Peace Process

On Sunday, September 18, 2011, Partners for Progressive Israel (Meretz USA) President Dina B. Charnin, Chair Theodore Bikel, and Executive Director Ron Skolnik issued the following statement on behalf of the organization:

The Palestinian decision to advance their statehood drive via the United Nations, and outside the framework of negotiations with Israel, is a diplomatic turning point that creates risks but also offers new openings for progress toward peace.  For the benefit of both the Jewish and Palestinian peoples, we urge the government of Israel to focus on the positive elements we expect to be contained in the Palestinian request, as outlined below, and to refrain from precipitous responses that would escalate tension and serve the agenda of both sides' extremists.

Until I read this morning's Israeli newspapers, I thought I was going to use this platform to discuss the flotilla and the fly-in protest.  After all, these two related campaigns have dominated the Israel-Palestine conversation for several weeks.  It's what everyone's talking about.

But as I clicked through to the various articles in today's Haaretz, I was disturbed to discover that, with all eyes glued to the Audacity of Hope, the Juliano Mer and the other flotilla vessels, Israel's government was busy promoting some rather dreadful measures that too few are paying to attention to.  So rather than write the thousand and first treatment of the Gaza situation (important issue though it is), I decided instead to discuss land expropriation, the ‘boycott bill', and an initiative to undermine the funding of Israeli human rights organizations.

Barack Obama extended his hand yesterday and pleaded with Binyamin Netanyahu to grab it in order to pull Israel to safety.  Before Israel goes over the cliff.  Before Israel becomes a pariah state.  Before Israel loses its remaining good will around the world and the few friends it still retains. 

As a proud partner in the 2nd national J Street conference, Meretz USA invites you to join us in Washington DC between February 26 and March 1 for this important assembly of the American Jewish pro-Israel/pro-peace camp.

When we first gathered under the J Street banner in October 2009, it was clearly a time of renewed, albeit cautious, hope.  There was a new activist pro-Israel/pro-peace president in the White House; Israel's Prime Minister had just declared his nominal commitment to a two-state solution; a moratorium on Israeli settlements was in the works; and, with the boundless energy provided by J Street, the pro-Israel/pro-peace camp in the US had reached unprecedented heights.

As we head back to DC, much has changed. 

On the surface, it's been a tough year for the peace camp (though, as you'll soon see, there's also some very good news to report!):

Buy Israel - Don't Buy Settlements (They're not the Same)

On February 15, 2011, Meretz USA President, Dr. Moises Salinas-Fleitman, and chair Theodore Bikel issued the following statement on behalf of the organization.

Based on our love of Israel, and our sincere, abiding and growing concern for the State of Israel's secure and democratic future, Meretz USA for Israeli Civil Rights and Peace, a longstanding affiliate of the American Zionist Movement, wishes to clarify our position regarding various manifestations of the boycott/divestment/sanctions (BDS) tactics being employed around the world, including in Israel itself.

This past week, Al Jazeera and The Guardian released on their websites a set of 1,684 confidential Palestinian Authority documents known as "The Palestine Papers".  These internal emails, minutes of meetings, maps, preparatory notes and other materials are a treasure-trove of political and diplomatic information regarding Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations between 1999 and 2010.

Although some of the more eye-catching documents have already been widely reported, there is much more to the Palestine Papers than just these attention-grabbing headlines.

As the UN Security Council deliberates on a resolution condemning Israeli settlement construction over the Green Line, we appeal to the Israeli government to act in the country’s best interest, in the interest of peace, and in the spirit of friendship with the US, and implement a complete, effective settlement freeze, unlimited in time and including the area of annexed East Jerusalem.