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.

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."

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.