Naomi Paiss is serving as Interim Communications Director for APN.  She retired in 2022 after more than 40 years running  public affairs  and communications for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the New Israel Fund, the Brady Campaign Against Gun Violence,  the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and other organizations.

Based in both DC and Jerusalem, Naomi rejoined the working world to help APN through a period of transition and to participate in the serious issues now confronting both Israel and the U.S.  

Dr. Dahlia Scheindlin, a scholar and writer, is an international political and strategic consultant. She has advised and conducted research on nine national campaigns in Israel over the past twenty years, and has provided research and advising for elections, referendums, and civil society campaigns in fifteen different countries. She is the author of The Crooked Timber of Democracy in Israel. 

May 24, 2024- Americans for Peace Now has long called for an end to t​his war and for Israel to prioritize negotiations to secure the release of hostages. The extensive and prolonged nature of Israel’s military response, coupled with the absence of a coherent “day after” strategy that aligns military actions with clear political objectives, has resulted in terrible losses for Israel and caused devastation and suffering for Gazan civilians, most of whom have been displaced from their demolished communities.

Today's announcement from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is yet another emphatic call from the global community for an end to the war. The ICJ’s order for Israel to immediately halt its military assault on Rafah underscores the dire nature of the current situation and the prolonged conflict that has necessitated international intervention.

May 22, 2024- Americans for Peace Now has always supported a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And while many others also say that they support two-states, they often seem to forget that doing so means supporting the establishment of a sovereign Palestine. While the best course of action, and one that is ultimately necessary, would be joint Israeli-Palestinian recognition of each other’s sovereignty, that is not imminent.

However, every nation that declares itself in support of a two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state furthers that eventual outcome. Thus, we welcome the recognition by Spain, Ireland and Norway of Palestine, and believe that these nations are working together for the good of both Israelis and Palestinians. The acknowledgement of the existence of a Palestinian people in need of and deserving of a sovereign state is a step in the right direction.

“Right now the two loudest voices opposing a two-state solution are Hamas and the Netanyahu government," said APN President and CEO Hadar Susskind. "Everyone who supports two-states, be they Israeli, Palestinian or others, should support the recognition of a sovereign Palestine. It is no 'reward for Hamas' as Prime Minister Netanyahu has claimed, but rather the only way to break the cycle of violence that has entrapped Israelis and Palestinians alike for generations."

May 20, 2024- This is a sad day for Israel and those who care about it. Sad, because while it is true that Hamas and the government of Israel are not equivalent, and it is true that Netanyahu and Sinwar are not equivalent, it is also true that the ICC warrant request for Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant are a direct result of the calamitous policies of this Israeli government.

For the first time in Israel’s history, its leaders may be subject to arrest in the 124 nations which are ICC signatories. This shameful situation is the result of the Israeli government’s willful disregard of international law, including the denial of aid to a starving population.

Hamas leaders must be held accountable for the horrific events of October 7 and their other war crimes. But as we have been saying for months and months, one set of war crimes does not justify or excuse another. 

APN President and CEO Hadar Susskind said, “The issuing of these warrants isn’t about antisemitism or moral equivalencies, it’s about a failure of leadership. That is what the Israeli government needs to address. That is what the people of Israel need to address. This war needs to be brought to an end. The lives of the hostages must be prioritized, not marginalized, and aid must be allowed into Gaza in levels sufficient to address the ongoing famine. I am saddened by these warrants, but not as much as I am saddened by the brutal reality that led to them being issued.”

Produced by the Foundation for Middle East Peace. 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.

“The media” has come to mean many different things– broadcasters, social media, a euphemistic descriptor for spreaders of misinformation, or simply the news. But in the haze of war in Gaza and protests in the U.S., the media has itself become a source of polarization and debate. To analyze why coverage seems to slant one way or another politically, how nationalism and government disinformation find their way into the newsroom, and how journalists source their reports, we spoke with one of Israel’s foremost media experts.

May 14, 2024- Americans for Peace Now disagrees with the Biden administration’s May 10 report to Congress on Israel’s compliance with international and American law in its conduct of the Gaza war. Although the Administration admits that Israel’s use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law, it hedged its recommendations with the less-than-credible observation that wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining specific instances.