these actions seem more in line with the views articulated by hardliners in Netanyahu's coalition who openly scorn the idea of any two-state solution.

Peace Now, together with millions of Israelis, is this week celebrating Book Week. Peace Now's contribution for the celebration is a set of bookmarks carrying quotes from leading Israeli authors talking about peace. Please save and share them with friends, or print them out and use them as your own bookmarks!

Congratulations to APN Board member Jo-Ann Mort and Lara Friedman, APN Policy and Government Relations Director, for their recognition by The Forward as, "9 Must-Read Female Pundits on the Middle East."

Washington, DC -Americans for Peace Now (APN) is alarmed by the huge increase in West Bank settlement construction, and joins its Israeli sister organization, Peace Now, in calling on the government of Israel to immediately stop settlement construction.

APN praises its Israeli sister organization, Shalom Achshav (Peace Now) for breaking the news about this sharp increase in settlement construction, based on official Israeli government data.

Alpher discusses what are the potential security consequences for Israel of the fighting in Syria reaching the UN-patrolled no-man's land between Israel and Syria and more UN forces leaving, whether Russia's President Putin's offer last week to send Russian forces to replace the Austrians who are departing UNDOF makes sense for Israel, what to make of IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz's announcement last week, during all the turmoil in Syria, that for budgetary reasons he is suspending reserve units' training this year, and whether Ethiopia's construction of a massive dam on the Blue Nile -alarming Egypt about being denied water- will result in the water wars predicted by King Hussein of Jordan decades ago.

Washington, DC -Americans for Peace Now (APN) is alarmed by the huge increase in West Bank settlement construction, and joins its Israeli sister organization, Peace Now, in calling on the government of Israel to immediately stop settlement construction.

APN praises its Israeli sister organization, Shalom Achshav (Peace Now) for breaking the news about this sharp increase in settlement construction, based on official Israeli government data.

1. Bills, Resolutions & Letters
2. HASC Marks Up FY14 NDAA; Summary of Mideast Provisions
3. Hearings/Briefings
4. Members on the Record
5. From the Press/Blogs

On June 6, 2013, APN hosted Israeli political psychologist Daniel Bar-Tal of Tel Aviv University for a briefing call on the impact of the West Bank occupation on Israeli society.

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Earlier this week, President Obama announced that Susan Rice, the current U.S. Ambassador to the UN, will be his new National Security Advisor. He also announced that he had picked Samantha Power, his longtime advisor, to replace Rice at the UN. For better or for worse, both appointments have an Israel angle.

Earlier this week, Secretary of State John Kerry delivered a powerful speech advocating Israeli-Palestinian peace (you can read the full text of his speech here). In his speech, he exhorted his audience of prominent American Jews to "send a message...that you are behind this hopeful vision of what can be. Let your leaders and your neighbors alike know that you understand this will be a tough process with tough decisions and that you are ready to back the leaders who make them."

Last week Palestinian President Abbas announced his choice for his new Prime Minister: Rami Hamdallah, presently the President of An-Najah University, in Nablus. Hamdallah is not a well-known figure outside of the West Bank, having played little if any public role in Palestinian politics until now. With that in mind, we offer the following resources for those seeking more information about this new player on the Palestinian Authority political scene, as well as for those looking for insight into why Hamdallah might have been chosen and what his selection could mean for the future of the PA.

Washington, DC - Americans for Peace Now (APN) mourns the death of Senator Frank Lautenberg.

APN's President and CEO Debra DeLee said: "It is with deep sadness that we mark the death of New Jersey's longtime Senator Frank Lautenberg. Senator Lautenberg was a strong advocate - both in the Senate and within the Jewish community - for Israeli-Palestinian peace and for U.S. leadership to achieve it. These positions were a natural extension of his abiding commitment to the U.S.-Israel relationship and of his deep concern for Israel's security and its future.

Today, as we mourn his death, we honor his life and his legacy."

PICTURE: Senator Lautenberg with Yitzhak Rabin

Americans for Peace Now (APN) today commended Secretary of  State John Kerry for his powerful speech advocating Israeli-Palestinian peace.

In an impassioned speech at the American Jewish Committee Global Forum in Washington DC on Monday, June 3rd, Secretary of State John Kerry called on American Jews to proactively and wholeheartedly support a two-state solution to Israel's conflict with the Palestinians. "You can help shape the future of this process," he said, and urged America's Jewish community to become "part of the great constituency for peace."

Following is the full text of his speech, as posted on the State Department's web site.

Americans for Peace Now (APN) mourns the death of Senator Frank Lautenberg. 

APN's President and CEO Debra DeLee said: "It is with deep sadness that we mark the death of New Jersey's longtime Senator Frank Lautenberg. Senator Lautenberg was a strong advocate - both in the Senate and within the Jewish community - for Israeli-Palestinian peace and for U.S. leadership to achieve it. These positions were a natural extension of his abiding commitment to the U.S.-Israel relationship and of his deep concern for Israel's security and its future. Today, as we mourn his death, we honor his life and his legacy."

Alpher discusses Rami Hamdallah's appointment as prime minister of the Palestinian Authority and what this tells us about Palestinian intentions, whether last week's series of Syrian threats against Israel and reports of Russian supplies of weapons means we are edging toward an Israeli-Syrian war, if the violent events in Turkey constitute a "Turkish spring" and whether this is a positive development from Israel's standpoint, and why the IDF does not conscript Arabs, observant Jewish women and, until now, ultra-orthodox yeshiva students, but throw in jail a conscientious objector like Natan Blanc.