Rational voices of American Jews need to be heard -- now.

As supporters of Israel who believe that there is a real opportunity to move towards negotiations that would result in peace between a secure Israel and a stable Palestinian state, we ask you to call or write to your Congressional Representatives to urge them to support the Bush Administration’s proposal for $200 million in emergency aid to the Palestinians that will be debated tomorrow—Tuesday, March 8th by the House Appropriations Committee. Congress has been slow to realize that major positive changes have occurred in the Israeli-Palestinian political reality in the last few months; we must make it clear that the American Jewish community strongly supports this new direction.

We urge you to respond to this action alert and make your voice heard.

B'shalom,

Steve Masters, Chair of Advocacy and Public Policy
Diane Balser, Co-Chair of Advocacy and Public Policy and Vice President

Sample Letter for Campaign

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

As an American Jew, I strongly urge you support the President's $200 million Economic Support Funds for the Palestinians and to oppose the efforts of Congressmen Weiner, Otter and Crowley to introduce legislation that would in effect ban this aid to the Palestinians by placing onerous conditions on it.

Blocking this aid would undermine the new Palestinian leadership which has taken concerted steps to end the violence against Israel.

In a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, David Satterfield, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, stated clearly that U.S. financial assistance to the Palestinian people since Oct. 1, 1993, has all been "completely transparent and fully accountable."

Thus, the efforts of Congressmen Weiner, Otter and Crowley to amend the financial assistance proposal to withhold the funds "until the PA's actions demonstrate accountability and sustained progress towards peace" are unnecessary. As Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY) commented in the Forward, "If you want to ensure that there will not be a peace process, then you attach enough strings (to the aid package) that you strangle the process."

Lasting peace can only come through a just negotiated settlement between Israelis and Palestinians. We believe that those who support Israel and support U.S. goals for that negotiated settlement, will support the Administration's efforts to help build a sustainable and stable Palestinian state next to a secure Israeli state.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
March 07, 2005