Speaking from Jerusalem, where she is taking part in an APN leadership fact-finding trip to Israel, APN President and CEO Debra DeLee commented: "We very much hope that this announcement signifies the start of a new chapter in the decades-long effort to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  But nobody should have any illusions: negotiations -- direct or indirect -- are not and never have been the goal.  The goal is an agreement that will resolve all the final status issues: settlements, refugees, security, and Jerusalem, and end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  Achieving such an agreement will be difficult under the best of circumstances.  This current effort will bear fruit only if both Israel and the Palestinians enter into it seriously and in good faith, and if the United States is patient, tough and resolute in its role as broker." 

DeLee added:  "This means that Israel cannot on one hand enter negotiations while on the other hand pursuing settlement policies -- in the West Bank and Jerusalem -- that signal it is not serious about resolving all the final status issues through negotiations.  Likewise, it means that the Palestinians cannot on one hand enter negotiations while on the other hand taking public positions that indicate a lack of seriousness.   And it means the US cannot lose focus and stand on the sidelines when things get hard.  The US role must include 'heavy lifting' -- meaning real pressure on the parties to get serious about negotiations and meaning, sooner rather than later, the laying down of clear US principles on the key final status issues."

An APN leadership delegation met today with Israel's deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon. In the coming days the delegation will meet with other senior Israeli and Palestinian officials and policy experts to hear more about the expected resumption of the political process and to encourage both sides to talk in earnest.

APN is America's leading Jewish organization advocating for Israeli-Palestinian peace.