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American Jews: July 2009 Archives

In Friday's Legislative Round-Up I highlighted a new letter being circulated in the Senate by Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN) and James Risch (R-ID).  The http://www.aipac.org/Publications/SourceMaterialsCongressionalAction/Bayh-Risch_Letter_on_Normalization.pdf (link has expired) letter,  which is the top item on the "Take Action" page on the http://www.aipac.org/694.asp#26653 (link has expired) AIPAC website, focuses exclusively on President Obama's call for Arab states to take steps to normalize relations with Israel, making no mention of the president's call for Israel to stop settlement activity (and implying that steps Israel has already taken - like removing some checkpoints and PM Netanyahu's belated support for the two-state solution - are sufficient demonstration of Israel's commitment to the peace process).

This morning, APN sent a message to every Senate office urging Senators to refrain from signing the letter unless and until it is amended to also reflect the real steps to achieve peace the President Obama has asked Israel to take.  Full text of the APN letter to the Senate after the jump.


Obama Means what he Says: New Op-Ed by Debra DeLee

BitterLemons-International today published this article by Debra DeLee, APN's President and CEO:

Obama means what he says
Debra DeLee

Israeli leaders say they're bewildered by the Obama administration's "obsession" with West Bank settlement growth. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was recently quoted asking/grumbling "what do they want from me?" His aides told reporters and American Jewish leaders that Washington's position on settlements is "childish", "stupid" and "delusional" and that the Obama team should "come to its senses."

Two new items regarding the "Museum of Tolerance" in Jerusalem

Two quick updates on the MOT project:  First, the latest (ridiculous) effort by the Simon Wiesenthal Center to justify the project.  And second, a promising new development in efforts to stop the project: Jewish-Muslim cooperation.

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