AIPAC must update its talking points

Letter from Shomron Regional Council

Dear leaders of the AIPAC family, Shalom from Israel,

We are – speaking for all Israelis – extremely appreciative of AIPAC’s devoted efforts to strengthen, protect and promote the U.S.-Israel relationship. The Hebrew accolade is, “Kol haKavod!” We do however note that the AIPAC talking points are still very much tied to establishment of a Palestinian state (what has been called “the two-state solution”).

The AIPAC website also seems to imply that Israel is committed to a two-state solution and that the United States takes this position as well.

Please note this assumption has no basis in fact: The sovereign entity in Israel is of course the Government of Israel (GOI). The official GOI Guidelines are available to the public.

As you see, they contain not one word or even hint of support for the “two-state solution”. Furthermore, as for the United States, while the previous (February 2015) National Security Strategy report did state that the United States remains “committed to … a two-state solution”, it is our understanding that the National Security Strategy currently in effect, as of December 2017,  does not indicate support for the two-state outcome.

This is presumably in an effort not to coerce an American ally, the State of Israel, into an outcome which that ally does not regard as desirable, just or safe. I am astounded as to why such a great, meaningful organization as AIPAC, whose raison d’etre is pro-Israel advocacy in the United States, would represent the positions of the State of Israel (and of the United States) so inaccurately before senior government officials, senators and congressmen, and the general pro-Israel public.

The position that AIPAC is representing as that of the State of Israel — in the AIPAC mission statement and in the AIPAC talking points inter alia — not only fails to represent Israel properly, it is detrimental to the efforts to achieve dialogue in the Middle East.

Therefore, we strongly believe that the AIPAC mission statement and talking points should be updated at this time. This would allow AIPAC to participate even more effectively in Israel’s great quest – for survival as an independent, secure, moral, democratic, peaceful Jewish state, benefitting the world in the spirit of Tikun Olam.

Very sincerely, Yossi Dagan Chairman, Shomron Regional Council