Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) led twelve of their colleagues in sending a letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling on the administration to determine whether US-origin defense articles sent to Israel have been used in violation of existing US laws and to ensure that all future foreign assistance to Israel is not used to support gross violations of human rights. 

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.

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.

Israel is at an inflection point.

Over the last twelve weeks, Israelis have taken to the streets protesting Netanyahu’s attack on the Judiciary. In his compromise with Ben Gvir, Netanayahu has announced a delay in the process, but we know that the fight for Israel’s democracy did not begin with the judiciary nor will it end there. The source of this poison is and always has been the Occupation.

The Occupation has nurtured and fomented these illiberal and oppressive tendencies among Israel’s right wing. It is no surprise that these antidemocratic practices are spreading beyond the Occupied Territories.

While the protests against domestic reforms have been making the top headlines, this far right government has continued to further entrench the Occupation. The march towards annexation has accelerated, with the government further intensifying Israel's systematic violation of Palestinian rights, inciting and committing violence against Palestinians and ramping up settlement announcements despite ongoing promises made to the United States. Just last week, Israel broke yet another agreement with the United States on settlements –this time by rescinding a 2005 law reflecting a commitment made to President Bush.

It’s clear that the United States can no longer sit back and rely on diplomatic promises from Prime Minister Netanyahu. At a minimum, we must take steps to ensure that our aid is not being used to violate human rights.

PeaceCast is a podcast produced in Washington by Americans for Peace Now, the sister-organization of Israel’s preeminent peace movement, exploring issues and trends relating to peace and security for Israel, focusing on Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians and efforts to resolve it. If you care about Israel, about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, about Israel’s future as a democracy and a Jewish state, this podcast is for you. Episodes feature experts, activists, advocates and scholars whose work or passion is Israeli-Palestinian peace.

The podcast includes standalone episodes, as well as audio recordings of our webinars and events like the Dove, which brings together storytellers who have personally experienced or witnessed the Israeli Palestinian conflict to offer inspiration and hope for peace.

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Americans for Peace Now (APN) is deeply concerned by the current developments in Israel, including Prime Minister Netanyahu’s statement today that he intends to continue pushing his government’s anti-democratic initiative to weaken the state’s judiciary, his support for the establishment of a “national guard” that will report directly to Itamar Ben Gvir, and his continued scorched earth practices both domestically and internationally.

Netanyahu and his government have brought Israel to the brink of dictatorship. And the Prime Minister’s speech today failed to pull the country back from the brink. By stating in his speech today that “one way or another, we will bring about a reform” of the judiciary, Netanyahu made clear that he is not backing down from the government’s push to eviscerate Israel’s Supreme Court, he’s simply buying time.

This government’s so-called “judicial reform” is not an effort to streamline Israel’s judiciary but rather an aggressive, anti-democratic coup, intended to change the very nature of Israel’s government, away from a liberal democracy and toward a dictatorship of the corrupt.

Produced by the Foundation for Middle East Peace in cooperation with Americans for Peace Now, where the Legislative Round-Up was conceived.

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.