AIPAC rallies troops

[Joanne98]

The pro-Israel group AIPAC is kicking into gear, and hoping to rally the traditional Washington dynamic over Israel, in which White House efforts to pressure the Jewish State run into serious resistance on the Hill.

AIPAC is emailing supporters this morning to press members to:

1. Make statements in support of America's strong relationship with Israel and the need for the U.S. to work closely and privately with the Jewish state to address any issues between the two governments.

2. Contact Secretary of State Clinton and urge the United States to immediately defuse the current tension with Israel. March 15, 2010

Most pro-Israel Democrats, along with major Jewish groups, are currently largely on the sidelines; the aim here is to push them into open criticism. (The Jewish groups are meeting today.)

Full AIPAC email after the jump.



Recent Statements by the U.S. Government
"A Matter of Serious Concern"

Urge Administration to Defuse Tension with Israel

Members of the Obama administration have recently made statements regarding the U.S. relationship with Israel, which have heightened tensions with America's only democratic ally in the region. We strongly urge the administration to work closely and privately with our partner Israel, in a manner befitting strategic allies, to address any issues between the two governments. Yesterday, AIPAC issued a press release addressing this important issue.

Click here to view AIPAC's Press Release

ACTION

Please urge members of the House and Senate to:

1. Make statements in support of America's strong relationship with Israel and the need for the U.S. to work closely and privately with the Jewish state to address any issues between the two governments.

2. Contact Secretary of State Clinton and urge the United States to immediately defuse the current tension with Israel.

Continued>>>>
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0310/AIPAC_rallies_troops.html?showall

Here's Hillary Clinton's blog. Tell her to IGNORE AIPAC!

http://secretaryclinton.wordpress.com/contact-me/

[LeftishBrit]

1. Here is a letter about the matter from Peace Now

(As a member of the UK branch, I sometimes also get messages from Americans for Peace Now):

Dear ,

For months you and I have been working to get President Barack Obama to step up his efforts in support of peace for Israel. We've called on him to be prepared to confront Israel, the Palestinians, or the Arab states when they fail to play ball.

Last week the Obama administration did just that. Following the Israeli announcement of new settlement plans in East Jerusalem, Vice President Joe Biden spoke out loudly and clearly while visiting Jerusalem and Ramallah. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton took Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to task in a 45 minute phone call. David Axelrod and other administration officials spoke about the problem on the Sunday morning talk shows.

There are some, however, who are trying to cut President Obama's efforts off at the knees. AIPAC issued a statement voicing "serious concern" with the administration's statements. ADL's Abe Foxman said he was "shocked and stunned" by the American "gross overreaction."

We need your help to show our fellow Americans that AIPAC and ADL do not speak for us. Click here to send letters to the editors of your local papers.

http://capwiz.com/peacenow/issues/alert/?alertid=14815581


Israel publicized the approval of a plan to build 1600 new housing units in East Jerusalem just after the Obama administration announced that indirect Israeli-Palestinian peace talks would begin. While the Israeli government later apologized for the timing of the announcement, it never addressed the heart of the matter: the massive expansion of a settlement in territory over which Israel committed to negotiate undermines the prospects for peace.

Americans are not stupid. We know that peace for Israel is more important than the expansion of settlements. We also know that America's interests are directly tied to Middle East peace and to Israel.

Stand for peace for Israel. Click here to send letters to editors of your local papers.

http://capwiz.com/peacenow/issues/alert/?alertid=14815581

Peace talks will not succeed without genuine, sustained American leadership. All sides must know that there will be a price to pay for frustrating peace efforts. Our role, today, is to show Washington that President Obama enjoys a groundswell of support when he demonstrates such leadership.

Thank you.

Noam Shelef
Director of Strategic Communications
Americans for Peace Now

PS -- Help us get the word out. Forward this call to action in your networks.

Americans for Peace Now

[IndianaGreen]

2. Achtung! Achtung!

I am really enjoying this mess, simply because it was Israel that exposed American duplicity in being for a peace settlement, while not lifting a finger to bring Israel to account.

I predict that after a few angry memos, or Post-It notes, it will all get back to the same kabuki theatre we have witnessed for the past 20 years.

:popcorn: