Yes, Hamas is a terrorist organization, but simply asserting that fact is not a policy.

'Tis the season. The season when members of Congress are lobbied hard to support positions presented to them as the epitome of "pro-Israel" - but that in fact are anything but.

By YAAKOV KATZ
05/18/2011

Proposal drafted following Itamar terror attack would cost NIS 1 billion over coming year; Peace Now says plan is proof PM not interested in real peace.

Peace Now Secretary-General Yariv Oppenheimer slammed the approval of a hearing on Har Homa construction.

"The prime minister is sacrificing relations with the US for the benefit of his loyalty to settlers and rightists in Jerusalem. This is not just miserable timing, but a miserable policy which endangers Israel's status in the world," he said. (Ronen Medzini)

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4071079,00.html

APN Spokesman Ori Nir was interviewed as part of the program "Expert Q&A: Prospects for Israeli-Palestinian peace"

Read the transcript.

5/19/11

Op-ed: Radical leftists, rightists both hurting two-state vision; Israel's mainstream must unite

Yariv Oppenheimer is the Secretary General of Peace Now

Jerusalem Post: "PM pledges to work with Obama to renew peace talks"

Jewish Journal: "Americans for Peace Now to AIPAC: Support Obama's Two-State Push"

JTA: "From praise to anger, Jewish response to Obama's speech runs the gamut"

Arab News: "Palestine should have '67 border, says Obama"

Jewish Journal: "Obama's Middle East speech draws ire and support"

Although the approval was granted at the end of April, it was first publicized in the last few days - including by Peace Now on Sunday - as part of an overall report on settlement activity.

According to Peace Now, that 390 included: 200 in Modi'in Illit, 100 in Ariel, 40 in Ma'aleh Adumim and 50 in Kfar Eldad.

"...history will show that the most pro-Israel U.S. president was not the one who provided the most weapons to Israel and vetoed the most UN Security Council resolutions, but the one who brought peace, and with it, real security, to Israel, and independence to the Palestinian people."

Americans for Peace Now seems to think it could be a game changer, and is concerned that Obama will miss a big opportunity if he ignores the issue in his upcoming address.

"The time has come for the President to grab the bull by the horns and take dramatic action..." Debra DeLee, APN's president, said today in a statement.

by ADAM KREDO

APN is referred to in the following:

NY Jewish Week: "Political Insider / Mitchell quitting; what took so long?" by James Besser

The Nation: "George Mitchell Quits as ME Envoy" by Robert Dreyfuss

Jerusalem Post: "US Mideast envoy Mitchell quits after 2 years" by Hilary Leila Krieger