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APN Letter Sent to Capitol Hill re: Southern Israel/Gaza Crisis

APN encourages discussions in Washington that are happening in Israel on engaging Hamas for the purposes of a cease-fire

Go HERE to see examples of the Israeli debate on this issue

Go HERE to see APN's 3/3/08 Press Release which includes a statement on this issue


3/6/08

Dear xxxxx,

Earlier today the House voted to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 951, a resolution "condemning the ongoing Palestinian rocket attacks on Israeli civilians, and for other purposes." 

APN also condemns these attacks.  As noted in our March 3rd policy statement (which was also sent to you), APN and its Israeli sister organization, Peace Now, have repeatedly expressed solidarity with the residents of Israeli communities near Gaza, who have been suffering from a campaign of Qassam rockets attacks initiated shortly after the Israeli disengagement from Gaza in 2005.  Our statement went on to observe that "Any realistic, sustainable resolution to this crisis will require Israel and Hamas to engage, directly or indirectly, to achieve a ceasefire or hudna.  The only questions then are: how many more Israelis and Palestinians will die or be wounded in the interim; how much less international sympathy Israel will have when the ceasefire is being negotiated; how much bigger will the disaster on the ground be, both in Israel and Gaza, once a ceasefire is achieved; and how much damage will have been done to the credibility and viability of the peace process and the Israeli and Palestinian peace camps."

In Israel today there exists a robust discussion over the question of engaging Hamas and the desirability of reaching a ceasefire.  Certainly there is not unanimity on the issue, but rather a serious and open discussion with serious people weighing in on both sides.  Support for engagement and a ceasefire is clearly growing within the ranks of Israel's security hawks, including people like Ephraim Halevy and Giora Eiland.  Interestingly, according to polls conducted in the days just prior to the recent escalation, a clear majority of Israelis (64%)  supported talking to Hamas; in the context of a poll taken after the escalation, 73% expressed dissatisfaction with the Israeli government's handling of the situation, and 21% said they backed negotiations with Hamas.

It is unfortunate that a similar discussion is thus far not taking place in Washington, as it might help contribute an otherwise missing, and key, element to Congressional statements like H. Res. 951: a recognition that denunciations of terror and re-assertions of support for Israel, while certainly important, do nothing to shed light on a plausible way forward for Israelis and Palestinians.

Below I have included below examples of the Israeli debate on this issue [go HERE to see these items].  I hope the information is useful to you in understanding the complexities of the challenge facing Israel today.  Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about this issue, or about any other issue related to Israel and the quest for peace and security in the Middle East.

Sincerely,

Lara Friedman
Director of Policy and Government Relations
Americans for Peace Now