[ ]J Street [ ]
Friend,

It’s no surprise that President Trump’s so-called “peace plan” has been
widely rejected. It was never meant to bring about serious negotiations or
to be the basis for actually resolving the conflict.

The plan was clearly designed to be unacceptable to Palestinians --
ignoring their rights and aspirations and paving the way for annexation.
Even as the administration tried to wrap the proposal in “two state”
language, it undercut every element of the internationally-accepted
outline of what it will take to reach such an outcome.

The goal of those who pushed the plan appears to be to pin the blame for
failure on Palestinian rejection, to leave the impression that the
Palestinian leadership is uninterested in peace -- and that real
diplomatic progress between Israelis and Palestinians is impossible.

This week, in New York City, a former Israeli prime minister and current
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stood together to help prove them
wrong.

[ [link removed] ]Watch and share our video: “Peace is Possible -- Just Not Through
Trump’s Plan.”

In 2008, Abbas and his former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert came closer to
achieving a genuine, viable two-state solution than any leaders before
them. And while they never crossed the finish line, both leaders continue
to believe that it’s both necessary and possible for the two sides to sit
down together with mutual respect, make compromises and find common
ground.

At their joint press availability in New York, Olmert sat alongside Abbas
and shared his conviction that the Palestinian president, “is a man of
peace. He's opposed to terror. And therefore he's the only partner we can
deal with... He is willing to negotiate at any given time with the state
of Israel."

Earlier in the day, addressing a meeting of the UN Security Council, Abbas
made clear that his people could never accept the one-sided,
pro-annexation Trump plan. Yet he also reaffirmed that "peace between
Israelis and Palestinians is still possible. It is achievable. I have come
to you to build an international partnership to achieve a just and lasting
peace."

He restated his opposition to terror and commitment to fighting violence.
"We only have one choice," he said, "to be partners and neighbors -- each
in its independent, sovereign state."

There’s no doubt that the mutual suspicion and animosity between Israelis
and Palestinians is very real. Decades of conflict, occupation and
ultimately unsuccessful diplomacy guarantee that sitting down together and
reaching a lasting agreement will never be simple or easy.

Yet this week’s comments and joint appearance from Abbas and Olmert
underscore why we must reject the right’s false narrative about a
Palestinian people who don’t really want peace -- and why we must stand up
to those who suggest we simply give up on hopes for a two-state solution.

While Trump and Netanyahu pursue policies rooted in contempt for the
Palestinians and rejection of their fundamental rights, it’s clear that,
with political courage, the door remains open for future leaders to
embrace a path of real dialogue, diplomacy and compromise.

At J Street, we know that to help urge Israeli and Palestinian leaders
down this path, we need a US government genuinely committed to resolving
the conflict and bringing an end to the occupation.

That’s why we’re doing everything we can to help defeat Donald Trump in
2020.

It’s why we’ve helped to elect the most pro-Israel, pro-peace Congress
ever. And it’s why we’re working to make sure that the next Democratic
Party platform clearly opposes settlement expansion, occupation and
annexation and supports Palestinian rights while also restating a firm
commitment to Israel’s security and future.

With your support, your activism and your voices, we can be louder,
stronger and more effective than those who want to perpetuate the cycle of
endless conflict and recrimination.

We can remind the world that Israeli-Palestinian peace is necessary, just
and possible -- and help make it a reality.

This is a crucial moment for our movement. [ [link removed] ]Please consider making a
small donation to continue fueling this work.

Thank you,
Jeremy Ben-Ami


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© 2020 J Street | [ [link removed] ]www.jstreet.org | [email protected]

J Street is the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans who want
Israel to be secure, democratic and the national home of the Jewish people.
Working in American politics and the Jewish community, we advocate policies that
advance shared US and Israeli interests as well as Jewish and democratic values,
leading to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.



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