As I demonstrate against Netanyahu, black banner and Israel flag in hand . . .

Early Saturday evening. I stand at a busy junction not far from my house. I wave a flag of Israel and a black banner. With me are around 25 neighbors. We are strangers to one another, having been drawn togetheer solely by the drive to protest against Prime Minister Netanyahu--Bibi.

Because we are all spaced two or more meters apart and all wearing masks and waving flags, and because tides of approving drivers honk as they go by, and because we are not exactly old friends, we broadly avoid conversation while we demonstrate against Bibi. So I have the time and opportunity to think. Indeed, to think in depth, insofar as I’m one of those Jews who searches their soul every day rather than specifically on Yom Kippur.

The first and inevitable thought that crosses my mind as I stand in silence is, what good is this doing? I and tens of thousands of fellow Israelis line up at more than 300 traffic junctions and bridges spanning superhighways across Israel, demonstrating week after week. The younger and more adventuresome demonstrate in huge numbers outside PM Netanyahu’s residences. We are constantly growing, our numbers swelled by the apprehensions Netanyahu has instilled in us.

We are sorry to hear that Rep. Ocasio-Cortez will no longer be speaking at our Oct. 20th Yitzhak Rabin memorial. Her participation would have added to the event. We are certain that the event will be a success and invite the public to register and attend. 

1. Bills, Resolutions & Letters
2. Hearings & Markups
3. On the Record

Produced by the Foundation for Middle East Peace in cooperation with Americans for Peace Now, where the Legislative Round-Up was conceived. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

APN's daily news review from Israel - Thursday September 24, 2020

 Quote of the day:

"...(Haaretz Editor-in-Chief) Aluf Benn is wrong when he calls the left-wing criticism of the accords (with the UAE and Bahrain) 'achingly pathetic.' Israel’s control of the territories and its inhabitants and ending the conflict with them are not just the litmus test by which the accords that Israel has signed must be judged – it is the heart of the matter. Benn knows full well that despite the accords, tomorrow a Palestinian will stand humiliated at a checkpoint and when the next Jewish holiday comes around we’ll impose a closure on our neighbors."
--Executive Director of Breaking the Silence, Avner Gvaryahu, writes in an incisive Op-Ed today.*

APN's daily news review from Israel - Wednesday September 23, 2020

Quote of the day:

We are honoring "an American Supreme Court justice, a Jew, a champion of human rights in general and of women's rights specifically. An inspiring, brave woman."
--Elad Tesler, a member of Kibbutz Ramat Hashofet (Kibbutz of the Judge Highlands), explained how kibbutz residents were honoring former Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: by changing the kibbutz name to 'Kibbutz Ramat Hashofetet, meaning (Kibbutz of the female Judge of the Highlands).*

Rafi Nets-Zehngut’s new book (currently in Hebrew only) focuses on the collective memory among Israeli Jews of the question of the Palestinian exodus from Palestine during the 1948 war, the war that Israeli Jews refer to as the War of Independence and that the Palestinians refer to as the Naqba, the catastrophe.

One of his most intriguing and surprising findings is that the biased “official” Zionist narrative regarding this experience has been challenged in Israel and then lost its grounding much earlier than one may think.

How did this happen? Why is it important? How may it impact efforts to advance peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians?

Dr. Nets-Zehngut addresses these questions and others in this episode of PeaceCast.

LISTEN

A BBC News investigation has disclosed that Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, who was granted Israeli citizenship in 2018, controls companies that have donated $100 million to Elad, the East Jerusalem settlers' organization. 

For years, Elad has worked to "Judaize" Palestinian areas of East Jerusalem, such as Silwan, causing disruption to the Palestinian residents, and in some cases, the eviction of families from their homes. 

WATCH this important report, which includes both information provided to the BBC by Peace Now and comments from Hagit Ofran, Peace Now Settlement Watch director.