Dear Friend of APN,

On this day in 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated at the age of 46. Anyone who is old enough to remember can still tell you exactly where they were when they heard the news. I wasn’t born yet, and still, the echo of both President Kennedy’s leadership and his death are such that, 61 years later, I sit here writing about it.

On this day 2014, Tamir Rice was assassinated at the age of 12. We never got the chance to see what Tamir would do in his adult life. We never got to hear his speeches or feel his leadership.

I started my message to you today with this because both of these tragic moments are powerful reminders of national pain, but also of our collective need for community and for action. In challenging times, and these clearly are challenging times, I immediately look for two things. Who are my people, and what can we do?

November 21, 2024- Yesterday evening, the Senate voted on three Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRD) that would block the sale of certain weapons to Israel, including systems such as Joint Direct Attack Munitions and 120mm tank rounds, both of which have been used in ways that are contrary to US law.

For the very first time, 19 Senators voted for conditioning our military aid to Israel to ensure that it is only used in ways that align with our policies and our values. Americans for Peace Now was proud to support these important resolutions and is grateful to the sponsors, Senators Sanders, Welch, Merkley, and Schatz for their leadership and to the additional Senators who voted in favor of them last night.

Americans for Peace Now’s Director of Government Relations, Madeleine Cereghino, said: “The weapons in question are responsible for extensive civilian casualties including strikes on schools, hospitals and refugee camps. With a groundbreaking number of Senators opposing these arms sales, last night’s vote sent a clear message of disapproval regarding Israel’s conduct in Gaza. This is a matter of our values. The US cannot credibly champion peace and human rights while sending Israel the weapons they are using to perpetuate the war in Gaza in violation of US and international law.”

Recording of our November 20, 2024 webinar with Yonatan Mizrachi from Shalom Achshav's Settlement Watch team. This webinar was co-produced with our colleagues at Shalom Achshav, Canadian Friends of Peace Now, and La Paix Maintenant. The conversation was anchored by Hadar Susskind.

Yonatan Mizrachi, a leading expert from the Settlement Watch team, presented new insights from Shalom Achshav's latest annual report, "War and Annexation: How the Israeli Government Changed the West Bank During the First Year of War."

In the wake of a year-long war in Gaza and nearly two years under a far-right, pro-settler government, the Israeli government's agenda in the occupied West Bank is clearer than ever: to advance annexation policies and further reduce Palestinian presence in Area C.

Last week, despite the abundance of evidence to the contrary, the Biden Administration refused to hold the Netanyahu government accountable by declaring them in violation of US foreign assistance laws, and declined to halt the transfer of offensive weapons. Now, just a week later, the Senate will vote on a series of bills to block the sale of certain offensive weapons to Israel.

With over 43,000 Palestinians killed, 102,000 injured, and the humanitarian crisis worsening daily, the United States must respect our own laws and end our role in fueling this war. Contact your senators today and urge them to support the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval introduced by Senators Bernie Sanders (VT), Peter Welch (VT), Jeff Merkley (OR), and Brian Schatz (HI).

November 18, 2024- Americans for Peace Now welcomes the Biden Administration’s announcement of new sanctions on extremist West Bank settlement organizations and settlers.

The sanctions on the largest West Bank Settlement organization, Amana and its subsidiary, Binyanei Bar Amana Ltd, are long overdue. Amana has played a significant role in facilitating the establishment of illegal outposts and driving Palestinians from their land.

Yossi Alpher is an independent security analyst. He is the former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, a former senior official with the Mossad, and a former IDF intelligence officer. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent APN's views and policy positions.

November 12, 2024- Americans for Peace Now President and CEO Hadar Susskind said: The priority of the United States vis-a-vis Israel right now should be to secure a ceasefire and ensure the release of hostages. Security experts in Israel and the United States agree that can only come about through diplomatic measures.

Right now, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening by the day. The Biden administration’s 30-day period for Israel to increase humanitarian aid access is nearly over, yet Israel has not met its obligations. Reports from the UN warn that famine, starvation, and preventable deaths are becoming an everyday reality for countless people in northern Gaza.

We cannot stand by and let this crisis continue without response.

November 11, 2024- As we near the end of the 30 day period for Israel to significantly increase humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza on Wednesday, it is clear that Israel continues to fall short of its obligations under Section 620I of the US Foreign Assistance Act.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains dire. Last week, the UN’s Famine Review Committee stated that it could be "assumed that starvation, malnutrition, and excess mortality due to malnutrition and disease, are rapidly increasing" in northern Gaza, warning that "famine thresholds may have already been crossed or else will be in the near future.”