Ameinu to Bibi: Oppose Attacks on Kerry, True Friend of Israel

John-Kerry-in-Jerusalem-jpg

New York, NY, February 4, 2014
CONTACT:Gideon Aronoff
347 583-7277
gideon@ameinu.net
www.ameinu.net

“After remarks in Munich, where US Secretary of State John Kerry gave a realistic evaluation of the costs to Israel in security, boycotts and other forms of delegitimization if the current peace talks with the Palestinians fail, members of the Netanyahu government launched a needless and defamatory campaign against the Secretary. These attacks threaten Israel’s vital interests, including its core relationship with the United States,” declared Kenneth Bob, President of Ameinu, North America’s largest grassroots progressive Zionist organization.

Reconfirming a line of attack initiated earlier by Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, which called Kerry “messianic, obsessive and dangerous for Israel”, Economy Minister Naftali Bennet, State Security Minister of Security and Intelligence Affairs Yuval Steinitz and others went on the attack, depicting Kerry as a principal threat to Israel.

Ameinu, today’s embodiment of the North American Labor Zionist Movement, has been working for over 100 years to help create a secure, prosperous and just Israel. “We are stakeholders in Israel’s future and are deeply alarmed that government ministers, along with supporters in the Diaspora, are undermining Israel’s future through an unfair and foolhardy campaign against a friend like Secretary Kerry. This is merely an orchestrated diversion to avoid the difficult compromises that will be necessary to reach peace,” Bob added.

“In recent months we have heard alarm bells rung about the risks Israel faces — to its economy and security, via expanded boycotts, divestment and sanctions, and increased isolation — if everything possible is not done to reach an agreement with the Palestinians. These warnings were not from enemies of Israel, but from its staunchest defenders including Former Bank of Israel Director Stanley Fischer, former Shin Bet Director Yuval Diskin, Israel’s Opposition Leader Isaac Herzog and even lead Israeli negotiator Tzipi Livni,” said Ameinu CEO Gideon Aronoff. “They, like Secretary Kerry, are basing their warnings on their years of support for Israel and with the intent to help Israel reach the right decisions at this difficult time.”

Noting that recent polling has shown a majority of Israelis, and a majority of members of the Knesset, support making compromises with the Palestinians to reach an agreement, Aronoff stressed that, “It is the worst form of demagoguery for the Israeli government to allow rejectionists in its midst to sabotage the will of the majority and to savage its most vital ally as it seeks to help Israel.”

“Ameinu calls on Prime Minister Netanyahu to take all steps necessary to manage his coalition and government to serve the majority and reach peace. If he acts courageously he will have the support of his people, as well as true friends of Israel like Secretary Kerry. The Prime Minister can rely on Ameinu and so many in the Diaspora Jewish community who will never abandon our vision of a peaceful, just and democratic Jewish homeland in Israel,” Bob concluded.

 

About Ameinu:
Ameinu, the leading progressive Zionist membership organization in the United Staes,is dedicated to promoting a negotiated peace between Israel, the Palestinians and the Arab states, and to social and economic justice for all in Israel and America.

Ameinu reinforces Jewish continuity through support for Habonim Dror, the Labor Zionist youth movement, and management of the Kibbutz Program Center which sends 100’s of young adults on unique Israel experiential journeys every year.

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