This week, Alpher discusses whether, in the wake of the mass demonstration in Tel Aviv marking the twentieth anniversary of the murder of Yitzhak Rabin and his assassin’s brother “celebrating” the occasion by suggesting that God remove President Rivlin and his associates from the world, Israel has learned anything from Rabin’s death; if diplomatic negotiations in Vienna regarding an agreed solution for Syria have any meaning, given Russian bombing in southern Syria near the Israeli border, Iran sending more and more troops to Syria, the US sending 50 commandos, and Israel reportedly still intercepting Syrian arms shipments to Hezbollah; a "compare and contrast" of US and Russian military behavior in Syria; how Russian military involvement affects Israel’s decision-making regarding Syria; and potential factors for change there in addition to the Russian and Iranian military presence in Syria and the new US token deployment;

  Dr. Gail Weigl, APN volunteer and a professor of art history, reviewed Dan Ephron's new book on Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination, published on the 20th anniversary of the murder that changed Israel. 

Dan Ephron, Killing A King: The Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and the Remaking of Israel (New York and London, 2015), 257 pages.  $27.95

A heartbreaking chronicle of the circumstances leading to and following from the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Killing A King is a brilliant and comprehensive analysis of the quest for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and of the ultra-Orthodox opposition to that quest. While the subtitle, The Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and the Remaking of Israel, might sound grandiose to some, Ephron in fact convincingly proves the case that Rabin’s assassination catalyzed the remaking of an Israel increasingly dominated today by right-wing political and religious extremists. In his telling, even-handed though he may be, they are the primary if not the only villains of the piece.

Lara Friedman op-ed: Time for a New Israel-Palestine Peacemaking Paradigm (Huffington Post, 10/29/2015)

Ori Nir op-ed: What Yitzhak Rabin left behind (Boston Globe, 10/27/2015)

APN founder Mark Rosenblum gives sober speech in Toronto (Times of Israel blog, 10/29/2015)

Peace Now's Oppenheimer commenting on impact of Rabin's assassination on Israel's peace camp (New York Jewish Week, 10/28/2015)

Thousands take part in Peace Now rally (JTA, 10/26/2015)

Thousands call for peace talks at Peace Now's Tel Aviv rally (Haaretz, 10/24/2015)

Thousands turn out to march in Peace Now's protest rally (Times of Israel, 10/24/2015)

Thousands of Israelis take part in Peace Now march (Xinhua, 10/25/2015)

Thousands of Israelis participate in Peace Now march (AFP, 10/24/2015)

APN's weekly congressional report provides details on House move condemning Palestinian incitement (JTA, 10/23/2015)

Washington, DC -- On the 20th anniversary of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination, Americans for Peace Now (APN) is joining four other progressive American Jewish organizations to take joint action to honor Rabin’s legacy of peace, security, political pragmatism, democracy, and tolerance.

The groups, Americans for Peace Now, Ameinu, J Street, the New Israel Fund and T’ruah, are today issuing a joint statement vowing to continue on Rabin’s path, to help provide Israelis and Palestinians with hope for the security, freedom and dignity that they so deeply desire and deserve.

In memoriam of the 20th anniversary of the assassination, we believe that uniting progressive Americans in a solemn demand for a peaceful and democratic Israel has never been more necessary.

Please join us for a briefing call on Wednesday, November 4th, at 3:00 PM (Eastern Time) with the leaders of APN, the New Israel Fund, J Street, Ameinu and T’ruah. The call, on the anniversary of the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, will bring together the five organizations to help unite uniting progressive Americans in a solemn demand for a peaceful and democratic Israel has never been more necessary.

The call will bring together Daniel Sokatch, the CEO of the News Israel Fund, Jeremy Ben-Ami, the President of J Street, Rabbi Jill Jacobs, the Executive Director of T’ruah, and Debra DeLee, the President and CEO of Americans for Peace Now.

The call will be moderated by JJ Goldberg of the Forward.

To join the call, RSVP here, and you will receive a call-in number with an individual pin.

Left-wing demonstrators demand Netanyahu’s resignation, say restoring security requires ‘a diplomatic solution’

Thousands of left-wing Israelis turned out in Tel Aviv on Saturday night for a rally condemning the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for what they called its poor response to the current security situation. They demanded Netanyahu resign, and said security could not be restored without negotiations with the Palestinians on a permanent accord.

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On the 20^th anniversary of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination, Americans for Peace Now is joining four other progressive American Jewish organizations to take joint action to honor Rabin’s legacy of peace, security, political pragmatism, democracy, and tolerance. The five groups, Americans for Peace Now, Ameinu, J Street, the New Israel Fund and Truah, are today jointly issuing the following statement. The heads of the five organizations will discuss the statement, their collaboration and other related issues on a conference call next Wednesday, November 4^th, the yahrzeit of Rabin’s assassination. Further joint action will follow and be announced next Wednesday.