2013 Briefing Book - Print Version - Aipac

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PEACE PROCESS THE U.S.-ISRAEL RELATIONSHIP TRANSCENDS THE PEACE PROCESS Beyond the peace process, the United States and Israel have a deep alliance, based on common values, that benefits both countries. The two allies share intelligence, cooperate extensively regarding defense measures and work to counter the mutual threats of terrorism and proliferation. It is critical that this vital cooperation be maintained irrespective of the daily ups and downs of Israel’s negotiations. Similarly, the United States should assert its position as a trusted ally of Israel, providing the support and assurance so essential to Israeli leaders as they consider tough compromises for peace. Differences should be worked out with Israel privately. Public differences have allowed the Palestinians to stall U.S. efforts to get the sides back to the negotiating table. DIRECT TALKS—NOT IMPOSED SOLUTIONS—ARE THE KEY TO SUCCESS An enduring solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must arise from the parties themselves and cannot be imposed by the United States or other outside parties, as President Obama has made clear. “The United States will put our full weight behind this effort,” he said. “We will be an active and sustained participant. We will support those who make difficult choices in pursuit of peace. But let me be very clear. Ultimately the United States cannot impose a solution, and we cannot want it more than the parties themselves.” A deal can only work if both parties enter into it willingly, feel vested in it and intend to implement it. Without buy-in from the two parties and the publics they represent, no accord will be viable. UNILATERAL STEPS ARE NOT HELPFUL The Palestinians’ non-member state upgrade at the U.N. General Assembly and continued pursuit of membership in other U.N. bodies and international organizations push the parties further from resuming direct talks. Such moves outside the context of talks with Israel are highly destabilizing, undermine trust and fail to advance the goal of a negotiated peace agreement as advocated by the United States. That is why direct, sustained bilateral negotiations—which can be facilitated by the United States—are still the best way forward. 145
ISRAEL’S QUEST FOR PEACE Even before the establishment of Israel in 1948, the Jewish community in then-British Mandatory Palestine expressed its desire to live in peace with its Arab neighbors. Since its founding amid the ashes of war, Israel has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to make bold, painful concessions, such as withdrawing from land and forcibly removing its citizens, in order to reach peace. Early Zionists Reach Out to Arabs Chaim Weizmann, who was to become the first president of Israel, leads a mission to Cairo in 1918 to express the Jewish people’s desire to live in harmony with the Arabs. Jews Accept U.N. Partition Plan The Jewish community of Palestine, and Zionists worldwide, accept the partition plan approved by the United Nations that would create a Jewish state alongside an Arab state. The Arab states reject the U.N. resolution and prepare for war. 1918 –1919 1937 1947 1948 Jews Accept Peel Commission Report Israel’s future prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, accepts the recommendations of the official British Peel Commission report, which allocated a very small percentage of Palestine to a Jewish state. The Arab governments reject the plan. A State is Born Declaring independence, Ben-Gurion says Israel will “extend the hand of peace to all its neighbors” as well as grant “full and equal citizenship and due representation” for the non-Jewish population. In response, the armies of five Arab states invade. Israel Signs Camp David Accords with Egypt Israel agrees to return the entire Sinai Peninsula, an area almost three times the size of Israel, to Egypt. In 1979, Egypt and Israel sign a peace treaty—the first between Israel and an Arab country. 1967 1978 Israel’s Offer to Withdraw is Rejected Days after successfully defending itself in the Six-Day War, Israel offers to return captured territories in return for peace treaties. The Arab states reject the offer. 1993 Israel Inks Oslo Agreement Israel grants the Palestinians unprecedented authority over Gaza and parts of the West Bank and starts talks aimed at ending the conflict with the Palestinians. 146
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1 1 3 T H C O N G R E S S • 1 S T
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TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREIGN AID 102 F
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INTRODUCTION What AIPAC Supports Th
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WHY ISRAEL MATTERS Why Israel Matte
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WHY ISRAEL MATTERS The Jewish Conne
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THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL’S BORDERS L
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WHY ISRAEL MATTERS massacres, prese
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WHY ISRAEL MATTERS An Ancient Capit
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WHY ISRAEL MATTERS Israel. However,
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WHY ISRAEL MATTERS What Congress Di
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WHY ISRAEL MATTERS Israel Shares Am
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WHY ISRAEL MATTERS Israel Respects
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WHY ISRAEL MATTERS prime minister.
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WHY ISRAEL MATTERS What Congress Ha
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WHY ISRAEL MATTERS Israel Provides
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WHY ISRAEL MATTERS Israeli agricult
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WHY ISRAEL MATTERS Israeli High-Tec
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RELATIONSHIP Relationship—Key Pri
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RELATIONSHIP The United States Has
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RELATIONSHIP that providing militar
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RELATIONSHIP What Congress Has Done
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RELATIONSHIP Israel Is America’s
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RELATIONSHIP boosting Israel’s ro
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RELATIONSHIP cooperation between th
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RELATIONSHIP State, Local Officials
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RELATIONSHIP America’s Oil Depend
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RELATIONSHIP The United States and
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RELATIONSHIP oil through the deploy
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RELATIONSHIP The U.S.-Israel Econom
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RELATIONSHIP Apple, Google, Intel a
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RELATIONSHIP Israeli companies have
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RELATIONSHIP What Congress Has Done
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ISRAEL AT RISK Why Israel Is at Ris
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ISRAEL AT RISK Iran: The Leading St
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TERRORIST BUILDUP IN GAZA Ashkelon
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ISRAEL AT RISK U.N. Security Counci
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ISRAEL AT RISK The Missile Threat I
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THE IRANIAN MISSILE THREAT BEL LARU
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ISRAEL AT RISK Syrian Weapons Arsen
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ISRAEL AT RISK What Congress Has Do
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ISRAEL AT RISK Iran Pursues Nukes,
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ISRAEL AT RISK What Congress Has Do
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ISRAEL AT RISK A Region in Flux The
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ISRAEL AT RISK The Egyptian militar
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Page 95 and 96: ISRAEL AT RISK From Double Standard
Page 97 and 98: ISRAEL AT RISK repeatedly held “E
Page 99 and 100: ISRAEL AT RISK 2002 alone, Palestin
Page 101 and 102: ISRAEL AT RISK What Congress Has Do
Page 103 and 104: FOREIGN AID Foreign Aid—Key Princ
Page 105 and 106: FOREIGN AID U.S.-Israel Agreement A
Page 107 and 108: FOREIGN AID The most recent U.S.-pr
Page 109 and 110: INCREASED THREATS, INCREASED COSTS:
Page 111 and 112: FOREIGN AID Keeping America Safe, S
Page 113 and 114: FOREIGN AID Securing America, Stren
Page 115 and 116: FOREIGN AID Foreign aid plays a cri
Page 117 and 118: FOREIGN AID What Congress Has Done
Page 119 and 120: IRAN Iran—Key Principles PREVENT
Page 121 and 122: IRAN How a Nuclear Iran Would Under
Page 123 and 124: IRAN UNDERMINE AMERICA’S CREDIBIL
Page 125 and 126: IRAN purpose but to produce and tes
Page 127 and 128: IRAN In 2012, the Obama administrat
Page 129 and 130: IRAN A Terrorist Regime Iran is the
Page 131 and 132: IRAN The Islamic Revolutionary Guar
Page 133 and 134: IRAN What Congress Has Done to Coun
Page 135 and 136: IRAN The Regime Has a Long History
Page 137 and 138: IRAN What Congress Has Done to Oppo
Page 139 and 140: PEACE PROCESS The Peace Process—K
Page 141 and 142: PEACE PROCESS United States, Israel
Page 143 and 144: PEACE PROCESS a state in other U.N.
Page 145: PEACE PROCESS THE UNITED STATES SHO
Page 149 and 150: PEACE PROCESS What Congress Has Don
Page 151 and 152: PEACE PROCESS Hamas: 25 Years of Te
Page 153 and 154: PEACE PROCESS right and real way to
Page 155 and 156: PEACE PROCESS What Congress Has Don
Page 157 and 158: SYRIA-LEBANON Syria and Lebanon—K
Page 159 and 160: SYRIA-LEBANON The Syrian Regime Has
Page 161 and 162: SYRIA-LEBANON can consolidate the m
Page 163 and 164: SYRIA-LEBANON ASSAD REJECTED U.S. O
Page 165 and 166: SYRIA-LEBANON What Congress Has Don
Page 167 and 168: SYRIA-LEBANON Hizballah Serves as I
Page 169: SYRIA-LEBANON What Congress Has Don
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