Responding to recent developments in Israel, including
comments by Knesset Member Michael Ben-Ari, who was caught on tape
inciting against Peace Now and other progressive Israeli organizations;
responding to news that the Israel Airports Authority was blocking Peace
Now's website at Ben Gurion Airport; and responding to the decision of
the Knesset to launch an investigation into funding of "left-wing"
groups in Israel, APN President and CEO Debra DeLee released the
following statement: "On behalf of the tens of thousands of people who support APN and who, through us, support Israel's Peace Now movement, I am outraged and sickened that an Israeli Knesset member has the gall to suggest that American Jews who support organizations like Peace Now are 'the greatest Israel haters' and to threaten that the Knesset will pass a law to 'eradicate this dangerous enemy.' Peace Now and the other organizations Ben-Ari is attacking are an essential component of Israeli democracy. Supporters of Peace Now and these groups are among Israel's truest friends.
"The fight is on for Israel's soul. Ben-Ari and others like him hate Peace Now and other progressive groups in Israel because they are fighting to end the occupation and achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace. Ben-Ari and his friends prefer occupation to democracy and prefer settlements to peace. They are abusing their powers as democratically-elected legislators to legislate away freedom. They believe they can strip the word 'democracy' in Israel of all meaning and erase Peace Now and the rest of Israeli civil society - explaining it away with hollow talking points about 'delegitimization,' 'transparency,' and 'defending Israel.'
"We, who care about Israel's character and future, will not sit idly by while these radicals initiate McCarthyistic witch hunts. The stakes are too high.
"Peace for Israel is possible. It requires a vibrant civil society, including an Israeli peace camp that is allowed to speak its mind. It requires that Peace Now and other watchdog groups be able to report from the West Bank free of government harassment. And it requires that Americans who believe in Israel and believe in peace stand up and be counted. We will not be silenced!"
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"others like him hate Peace Now and other progressive groups in Israel because they are fighting to end the occupation and achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace."
I don't "hate" PN. However, I believe your flawed narrative (ending "the occupation" will help achieve peace) will cause more death and suffering for both Israelis and Palestinians.
Your altruistic intentions are irrelevant. By accepting the false narratives that forward the goals of Israel's sworn enemies, you are harming Israel by helping to weaken Israel.
I feel sorry that you are so misguided in your opinions. I don't hate you but I am opposed to what you are doing. Your actions may ultimately be more destructive to Israel than the anti-Israel acts (BDS) other "progressive" groups engage in.
Perhaps you are doing this as well?
I find it hard to understand how "Scott" can maintain that dismantling the illegal "settlements" built on
land confiscated from the Palestinian
people can lead to death and suffering for Palestinians and Israelis. When I read eye-witness reports of how these so-called "settlements" are created and about the havoc they continue to wreak on Palestinian life,
I cannot see how they can continue in their
current form if peace is to come to land
of historic Palestine. It is, in fact, and outrage that the international community has
looked the other way over and over again while Israel flaunted international law and ignored
basic human rights.
Hey we thought you pinkos were all in favor of transparency and disclosure. Except with regard to the funding of the traitorous Far Left?
"Americans for Peace Now" are a bunch of Jews on their way out, embarrassed by Israel's existential struggle.
They are superficially informed on the conflict and swayed by the skillful deceptions of pro-Arab propaganda.
In reality in Arab/Jihadist eyes, the main obstacle to Peace is not this or that territory occupied by Israel (for defensive purposes), but the occupation of ALL of Israel itself!
Israel's existential struggle deeply embarrasses them within their pacifist left-liberal social/professional circles or college campuses. As a solution, in their hearts they wish the burdens of the Jewish nation-state fighting for survival against Jihadist genocidalism would rather fade away from their lives.
Such is the true meaning of their self-described "Peace" stand. In a zero-sum choice dictated by Arab rejectionism, between "Israel without Peace" and "Peace without Israel", they appear to opt for the latter.
PEACE NOW: SUICIDAL DELUSIONISM
AT BEST, CRIMINAL TREASON AT WORST!
Which Peace and with Whom???...
With Pan-Islamist Hamas, who is committed to Israel's destruction based on unbending Jihadist dogma?
Or with Pan-Arabist Fatah, who unbendingly aspires to same results in stages, and would anyway be overrun by Hamas soon after the Israeli military vacates the West Bank?
The Arab-Israel conflict is not about the occupation or non-occupation of the West Bank, Gaza or Golan Heights; it's about the occupation of ANY territory on which Israel stands!
Since its founding over 60 years ago, Israel has been defending itself against a genocidal Jihad waged by forces of Arab Imperialism that view
ALL of Israel as occupied territory.
If Israel were to return to pre-'67 boundaries, it would render itself instantly indefensible against such enemies. 80% of Israel's population centers would turn into target practice for Arab rockets and the country would become unliveable and unsustainable!
This is exactly the Arab plan and that's why they are pressing Israel to retreat from strategic territories - not for Peace, but in order to give
the Jewish national homeland the final blow!
In fact, by reducing the Jewish state to militarily indefensible borders, it is a necessary next step for the Arabs in order to advance from Phase II to Phase III in their 1974 Phased Plan for dismantling of Israel. http://www.acpr.org.il/resources/plophased.html
If Arabs really wanted Peace, they would not invent a separate Palestinian identity, while Jordan already covers nearly 80% of Mandatory Palestine and most Gaza Arabs are indistinguishable from Egypt's Sinai Bedouin.
They would instead pursue the only logical coexistential path:
A 3-state solution composed of Israel, Egypt, Jordan!
What does being "pro-peace" mean when both Fatah and Hamas are irrevocably committed to Israel's destruction - the former based on Pan-Arabist ideology, and the latter based on Islamist-Jihadist dogma?
Any concession further empowering these enemies will only make them bolder and more determined toward their goals.
In this light, Peace Now's capitulationist attitudes can only signify:
- Suicidal delusionism at best!
- Criminal treason at worst!!!
Remember Oslo? Arafat signed that Israel should keep control over area C - where all settlements are completely legally, and the necessary security zones. He kept control over A and B IF HE STOPPED ALL TERROR, all hate incitement, and more - still not done. If you gang want peace, first force Abbas to fulfill those promises!
In response to Dr Robinson's questions:
Step 1.
Read commment (above) by Marcus (PEACE NOW: SUICIDAL DELUSIONISM AT BEST, CRIMINAL TREASON AT WORST!)
Step 2.
Learn some histore about the nature of the conflict.
Step 3.
Think.
APN is composed of both Jews and Christians who are working for peace and justice for both Israelis and Palestinians. And our numbers are growing and the worls is becoming aware of the truth on the ground.