He was responding to recent developments in Israel, including comments by Knesset Member Michael Ben-Ari, who was caught on tape inciting against Peace Now and other progressive Israeli organizations. He was also responding to news that the Israel Airports Authority was blocking Peace Now’s website at Ben Gurion Airport; and to the decision of the Knesset to launch an investigation into funding of “left-wing” groups in Israel.
“On behalf of the tens of thousands of people who support APN and who, through us, support Israel’s Peace Now movement, I am outraged and sickened that an Israeli Knesset member has the gall to suggest that American Jews who support organizations like Peace Now are ‘the greatest Israel haters’ and to threaten that the Knesset will pass a law to ‘eradicate this dangerous enemy.’ Peace Now and the other organizations Ben-Ari is attacking are an essential component of Israeli democracy. Supporters of Peace Now and these groups are among Israel’s truest friends,” he said.
“The fight is on for Israel’s soul. Ben-Ari and others like him hate Peace Now and other progressive groups in Israel because they are fighting to end the occupation and achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace. Ben-Ari and his friends prefer occupation to democracy and prefer settlements to peace. They are abusing their powers as democratically elected legislators to legislate away freedom. They believe they can strip the word ‘democracy’ in Israel of all meaning and erase Peace Now and the rest of Israeli civil society – explaining it away with hollow talking points about ‘delegitimization,’ ‘transparency,’ and ‘defending Israel.’
“We, who care about Israel’s character and future, will not sit idly by while these radicals initiate McCarthyistic witch hunts. The stakes are too high.
“Peace for Israel is possible. It requires a vibrant civil society, including an Israeli peace camp that is allowed to speak its mind. It requires that Peace Now and other watchdog groups be able to report from the West Bank free of government harassment. And it requires that Americans who believe in Israel and believe in peace stand up and be counted. We will not be silenced," Debra DeLee added.
