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A Message from Partners for Progressive Israel Chair, Theodore Bikel

editor — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 08:04:47 -0800

December 2011 / Kislev-Tevet 5772

Dear Friend,

My name is Theodore Bikel. I am a man of many hats. I am a singer and musician, a stage and screen actor, and an author. I am an activist for human rights and an advocate for the arts. I am a humanist, a proud Jew and an unabashed Zionist.

I am a wholehearted believer in Israel's right to exist as a national homeland for the Jewish people, and as a democracy for all its citizens. And precisely - davka - because of that, I am an equally adamant opponent of Israel's settlement policy and 44-year occupation of Palestinian territories.

I also wear the hat of Chair of Partners for Progressive Israel - known until recently as Meretz USA. And as we prepare to kindle the Hanukkah lights and then bid farewell to 2011, I am writing to urge you to renew your support for this special organization. (Your gift could also be doubled through our matching grant campaign - but more about that in a moment.)

I am affiliated with Partners for Progressive Israel (or "Partners" as we like to say) because it is the only Zionist organization in the US that is driven by an undiluted commitment to progressive principles and values

Partners for Progressive Israel (Meretz USA) Encouraged by Content of Palestinian Application for Full UN Membership

editor — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 07:55:23 -0700

On Monday, October 17, 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:

On September 23, 2011, Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, submitted an application for full membership in the United Nations for the State of Palestine. After carefully reviewing its text, Partners for Progressive Israel (Meretz USA) is encouraged to find that the Palestinian application contains four positive elements, which, if embraced by the government of Israel, could provide new momentum for the negotiating process. In our statement of September 18, we urged President Abbas to incorporate these elements in the Palestinian application to the UN, and we are pleased by their inclusion in the documents submitted.

We wish to highlight these positive elements, particularly in light of the unfortunate decision of many American Jewish organizations to characterize the Palestinian application as an attack on Israel and an effort to avoid a two-state resolution of the conflict:

Partners for Progressive Israel (Meretz USA) applauds deal to secure the release of Gilad Shalit

editor — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:15:21 -0700

On October 12, 2011, Partners for Progressive Israel (formerly Meretz USA) President Dina B. Charnin and Executive Director Ron Skolnik issued this statement on behalf of the organization:

Partners for Progressive Israel (formerly Meretz USA) applauds the Israeli government's approval of the deal that will secure the release of Gilad Shalit later this month, after five painful years in captivity. We now wait with baited breath for the deal's implementation.

Israel will clearly be paying a very high price, including the release of 279 Palestinian prisoners currently serving life sentences. The deal reminds us, however, that enormous compromises are often necessary in order to achieve worthy goals. In this light, we are particularly pleased by the actions of Prime Minister Netanyahu, who had long been opposed to the deal in principle, but who rose above this to do what was necessary and right.

Partners for Progressive Israel (Meretz USA) Statement on Palestinian Application for Full UN Membership

editor — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 06:49:15 -0700

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.

Report from Jill Slutzker, Meretz USA-Partners for Progressive Israel “Intern in Israel”

editor — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 07:51:11 -0700

In May 2011 I wrapped up my first year of graduate school during which I wrote at least four papers on different aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Being a student of International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution and Middle Eastern politics, I wanted to learn the ins and outs of the conflict- the long history of both sides, the successes and failures of past peace efforts, and the underlying human needs driving the conflict. I had grown up in a reform Jewish household but frankly one that did not engage much in talk of Israel. I was twenty-two when I first visited the country and, like so many people on their first trip to Israel, I finally understood why this place was so beautiful, so unique and so important to so many.

Boycott these Settlement products sold in the US

editor — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 07:28:22 -0700

Meretz USA is now - "Partners for Progressive Israel"

editor — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 07:27:34 -0700

We're very excited to share some big news. Meretz USA for Israeli Civil Rights and Peace has changed its name. Our new name is - "Partners for Progressive Israel". Our board of directors made this decision in June, and we're now in the middle of our implementation process. We've gone through the legal transition and will soon be rolling out our new logo and website. The Meretz USA website will be automatically redirected to the Partners for Progressive Israel website, once the latter goes live.