Volume 11, Issue 13

1.  Bills and Resolutions 
2.  Houses Passes IRPSA (Despite Oversight Committee Hearing) 
3.  Senate Holds Off on IRPSA (for Now) 
4.  Statements on IRPSA (excerpts) 
5.  APN on Iran-South Africa Comparison in IRPSA Debate 

Alpher answers questions on last week's arson at a West Bank mosque and the Knesset's decision to mandate a popular referendum on territorial concessions to  Syria.

1.  Bills and Resolutions 
2.  FY10 ForOps Passes 
3.  Iran, Iran, and more Iran 
4.  Two House Letters on Gaza Situation 

Yesterday marked the two week anniversary (weekiversary?) of the announcement of Israel's settlement moratorium.  Lo those many days ago, when the moratorium was first announced, we welcomed it and expressed our hope that "this Israeli decision, backed by good faith, will be sufficient to catalyze new Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. Such negotiations are the only real path for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict...implemented properly, this moratorium could serve the cause of peace."

Despite what some critics say, it is far too early to judge whether the moratorium is a success or failure in serving the cause of peace.  However, it is not too soon for an honest examination of what the moratorium has achieved thus far and the challenges to it that have already arisen.  And it is not too soon to start keeping a balance sheet, given that how the moratorium fares - and is perceived as faring - in these early weeks and days is critical to the credibility of everything the Obama Administration has done thus far and to its efforts going forward.

So let's get to the balance sheet.

Volume 11, Issue 12

Alpher answers questions about perceived stagnation in the Gilad Shalit negotiations, the announcement of a settlement freeze, and the Swiss referendum on banning the building of new minarets.

1.  Bills and Resolutions 
2.  IRPSA on the House Agenda 
3.  Ros-Lehtinen (and Sherman) Bravely Defend Israel Aid... from ZERO threat 
4.  Lebanon/Iran Dear Colleague