Meretz USA President Larry Lerner was recently interviewed by the New Jersey Jewish News. He relates his impressions following his visit to Israel and Palestine in the framework of Meretz USA's Israel Symposium. Read the interview.

Reflections on the Political Year Gone By

With the Jewish Year 5767 ending at sundown this evening, this News Review directs its focus to the twelve months gone by so that we can remember (and perhaps learn from) the events of the year past.

All of us at Meretz USA – Officers, Board, and Staff – send you heartfelt greetings for this New Year. May the New Year bring you health and happiness and may it bring us all – our brothers and sisters in Israel and throughout the world, and our cousins in Palestine and everywhere – peace, shalom, salaam.

Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement, was created as an armed Islamic movement in 1988 with the expressed goal of the destruction of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic state in all of Palestine. In January 2006, Hamas won the majority of votes in the popular election (This victory was largely due to a general disdain for Fatah’s corruption and an appreciation for Hamas’ social services), giving it control of the Palestinian legislature. Since then, the government has faced sanctions from the international community because of its refusal to recognize Israel, to abide by past agreements, or to renounce violence. The PalestinianTerritories are economically falling apart, and, more recently, there has been street fighting between Fatah and Hamas.

12/22/05

Yossi Beilin: Hamas' growing strength is the bitter fruit yielded by the policies of the Sharon government, which took pains to destroy the infrastructure of the Palestinian Authority over the past five years.

Beilin called on the government to begin to work together with the Palestinian Authority immediately in order to bolster the moderate forces instead of wringing its hands in the face of HAMAS' growing strength.

He said that no empty US Congress resolution will help but rather action on the part of Israel. "The resumption of contacts with Abu-Mazen, cooperation in the security sphere, the release of prisoners, removal of unnecessary checkpoints, and the evacuation of illegal outposts – these are the things that will strengthen the pragmatic Palestinian camp."

06/26/07

The article appeared, in slightly amended form, in the June 26 edition of New York Resident magazine.

Israel and Palestine Need Negotiations, not Machinations

By Ron Skolnik

Once again, confusion reigns supreme in the Middle East. Last week, in a military offensive in the Palestinian Gaza Strip that seemed to surprise everyone, but should have surprised no one, the forces of the fundamentalist Hamas party overpowered the troops of Fatah, Hamas’ long-time rival for power.

02/09/07

New York, NY…. Meretz USA President Larry Lerner called the announcement of the Mecca Accord reached today by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader, Khaled Mash’al, establishing a Palestinian unity government, “a potential step forward upon which all sides must build if progress toward ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is to be resumed.”