A key resolution on Israel and the peace process is now before the UN Security Council. The resolution embraces negotiations, endorses the two-state solution, and condemns Israeli settlement activity.We need your help to make sure that the Obama administration doesn't veto the resolution.
Write to Susan Rice, America's ambassador to the United Nations and a long-time friend and adviser to President Barack Obama.
The resolution is an important opportunity for the Obama administration
to prove that America will not stand on the sidelines while the Israeli
government continues to build settlements, thereby undermining the
prospects for progress towards peace, fanning the flames of conflict,
and laying the seeds for Israel's destruction as a Jewish state and as a
democracy.
President Obama is under heavy pressure to veto the resolution by those who want to shelter Israel from criticism at the UN. But we cannot afford to be short-sighted on this issue. An American veto might give Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a political boost, but it would be blind to what Israel really needs: A peace process that can end the occupation and provide lasting security.
Write Ambassador Rice. Tell her America should not veto this resolution.
The Netanyahu government, heedless of the damage settlement activity does to Israel's own interests and indifferent to the Obama Administration's peace efforts, has not only refused to halt settlement activity but has opened the floodgates, including in very sensitive parts of East Jerusalem.
It is not too late for the Israeli government to change course and to stop backing settlement activity. Such a change is needed to ensure Israel's security and viability as a Jewish state and as a democracy. Passage of this resolution can help Israel's leaders and public grasp this fundamental truth.
For Obama to cave and to veto this resolution would run counter to four decades of U.S. policy on settlements. It would also contribute to the dangerously naive view that Israeli settlement policies do no lasting harm to Israel.
Your letter, today, can help keep our president strong.
Israel is at a crossroads. One path leads to a deepening of the occupation and to perpetual conflict. The other path leads to a two-state solution that can bring security to both Israelis and Palestinians. Our joint efforts can change history.
President Obama is under heavy pressure to veto the resolution by those who want to shelter Israel from criticism at the UN. But we cannot afford to be short-sighted on this issue. An American veto might give Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a political boost, but it would be blind to what Israel really needs: A peace process that can end the occupation and provide lasting security.
Write Ambassador Rice. Tell her America should not veto this resolution.
The Netanyahu government, heedless of the damage settlement activity does to Israel's own interests and indifferent to the Obama Administration's peace efforts, has not only refused to halt settlement activity but has opened the floodgates, including in very sensitive parts of East Jerusalem.
It is not too late for the Israeli government to change course and to stop backing settlement activity. Such a change is needed to ensure Israel's security and viability as a Jewish state and as a democracy. Passage of this resolution can help Israel's leaders and public grasp this fundamental truth.
For Obama to cave and to veto this resolution would run counter to four decades of U.S. policy on settlements. It would also contribute to the dangerously naive view that Israeli settlement policies do no lasting harm to Israel.
Your letter, today, can help keep our president strong.
Israel is at a crossroads. One path leads to a deepening of the occupation and to perpetual conflict. The other path leads to a two-state solution that can bring security to both Israelis and Palestinians. Our joint efforts can change history.
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Conflict in the Mid East has created unrest around the world. Most nations support the land for peace regime encompassed by UN 242. UN 242 has no chance of success while Israel continues to annex land set aside by UN partition for a Palestinian state.
For real distress read Michael Palumbo; "The Palestinian Catastrophe;" Faber & Faber; London; 1987. The names and dates have changed, but it's identical to Lebanon, Gaza, and before. Ethnic cleansing and extermination are and always have been official, Zionist policy.
Imagine what Norman Finkelstein, Ilan Pappe et al. have learned to add since 1987.
Hello Ms. Suzan Rice
Mr. Obama stood firm in the past against illegal settlements in the Palestinian occupied territories and considered them obstacle in the way of peace. God forbids if the US and the Obama administration vetoes a resolutions against these illegal sttlements, the credibility of the US will be at stake, and Netanyahu will take advantage of the weakness of Mr. President and our country, and peace in the Middle East will never be achieved as Mr. Obama promised. Those who exert pressure on our beloved president put their own interests before the interest of our country. These people are more affiliated with Israel than with the US. God bless America and our President.
A veto by President Obama will probably be the bwginning of the end for Israel as a democatic country! Please don't let this occur!
US policy on Israel is dictated not just by right wing Israelis, but by a very large block of American Christians, whose interest in the region is totally "religious", and neither practical nor humane. They want conflict there, because it follows the current interpretations of “prophecy”. (Q- Is it still prophecy when you try and force a predicted war to happen?)
They don't want peace. They only want themselves. Let them eat the turds of their own making.
The Bible tells us that God promised land to Isreal and no one is to try or support the division of this land. I DONOT!!! support resolution. Supporting it, then you take the chance on a greater anger.
The UN Resolution on Israeli settlements should not be vetoed by the US. We are a country of democracy, these settlements are illegal, against international law and gross violations of human rights Support the UN resolution!!!!
Stop enabling Israel to commit genocide.
@ Don Gillespie - If God promised that land to Israel, why is he having such a hard time keeping His word? And what happened to the promise between the time of Roman occupation and 1946? Ws God untrustworthy? Was he on vacation?
It's this kind of religion indoctrination, without an ounce of sprituality, that has enabled Israel and the UN leadership to conduct it's evil on the Palestinian people. Israel and the UN (and all of their supporters) rely upon this kind of fantasy and lack of reality in order to maintain their disorder in the region, further justifying UN intervention throughout the region, and increased militarization by fascist israel.
My advice is to take your blinders off. Stop following the letter of the law and look for some inner spirituality. I like to go by the phrase "whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me". In this case, the Palestinians are the least.
Do you really think this mickey mouse president of the USA will do the right thing? He hasn't done a right thing since taking office what would make him start now? I pray that he does the right thing and does not veto this....but do not be surprised when he does as he usually does....STUPID.
We need to stop donating money to those nations that hate the USA via "Foreign Aid." Israel keeps to itself until the terrorists from Lebanon and Palestine lob bombs into Israel. When Israel retaliates they are looked at as being the bad guys. Who are these people?
I support Palestinian sovereignty, the right of return, peace, and all human rights specifically because im a Jew. US Jews who are questioning, if you can understand that the US is waging an illegal war on Iraq and Afghanistan, then you can understand that Israel's government can also be wrong. A secure homeland cannot be founded on bloodshed. Focus on the human rights and dont let racism and historical trauma trip you up. Its freedom for everyone or freedom for noone.
What side will History Judge us to be?,we were a bit late in imposing sanction against South Africa,and History Judge us for it.
Not too much to ask for if we are truly demanding the same from Israel.
The means is leading to no end! There is no end to war and the means of building settlements is not facilitating peace! We are locked in death dance of power and honor but this does not benefit the children!
Settlements area thorn in the side of peace and the possibility for a healthy future in Israel and Palestine!
Please do not veto the Resolution against Settlements. the Israeli Gov't needs to hear loud and clear that continued provocation in the form of settlements is not a means or way to pave a path for peace!
Lisa Kaplan
Tel Aviv Israel, San Francisco, CA
Ambassador Rice: I, along with many others who are signing this letter, urge you, as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, and President Obama's friend and emissary, please don't veto this Resolution. Current events in the Middle East show us just how volatile this area is. Each of the countries which is conducting massive protests is different and separate, but they do have commonalities. They all want the freedom of self determination. Let's at least not make things more difficult for them, and the Palestinians, by our continued support of those who refuse to allow them this.
Don, Israel is no longer "God's People." They lost that status long ago.
With our population closing in on seven billion, we need to remember that human rights must apply EQUALLY to ALL OF US.
As human beings, we will always be in trouble if we say, "God is on my side or God told me this or that. And what He told me is, that you're wrong and I'm right." God is bigger than any one religion and since we can't seem to agree on what God said. We need to see what we can agree on. And I believe there are some things we hold in common. We all bleed, we all have pain, we all get hungry, we all want a better life for our children, we all want a better future for the people we love. Why don't we work on the things we can agree on and STOP being selfish and greedy and insane. You know, the Muslims and the Christians have been killing each other for over 1,000 years. Don't you think that is long enough? I do!
The old saying "You are judged by the company you keep" rings true not just for people but for organizations. I read some of these comments by those readers who support APN and I see no difference in the comments from such anti-Israel web sites such as "End the Occupation". The same hyperbole and misrepresentations. "Ethnic Cleansing" , "Extermination" , "illegal occupation" ... I particularly loved the comment by the rev suggesting Americans who are in favor of the veto are un-American. Wow. I thought those types of comments came out of the warped minds of right wingers!
Suggesting that the US should not have vetoed the UN resolution demonstrates either gross ignorance or intentional malevolence. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt ... you must be idiots.
I've said it before. You need to modify your name to Americans for Peace Now* (*War later) because your proposals ignore reality and can only lead to a greater catastrophe in the immediate future.
Shalom
Peace Now led duped US Jews in advocating "Oslo Peace Process" since 1992. Result of their efforts became clear in Sept.2000 when "Oslo Peace" turned into "Oslo War", reminiscent of Munich Pact of 1938. Sellout of Israel & appeasement of pan-arab nationalism & islamo-fascism was a major factor for 9/11. More, in 2000-2005, over 1000 israelis were murdered & over 10,000 wounded by arab "peace partners". And did Peace Now took responsibility for it failed schemes & helped victims of arab terror it instigated???
There is no such thing as "palestinians". Properly, they are "spearhead of arab nationalism". Arabs never developed any culture/arts/literature in Israel, never had any significant industry (except bombmaking), never erected a single significant structure. Most "palestinian" arabs came 1880s-1940s to escape hunger & get wages from Zionists. In 1948, 1967 they went back to home countries. They want a state? They've got 1: it's Kingdom of Jordan. The only way to real peace is to compensate arab people from Israel to move there. Peace will come when arab nationalists/jihadists will stop plotting takover/riots/bloodshed & move over to do honest labor & develop culture of their own in Jordan & other arab states. Peace = kaput of sand-nazism!
JIM BOLLING IS CORRECT IN HIS COMMENTS THAT THERE ARE NO 'PALESTINIANS' PER SE. ALL WE EVER SEE ARABS DOING IS DESTROYING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE PUT EFFORT INTO BUILDING; WHAT IS THEIR 'CULTURE'? WHERE ARE THEIR CREDENTIALS. KING HUSSAIN OF JORDAN WANTED RID OF THEM BECAUSE OF THE TROUBLE AND UNREST THEY CAUSE WHEREVER THEY GO. THEIR MINDSET IS SUCH THAT NO ONE CAN LIVE IN PEACE WITH THEM - THEY DON'T WANT PEACE. THE AXIS OF EVIL IS REARING ITS UGLY HEAD ONCE AGAIN - HAMAS, PA AND FATAH HAVE SIGNED A TREATY THAT BODES ILL FOR ISRAEL. I GUESSED THAT ONCE MUBARAK HAD LEFT IT WOULD NOT BE LONG BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. IF ISRAEL WANTS PEACE IT HAD BETTER PREPARE FOR WAR! I HOPE OBAMA DOES VETO THE UN SETTLEMENTS RESOLUTION. THE U.N IS A PAPER TIGER AND IS COMPLETELY USELESS.