What does it mean to be pro-Israel?
Being pro-Israel means supporting peace and stability for Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs, and upholding principles that will ensure that peace and stability over the long term. That means supporting the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and equal rights in Israel-Palestine.
What is settlement in Israel?
“‘Settlement’ is the term used to denote Israeli civilian communities built in territory conquered by Israel in the Six Day War (June 1967). This territory is comprised of the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights and the Sinai Peninsula.
What is the difference between settlements and outposts in Israel?
According to the Israeli government, settlements are built on land not registered to Palestinians at the time of the 1967 war, unlike outposts, which are built on land that was registered to Palestinians (and are therefore illegal). Some outposts have been cleared while others were later legalized [source: Simons].
Are American Jews “pro-Israel”?
Historically, there have always been American Jews (and non-Jews) who believed they knew what was best for Israel and argued that their views, despite their divergence from the mainstream of the pro- Israel community or the policies of the government of Israel, were “pro-Israel.”
How does Israeli settlement work?
Though formally a non-governmental organization, it is funded by the Israeli government and leases lands from the Civil Administration to settle in the West Bank. It is authorized to create settlements in the West Bank on lands licensed to it by the Civil Administration.
What does settlement mean in Israel?
Settlements are Jewish communities in historic Palestine built by the Zionist movement pre-1948 and thereafter by the state of Israel. These communities can range in size from single-person outposts to entire cities. One of the first settlements built by Zionists was Tel Aviv in the early 20th century.
How are Israeli settlements justified?
Israel has justified its civilian settlements by stating that a temporary use of land and buildings for various purposes appears permissible under a plea of military necessity and that the settlements fulfilled security needs.
What are Israeli settlements in Palestine?
Israeli settlement, any of the communities of Israeli Jews built after 1967 in the territories occupied by Israel after the Six-Day War—the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights, and the Sinai Peninsula. Most, but not all, were authorized and supported by the Israeli government.
Why is Israel entitled to the land?
Jewish religious belief defines the land as where Jewish religious law prevailed and excludes territory where it was not applied. It holds that the area is a God-given inheritance of the Jewish people based on the Torah, particularly the books of Genesis and Exodus, as well as on the later Prophets.
How many settlements does Israel have?
Today they total around 400,000 and live in about 130 separate settlements (this doesn't include East Jerusalem, which we'll address in a moment). They have grown under every Israeli government over the past half-century despite consistent international opposition.
Is Israel occupying Palestine land?
BACKGROUND: Palestinian territory – encompassing the Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem – has been illegally occupied by Israel since 1967.
Why did Israel occupy Palestine?
Israel says the occupation is necessary for security given its tiny size: to protect Israelis from Palestinian attacks and to provide a buffer from foreign invasions.
Why does Israel claim the West Bank?
Israel has cited several reasons for retaining the West Bank within its ambit: a claim based on the notion of historic rights to this as a homeland as affirmed in the Balfour Declaration of 1917; security grounds, both internal and external; and the deep symbolic value for Jews of the area occupied.
When did Israel take Palestine?
In the 1967 war, Israel occupied these territories (Gaza Strip and the West Bank) including East Jerusalem, which was subsequently annexed by Israel. The war brought about a second exodus of Palestinians, estimated at half a million.
Is Palestine a country or part of Israel?
Since 1948, the region has been divided into Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The State of Palestine, a de-jure sovereign country, is in an ongoing sovereignty dispute with Israel.
Who Owns the West Bank?
Presently, most of the West Bank is administered by Israel though 42% of it is under varying degrees of autonomous rule by the Fatah-run Palestinian Authority. The Gaza Strip is currently under the control of Hamas.
Does Israel have settlements in Gaza?
The Gaza Strip contained 21 civilian Israeli settlements and the area evacuated in the West Bank contained four, as follows: In the Gaza Strip (21 settlements): Bedolah. Bnei Atzmon (Atzmona)
What are settlements in history?
Settlements may include hamlets, villages, towns and cities. A settlement may have known historical properties such as the date or era in which it was first settled, or first settled by particular people.
Who were the first settlers in Israel?
3,000 to 2,500 B.C. — The city on the hills separating the fertile Mediterranean coastline of present-day Israel from the arid deserts of Arabia was first settled by pagan tribes in what was later known as the land of Canaan. The Bible says the last Canaanites to rule the city were the Jebusites.
Why do Jews settle in the West Bank?
Most Jewish settlers in the West Bank, however, live there for economic reasons. Israeli government investment and incentives aimed at encouraging Jews to settle there make the cost of living lower than inside Israel.
What are the threats to Israel in 2021?
The threats that Israel faces daily have grown in 2021. Terrorist groups like Hamas continue to fire rockets into Israel, targeting innocent Arab and Jewish Israelis. The Taliban – who aim to radicalize the Middle East region in their own image – has taken over Afghanistan and is openly hostile to Israel. An increasingly aggressive Iran remains hellbent on acquiring nuclear weapons and sowing chaos through proxies like Hezbollah as it seeks to build a power base on Israel’s border and the Mediterranean Sea. Israel is the stabilizing force in the Middle East and the only country able to counterbalance and respond to Iran and its terror proxies. It is also the only Jewish state in the world, the only homeland for the Jewish people. It is more critical than ever not only to support, but also to further advance, the strategic alliance with our greatest ally in the Middle East.
Why is the US helping Israel?
This means supporting security aid to Israel to fund critical security systems like Iron Dome without unnecessary political conditions that would only serve to undermine Israel’s ability to defend its people. Doing so not only helps Israel protect itself, but it serves America’s national security interests in numerous ways – a topic for another day.
Why is Israel pro-Israel?
That’s why being pro-Israel means supporting Israel’s ability to defend itself against the full range of threats it faces, including rockets and missiles in Gaza and Lebanon fired by terror groups , terror attacks emanating from within its borders, the threat of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles from Iran, and the ongoing threat of terror attacks within Israel. This is even truer when those attacking Israel are driven by ideologies that deny Israel’s fundamental right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people and seeks its destruction.
Who is Jeff Mendelsohn?
Jeff Mendelsohn is the founding Executive Director of Pro-Israel America. Jeff brings years of legislative, political and organizational experience, having served as chief of staff for two Texas members of Congress for a dozen years. During his ten-plus years at AIPAC, Jeff launched and managed the AIPAC Outreach Program which successfully engaged non-Jewish constituencies, including Hispanics, African Americans, progressives, veterans and evangelical Christians in pro-Israel activism.
Why is being pro-Israel important?
Being pro-Israel also means protecting the humanity of the people there and knowing that if you have continued conflict, people will lose their sensitivity to what it means to be a human. So being pro-Israel doesn’t mean supporting continued conflict, but supporting finding a solution so Israel doesn’t have to engage in war, conflict and hatred with its neighbors, and can live with the Palestinians in peace. Being pro-Israel goes along with being pro-Palestinian because both are connected. If Palestinians don’t have freedom and security, neither will Israelis. When American Jews come to the region they should not just meet with Israelis and Jews; they should also try to learn the Palestinian narrative and find a way to bring the two narratives together, to bring the two sides together. Instead of supporting one side or the other, you could become a bridge of peace between the two sides.
What happens if Israel is gone?
If Israel is gone, Jewish life will be gone in one or two generations. Those who do not see Israel as the central piece of Jewish life are not pro-Israel, and I doubt they are pro-Jewish. Judea Pearl is professor of computer science at UCLA and president of the Daniel Pearl Foundation.
Why are Jews and Israelis so wounded?
Most Jews and Israelis are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and are so wounded by past oppression that they can’t act rationally to preserve Israel or to protect the Jewish people from the hatred against us generated by Israel’s oppressive and human-rights-denying policies toward Palestinians. They are stuck in self-destructive denial, insisting that anyone who points to Israel’s human rights violations must be a self-hating Jew or an anti-Semite. Our people are unaware of how much Israel’s policies are generating a new kind of hatred toward us that is not based on old religious superstitions but on our willingness to support repressive, mean-spirited and hurtful policies against the Palestinian people. Our children will reap the anger that these policies are generating once the inevitable decline of American power makes Israel more vulnerable and Jews around the world open targets.
Why is Israel important?
First, you must understand why Israel is important. Israel is unique in human history, whatever its faults may be. And if you’re Jewish, you must understand that, no matter where you’re living, Israel is your country. You can be critical of its policies, but you must understand that they are the policies of a government chosen democratically by your own people. Second, being pro-Israel means having an empathic understanding of Israel’s problems. This means not blindly superimposing liberal American standards of what’s right and wrong without asking whether they fit the Israeli situation. Third, you have to understand that the threat to Israel’s existence is real. Hundreds of millions of people, most of them Arabs and Muslims, would gladly see Israel destroyed. Whatever mistakes Israel makes, has made, and will make, it’s always facing the danger of annihilation. Fourth, you cannot be pro-Israel today without understanding that Israel has become the focus of a worldwide revival of anti-Semitic agitation, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been viciously exploited for anti-Semitic purposes. When you criticize Israel, you have to be careful not to do it in terms that may be usurped by forces that hate not only Israel, but all Jews—which includes you, Israel’s Jewish critic. American Jews have to ask themselves whether it’s helpful in any given situation to join the majority of world opinion against Israel. Suppose your criticisms lead to harmfully isolating Israel even further. You can’t be pro-Israel unless you seriously reflect on what taking responsibility for running such a risk means.
What is the historical narrative of 80 generations and Israel?
What remains is the historical narrative of 80 generations and Israel, the realization of that dream and the spiritual and cultural light that radiates to the rest of the world. If we abandon Israel, we abandon our future. If Israel is gone, Jewish life will be gone in one or two generations.
What is the Jewish state?
Throughout our history, the driving engine of survival has been the hope for returning to sovereignty in the birthplace of our history— Eretz Israel. The State of Israel is the culmination of this dream , and also the crucible in which Jewish heritage attains its full expression and comes to life through the resuscitating touch of normalcy.
How did the Arabs destroy Israel?
There were three major attempts to destroy the State of Israel. The first was from the War of Independence until the Yom Kippur war, in which the Arabs tried to physically eliminate the State of Israel. When they realized they could not beat the IDF, they changed tactics. If they couldn’t beat the Israeli soldier on the battlefield, they would kill Israel’s spirit through terrorism, by murdering mothers in the market, or killing children in school. This lasted from the 1970s until the second intifada.
What country is the only country whose Prime Minister regularly meets with citizens from other countries to hear their views?
Criticizes Israel within the family. Israel may be the only country whose Prime Minister regularly meets with citizens from other countries to hear their views. The easiest way for a Jew to get attention – the man bites dog story – is to be the Jew who publicly castigates Israel .
What did the American Jews believe?
Historically, there have always been American Jews (and non-Jews) who believed they knew what was best for Israel and argued that their views, despite their divergence from the mainstream of the pro-. Israel community or the policies of the government of Israel, were “pro-Israel.”.
What is the advantage of the Israeli lobby over the Arab lobby?
Believes in trying to act by consensus. Sometimes this leads to a watering down of positions, but unity is one of the principal advantages the Israeli lobby has over the Arab lobby.
Why are some organizations claiming to be pro-Israel?
Some organizations claiming to be pro-Israel find common cause with groups that have long records of hostility toward Israel and trying to undermine the U.S.-Israel relationship. By doing so, they bring peace no closer and only weaken the political strength of the pro-Israel community.
What does "pro Israel" mean?
What does “Pro-Israel” mean? The term “pro-Israel” is used routinely to describe Americans who are sympathetic toward the state of Israel. Increasingly, however, one hears questions raised as to what this term really means. The “pro-Israel” community was never monolithic, but the number of critics of Israeli policy and the volume ...
Is it okay to criticize Israel?
Rejects the idea that it is okay to publicly criticize Israel just because Jews in Israel censure their government. America is not Israel; Israelis have a common narrative and shared experiences. Americans, even American Jews, do not have the same level of knowledge or experience with regard to Israel so criticism is interpreted differently. Criticism is also not justified by Israeli encouragement as they do not understand the American context and they typically only bless critics who agree with them (leftist Israelis are happy to encourage American Jews to speak out against rightist governments but are furious with criticism of leftist governments and vice versa).
Is Israel infallible?
Respects Israeli military judgements. Israelis are not infallible, but arm chair American generals typically have no qualifications for challenging Israeli military experts (even U.S. military generals can be wrong as proved by George Marshall’s prediction the Jews would be routed in 1948).
What Is a Settlement?
Cranes hover at a construction site in the Israeli settlement of Ramot, built in a suburb of mostly Arab East Jerusalem. AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP/Getty Images
Why are there settlements in the West Bank?
Opponents see the settlements as part of an intentional Israeli strategy to take over the West Bank permanently. To them, the settlements' presence throughout the area gives the Israeli military a justification for being there as well, and makes it impossible for the Palestinians to ever really have an independent nation. They see the settlements rising in the hills around Palestinian cities — and the security buffers of empty land around them —as evidence that their chance for independence is fading. Additionally, they see the hundreds of checkpoints and roadblocks that the Israelis have created to thwart terror attacks on the settlements as restricting Palestinians' freedom of movement [source: BBC News ].
What does the settlements represent?
To the Israeli government and supporters of the movement, including many people in the U.S., the settlements represent Israelis returning to live in places that once were part of ancient Israel, and where Jews lived in the centuries that followed. But to the Palestinians and much of the rest of the world — including 14 nations belonging to the U.N. Security Council who voted in December 2016 to condemn the settlements — they violate international law and are a major obstacle to the long-elusive vision of a two-state Israeli-Palestinian solution.
How many Israelis live in East Jerusalem?
Add to that another 200,000 Israelis who live in East Jerusalem and about 20,000 in the Golan Heights — areas also seized in the 1967 war that Israel eventually annexed — and you've got roughly 600,000 Israelis or 10 percent of Israel's 6.3 million Jewish citizens living outside Israel's pre-war borders [sources: Myre and Kaplow, BBC News ].
What was the Israeli government's goal after the 1967 war?
In 1968, they drove from Jerusalem to the West Bank city of Hebron, where Jews had been driven away by Arab armies in 1929; checked into a hotel and didn't leave. As the group's leader, Rabbi Moshe Levinger, told an interviewer years later, the objective was to reclaim land that was part of biblical Israel: "Jews are entitled to have it," he said.
What is the holiest site in Judaism?
This shot of Jerusalem shows the Wailing Wall in the foreground, the holiest site in Judaism, with the gold Dome of the Rock in the background, the third most-sacred site in Islam. Daniel Zelazo/Getty Images
Where are the settlements in Israel?
Most of the settlements are in the West Bank, an area that Israel controls but never has formally annexed.
