APN fully supports America's investment in Israel and the Middle East via Foreign Aid, which serves to:

- help Israel maintain its vital strategic military edge;
- promote democracy and reform;
- preserve strategically crucial U.S. military relationships, cooperative arrangements, and access routes;
- sustain the historic Israel-Egypt peace agreement;
- bolster America's allies and Israel's partners in peace, and contribute to the stability of Israel's neighbors;
- mobilize aid from governments in the region and around the world; and
- demonstrate America's concern for the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people and America's commitment to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

This aid protects and promotes key U.S. interests, including:
- keeping Israel strong and secure;
- stopping the spread of violent religious extremism;
- stabilizing Iraq and protecting U.S. forces there;
- blocking the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction;
- supporting democratization in the region;
- mobilizing European support for U.S. policies; and
- preventing the destabilization of international oil markets.

APN is requesting that Congress:

• support U.S. aid to Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon;
• support U.S. aid to the Palestinians via non-governmental organizations, and - with proper safeguards in place - via the Palestinian Authority;
• if asked, consider appropriate additional aid for Israel and the Palestinians to assist with the disengagement plan; and
• resist efforts to unilaterally alter Egypt's aid program, recalling that this program was:

".part of an agreement for peace between Israel and
Egypt. That peace has given Israel a level of security that no amount of assistance could pay for. .If we really care about Israel's security, we should be building up incentives for maintaining peace, not tearing them down." (Former Assistant Secretary of State and former Ambassador to Israel Edward S. Walker, 3/6/02)