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APN tells Senate: Demand that the Bayh-Risch letter be amended (or refuse to sign)

In Friday's /roundup.asp?rid=&cid=6460 (link has expired) 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 letter,  which is the top item on the "Take Action" page on the 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:

From: Lara Friedman

Sent: Monday, July 27, 2009 9:04 AM

Subject: APN to Senate: Bayh-Risch Letter Undermines Obama's Middle East peace efforts

Dear XXXX ,

Late last week a Dear Colleague from Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN) and James Risch (R-ID) began circulating in the Senate, related to the Obama Administration's efforts to promote Middle East peace.  APN urges members of the Senate to refrain from signing this letter unless/until it is amended to reflect the real steps needed to achieve peace that President Obama has asked Israel to take.

On its face, the letter seems to make a straightforward and reasonable demand for the Arab world to normalize relations with Israel.  As strong supporters of Israel who believe that Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab peace are critical to the viability and prosperity of the state of Israel, we would like to see this happen, and see a day when Israelis and Arabs can travel freely throughout the region and enjoy normal, good relations.

The subtext of the letter, however, directly contradicts and undermines the efforts of President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Special Middle East Envoy George Mitchell to promote Middle East peace.

President Obama, Secretary Clinton, and Special Envoy Mitchell are investing a huge amount of energy and political capital in trying to create a dynamic with Israel, the Palestinians and the Arab states, asking all to take tangible steps that can create confidence in the peace process and help build momentum toward Middle East peace.  This is a promising effort - one that holds out real hope for achieving Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab peace and, along with it, real normalization of Arab-Israeli relations.

  • They are pressing Arab states to demonstrate good faith by taking a range of steps toward normalization of relations with Israel, in the context of meaningful steps taken by Israel toward peace. This is an effort that Congress should support.
  • They are pressing the Palestinians to improve and expand on the positive actions already taken on security, to act forcefully against incitement, and to refrain from any action that would make meaningful negotiations less likely. This is an effort that Congress should support.
  • With respect to Israel, as everyone knows, they are pressing on one main issue: for Israel to stop settlement activity. This position is consistent with longstanding US policy and with promises Israel has made, repeatedly, to past US administrations. It is also consistent with Israel's own best interests: settlements represent an economic, political and security liability for Israel. Settlements also erode the confidence, even among Israel's friends and supporters, that Israel is truly interested in peace, and make the eventual resolution of the conflict more difficult and more costly for Israel to carry out. This effort to get Israel to stop settlement activity is something Congress should also support.

The Bayh/Risch letter conspicuously ignores Israel's continued refusal to stop settlement activity and its recent decision to "up the ante" by approving a highly controversial settlement project in the heart of a Palestinian neighborhood of East Jerusalem - a project that has been on hold for more than 20 years.

Indeed, the Bayh/Risch letter never once even mentions the word "settlements."

President Obama, Secretary Clinton, and Special Envoy Mitchell are right to be pressing Arab states to match positive Israeli steps with positive steps of their own, and it is right for Congress to echo this message.   But this letter sends a different message altogether:  that signers of the letter do not support President Obama in his efforts to achieve peace for Israel and bring security, stability, and normalcy to the region.  It sends a message that signers consider settlements more important than peace.

We look forward with longing to the day when there is real peace and full normalization of relations between Israel and the entire Arab world.  We strongly believe that the Obama Administration's approach offers the best opportunity to achieve this goal. 

We urge all Senators to support President Obama in his efforts, and to refrain from signing this unhelpful letter, unless and until it is amended to also reflect the real steps needed to achieve peace that President Obama has asked Israel to take.

Sincerely,

Lara Friedman

Director of Policy and Government Relations

Americans for Peace Now