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Dear Friend, This wasn’t how Prime Minister Netanyahu expected things to go. In April, when Netanyahu inked a coalition agreement and touted July 1 as the day he could begin to move forward with annexation, it seemed that there was little to stand in his way -- but times have changed. In Israel, the United States and around the world, a global anti-annexation movement rallied a broad and powerful chorus of opposition to Netanyahu’s destructive plans. Thanks in part to J Street’s advocacy efforts, virtually the entire Democratic Party has now gone on record in strong opposition to annexation -- including Vice President Biden, Speaker of the House Pelosi and over eighty percent of the Democratic Caucus in both the House and Senate. Their opposition helps provide a significant deterrent to the Netanyahu government -- and makes clear that the next administration will work to roll back and reject the damage caused by President Trump and his cronies. As you receive this, it’s been almost two weeks since July 1, and the prime minister has yet to announce any moves toward annexation. But that’s no reason to relax. The chances are still high that they will try to push forward at some point in the coming months -- which is why our movement needs to build on our success so far and keep up the fight. This week, our supporters took action to support a new amendment introduced by Senator Chris Van Hollen that would make sure that US security assistance to Israel cannot be used to carry out annexation. Like J Street, the amendment’s thirteen co-sponsors have made clear that they fully support security assistance to Israel to help it defend against genuine threats -- and believe this aid should not be used to carry out measures that would imperil Israel’s security, trample on Palestinian rights and undermine US interests. We’ll continue to do all we can to prevent annexation -- and to ensure that if it does move forward it is met with real, meaningful consequences. At the same time, our movement will keep working to help defeat Trump at the polls and lay the groundwork for a new era of US leadership committed to promoting diplomacy and human rights, pursuing lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace and ending the occupation. Thanks for standing with this movement, Logan Bayroff Director of Communications |
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Around J Street |
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In Congress and Around the World, Opposition to Annexation Grows Louder |
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| On Capitol Hill and around the world, opposition to West Bank annexation is continuing to intensify -- thanks in part to ongoing, concerted advocacy from the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement. The overwhelming majority of Democrats in the House and Senate have now signed on to anti-annexation letters or released their own statements opposing annexation -- including 191 members of Congress who signed a letter late last month. They join a powerful chorus that includes high-profile Jewish leaders, clergy and organizations, student activists, Israeli security officials and American foreign policy professionals. As Israeli journalist Amir Tibon observed in Haaretz: “If the Democrats win the November presidential election, annexation will put the Netanyahu government on a collision course with the new Biden administration. The Democratic party is united in its opposition to annexing the settlements.” Visit our Stop Annexation resource page to see the full breadth of opposition to annexation, from Israeli generals to European leaders to American rabbis >> |
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New Senate Measure Would Make Sure US Taxpayers Don’t Foot the Bill For Annexation |
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Last week in the US Senate, we saw the introduction of one of the most consequential measures so far in the fight against West Bank annexation. Senator Chris Van Hollen’s proposed amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act would block Trump and Netanyahu from using any of the United States’ $3.8 billion in annual security support to advance West Bank annexation. At J Street, we’ve been clear that we believe this critical security assistance should be used for Israel’s urgent security needs -- not actions which violate international law, endanger security relationships and trample on human rights. That’s why we’re proud to support Senator Van Hollen and his colleagues who have already signed on to support the amendment, including Sens. Tammy Baldwin, Sherrod Brown, Tom Carper, Martin Heinrich, Tim Kaine, Patrick Leahy, Jeff Merkley, Chris Murphy, Bernie Sanders, Brian Schatz, Tom Udall and Elizabeth Warren. Sign our petition now and tell the Senate: US taxpayers must not foot the bill for annexation >> |
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J Street Kicks Off 2020 Voter Mobilization Campaign |
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| As the 2020 presidential race unfolds, it’s becoming obvious that President Trump's strategy relies on voters staying home or being cheated out of their right to vote. As we face a calamitous pandemic which continues to inflict disproportionate harm on older Americans and communities of color, the Trump White House is waging war on vote-by-mail programs. Across the country, they’re pushing states to purge voter rolls, tighten voter ID laws and shut down polling stations. At J Street, our top political priority is defeating President Trump this November -- and to do that, we have to get out the vote. That’s why, in coordination with the Biden digital team, we’re running online phone banks to call voters, help them check their registration and ensure they have a plan to vote on November 3. We’re legally only able to invite official J Street members to these phone banks, so we encourage you to become a member today! Membership is free. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Democratic Platform Campaign Enters Final Stretch |
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| With the Democratic National Convention now just weeks away and the threat of annexation still looming, J Street’s student-driven campaign to reshape the 2020 Democratic Party Platform is entering a critical final stretch -- and we need your help. Backed by dozens of former Obama officials, hundreds of American rabbis and thousands of college students across America, J Street’s #ChangeThePlatform campaign is calling for the 2020 party platform to include specific recognition of Palestinian rights and explicit opposition to annexation, settlement expansion and ongoing occupation. Now, you have the chance to add your voice. Under the DNC’s newly unveiled public submissions process, any individual can send a brief video or written message directly to the Platform Drafting Committee with recommendations for the 2020 platform. Please click here to read and share our guide to making a direct submission to the DNC Platform Drafting Committee >> |
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“Enrollment” Now Open: J Street Launches “J School” |
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In March we launched J Stream, a series of virtual briefings and trainings designed to keep our movement connected, informed and engaged. Now, we’re supplementing that programming with J School, a free virtual learning series designed to deliver a masterclass on the drivers of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the impact of American foreign policy. Beginning this Wednesday, July 15, J School will convene for weekly lectures from former diplomats, political leaders, academics and Israelis and Palestinians who have experienced the realities of the conflict firsthand. Each lecture will include an interactive Q&A, optional breakout discussions and recommended resources for further reading. Through J School, we’re building on J Street’s commitment to being a ‘go-to’ resource for pro-Israel, pro-peace and pro-diplomacy education. Click here to learn more and enroll in our first session on Wednesday, July 15 >> |
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