Category: Articles

Vice President Mike Pence addressed a crowd at an Iowa campaign rally, where he reiterated the Trump administration’s commitment not to certify Iran’s compliance with the nuclear deal.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s 30-minute speech covered “the good, the bad, and the beautiful” in Israel and the surrounding region. Netanyahu last appeared live at AIPAC in 2015. See video for full speech.

World Israel News reports that the head of the UK Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, and BBC reporter Yolanda Knell were allegedly members of an invite-only Facebook group through which virulent anti-Semitism was promoted.

The UK Labour Party confirmed this week it is investigating as many as six party members for their involvement in a secret Facebook group that trafficked in anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, Holocaust denial, and other ideologies promoted by racist sources such as the Daily Stormer

Rich Lowry’s article about the Democrats and their love for Louis Farrakhan, lays out a terrifying scenario. Why is it acceptable in this country, where freedom of religion is one of our basic rights and precepts, for a major political party, the Democrats, to embrace an openly malevolent anti-Semite and Nation of Islam leader like Farrakhan? How can a strong supporter of Farrakhan, and equally anti-Semitic Congressman, Keith Ellison, become the Democratic National Committee Deputy Chairman? Why is it acceptable for six members of the Black Caucus to boycott President Trump’s State of the Union address, but openly embrace Farrakhan? There’s a photo of former President Obama, happily smiling with Farrakhan. Why was that not enough to raise questions about Obama’s alliances?

As a proud Jew, it offends me no end to be called “Satanic” and to be warned by the Nation of Islam leader that my ‘time is up, my world is through’. It offends me that he openly cites the Protocols of the Elders of Zion in proclaiming the Jews the controllers of the world. And now, as Lowry points out, Farrakhan blames the Jews for ‘transgenderism’.

Farrakhan’s supporters, including women who organized the Women’s March, like Linda Sarsour, as well as Illinois Congressman Danny Davis, and tragically, even some misguided Jews in J Street, are shaming our nation. There is no place in this remarkable country of ours for such slander and hatred against the Jews. None of this would be tolerated for any other people or religion. The Democrats who are embracing Farrakhan and Ellison must understand that they are leading America down a dark path. We pray they will see the light.

Helen Freedman

For additional reading on this deeply terrifying and troubling issue, see Jack Englehard’s OpEd in Arutz Sheva.

JoeSettler, blogger for The Jewish Press, reports on a question asked of Ron Dermer, Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, at the 2018 AIPAC Conference.

Dan Weiss asked Dermer how he thinks Trump’s Jerusalem Declaration will advance peace. Dermer begins his response with a bit of history.

Read more HERE.

Dermer also firmly stated that Israel is “dead serious” about enforcing its red lines in Syria.

Watch the full interview HERE 

AFSI Chairman Mark Langfan’s expresses his deep concerns for calls for a two-state peace plan.

AIPAC’s chairman endorses it and rumors have been circulating for over a week that Trump will unveil a plan offering a two-state solution.

The bottom line is this: how can the Palestinians be given a state when they have refused to stop financial compensation to terrorists who commit acts of terror against the Jewish people? This, along with ongoing Palestinian brainwashing, does not make a good recipe for statehood. Furthermore, Trump’s rumored plan to sanction a two-state solution is not in the best interests of the United States.

Mark spells out all the details for us today in his Arutz Sheva Op Ed

Shomron Regional Council
Chairman’s Office
Fax: 03-9066407 / Landline: 03-9066400
lishka@shomron.org.il
1 Derech Barkan
P.O. Box 1
Barkan, Israelbbq

March 5, 2018

Dear leaders of the AIPAC family, Shalom from Israel.

We are – speaking for all Israelis – extremely appreciative of AIPAC’s devoted efforts to strengthen, protect and promote the U.S.-Israel relationship. The Hebrew accolade is, “Kol haKavod!”

We do however note that the AIPAC talking points are still very much tied to establishment of a Palestinian state (what has been called “the two-state solution”). The AIPAC website also seems to imply that Israel is committed to a two-state solution and that the United States takes this position as well.

Please note this assumption has no basis in fact: The sovereign entity in Israel is of course the Government of Israel (GOI). The official GOI Guidelines are available to the public (e.g. here:http://www.pmo.gov.il/ IsraelGov/GovDocuments/Pages/ kaveyesod.aspx). As you see, they contain not one word or even hint of support for the “two-state solution”.

Furthermore, as for the United States, while the previous (February 2015) National Security Strategy report did state that the United States remains “committed to … a two-state solution”, it is our understanding that the National Security Strategy currently in effect, as of December 2017, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp- content/uploads/2017/12/NSS- Final-12-18-2017-0905.pdf does not indicate support for the two-state outcome. This is presumably in an effort not to coerce an American ally, the State of Israel, into an outcome which that ally does not regard as desirable, just or safe.

I am astounded as to why such a great, meaningful organization as AIPAC, whose raison d’etre is pro-Israel advocacy in the United States, would represent the positions of the State of Israel (and of the United States) so inaccurately before senior government officials, senators and congressmen, and the general pro-Israel public. The position that AIPAC is representing as that of the State of Israel — in the AIPAC mission statement and in the AIPAC talking points inter alia — not only fails to represent Israel properly, it is detrimental to the efforts to achieve dialogue in the Middle East.

Therefore, we strongly believe that the AIPAC mission statement and talking points should be updated at this time. This would allow AIPAC to participate even more effectively in Israel’s great quest – for survival as an independent, secure, moral, democratic, peaceful Jewish state, benefitting the world in the spirit of Tikun Olam.

Very sincerely,

Yossi Dagan
Chairman,
Shomron Regional Council

As reported in Arutz Sheva and numerous other sources today, Howard Kohr, AIPAC’s CEO expressed strong support for the establishment of a Palestinian state during his address to the organization’s 2018 conference in Washington DC Sunday night, warning that the Jewish state will never live securely “until she is at peace with all her neighbors”.

AFSI is strongly opposed to Howard Kohr’s statement. His words reflects the fantasy that sanctioning a Palestinian state will put a stop to the ongoing acts of terror Palestinians commit against the Jewish people. In this fantasy will there be an end to the financial rewards given to those who do commit these heinous acts? Kohr fails to mention the Palestinians continued refusal to recognize Israel as a legitimate state. Does the fact that Mahmoud Abbas brainwashes his people and lavishly spends on his needs (a $50 million presidential plane) while neglecting to take care of his people illustrate that statehood is the right solution?

It’s disturbing that Kohr fails to see the critical facts on why a two-state plan IS NOT THE SOLUTION. His comment in reference to Israel, “until she is at peace with all her neighbors,” clearly puts the blame on Israel and for a leader of such a high-profile pro-Israel advocacy group to state this….we think it’s disgraceful

“We must all work toward that future: two states for two peoples,” said Kohr. “One Jewish with secure and defensible borders, and one Palestinian with its own flag and its own future. Today that dream seems remote. This is tragic.”

Mr. Kohr, you are dreaming. Your dream is remote because you failed to state support for Israel as a nation under the constant threat of terror. Your endorsement of a Palestinian state rewards terrorists and this is not a dream – it’s a nightmare. Maybe you need to go back to sleep, dream a different dream, and wake up.

These are photos taken at AFSI’s December 22, 2015 rally in support of Elisha Odess. With us are his grandmother, aunt and uncle. We were chastised for coming to Elisha’s defense while the world was busy “price-tagging” him. We knew he was innocent then, and we know it now. It’s time that the Israeli government said so.

In July 2015, an arson attack in the Arab city of Duma, was responsible for the deaths of members of a PA family. Although it was well known that an 18 year-old feud existed between Arab clans in the city, responsibility for the attack was immediately placed on the “price-tag” Jews who had been accused of retaliating for murders of Jews. In January 2016, two Israeli Jews were indicted in the case. One was a 17-year-old boy, Elisha Odess, who was imprisoned, tortured, both physically and mentally, kept in solitary confinement, denied his religious observances, and allowed only brief visits with his family. Elisha is still in prison, although NO evidence has been found to tie him to the arson attack. There is no evidence that a trial is planned.

In Israel, a country that prides itself on its morality, its ethics, and its democratic values, it is beyond comprehension that a Jewish boy should be subjected to the torture that Elisha Odess has experienced and should be imprisoned without a trial for two years. Regardless of the outcome of the situation, and we trust he will be exonerated, if and when there is a trial, he can never resume normal life. The trauma to which he has been subjected is so inhumane as to be almost impossible to overcome.

We ask that each person write to Ambassador Ron Dermer expressing concern about this miscarriage of justice, and ask the Ambassador to use his influence to secure the release of Israeli/American Elisha Odess, or at least bring him to trial so his innocence can be established.

CLICK HERE for a sample letter to write to Ambassador Dermer.