With 6,500 AIPAC activists in town this week to lobby Congress, some left-wing pro-Israel groups which disagree with AIPAC on certain issues — particularly Iran sanctions — urged their own activists to call their members of Congress.
Americans for Peace Now sent out an alert Monday stating that "thousands of ‘pro-Israel’ activists will be on the Hill claiming to speak for all Americans, and especially American Jews, who care about Israel. I know from experience that their agenda is often not the same as ours."
"I need you to speak up and tell Congress that the real pro-Israel agenda is one that promotes peace," continues the e-mail, which specifically urges recipients to tell Congress to "reject efforts to promote new Iran sanctions legislation, or efforts to impose any artificial deadline for ending diplomacy with Iran." AIPAC activists are backing new legislation that would levy sanctions on entities that help Iran acquire refined petroleum products. The alert also urges support for the president’s request for $900 million of supplemental assistance for the Palestinians, which AIPAC was not lobbying for this week but does support.
Brit Tzedek v’Shalom put out a similar alert on Tuesday. Both e-mails also tell activists to tell their congressmen and senators to back Obama’s approach to engaging with a possible Palestinian unity government that included Hamas. Questions about that new approach, announced just a couple weeks ago, have been raised by members on both sides of the aisle. After the jump, the full alerts from APN and Brit Tzedek:[[READMORE]]
The APN letter:
Dear Noam,
This is an important week for those of us who care about Israel and about peace, and I am asking you to take action and call your Representative and your Senators so that the pro-peace voice is heard.
Tomorrow, thousands of “pro-Israel” activists will be on the Hill claiming to speak for all Americans, and especially American Jews, who care about Israel. I know from experience that their agenda is often not the same as ours.
This is an important time for your voice to be heard. I need you to speak up and tell Congress that the real pro-Israel agenda is one that promotes peace.
Click here to make your call now. Your voice is vital to Israel’s future.
We need you to tell Congress:
“I am pro-Israel, and I want you to support the Obama Administration’s peace efforts in the Middle East.”
“I am pro-Israel, and I want you to support the President’s request for supplemental assistance for the Palestinians.”
“I am pro Israel, and I want you to support the President’s effort to open the window for responsible engagement with a Palestinian unity government.”
“I am pro-Israel and I want you to reject efforts to promote new Iran sanctions legislation, or efforts to impose any artificial deadlines for ending diplomacy with Iran.”
Click here to make your call now. Your voice is vital to Israel’s future.
As thousands of activists take to the Hill tomorrow to promote their version of a “pro-Israel” policy, your representatives in Congress need to hear from us. Tell them that you support President Obama’s efforts to further Israeli-Palestinian peace and to address the challenge of Iran. Tell them that supporting these peace efforts – and rejecting all efforts to tie his hands – is the true pro-Israel position.
APN is a leader in when it comes to pro-Israel, pro-peace policies. Click here to read APN’s Action Alert on the president’s supplemental budget request. Click here for APN’s message to Congress on the new Iran sanctions bills. I urge you to join thousands of others and take this important action to make sure Congress works towards peace for Israel.
Sincerely,
Noam Shelef
Director of Strategic Communications
Americans for Peace NowP.S. — If you can’t call, please take one second to help spread our message of peace for Israel by forwarding this to your friends, family, and colleagues.
And Brit Tzedek:
SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT’S DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVES IN THE MIDDLE
EAST!Dear Eric,
As American Jews and friends, we have a very exciting opportunity to support the President of the United States in his efforts to promote a pro-Israel, pro-peace agenda! We now have a president whose Middle East agenda is in line with the majority American Jewish opinion, which supports a two-state solution and diplomatic engagement, and so now is the time to act!
Call your Senators and Representatives today and urge them to back the President’s Middle East peace efforts! Tell them to support Obama’s request for supplemental aid to the Palestinians and to support Obama’s approach to engaging with a possible Palestinian unity government.
Finally, tell Congress to support Obama’s efforts to engage diplomatically with Iran by rejecting initiatives to impose new sanctions and rejecting efforts to impose impractical timelines to engage diplomatically with Iran.
L’shalom,
Sue Swartz, Chair of Advocacy
Deepa Domansky, Washington Liaison and Advocacy Coordinator
PS. Please share this Action Alert with family, friends, and colleagues (and if you forward to friends in a different Congressional district, just have them call (202) 224-3121 to ask for their local Representative and Senators).
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Call Your Representative or Senator:
(202) 224-3121
[capitol switchboard – just ask for your Rep. or Sen.]SAMPLE SCRIPT:
Hi, my name is [name] from [hometown], [state]. As a pro-Israel, pro-peace constituent and member of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom, I urge you to support President Obama’s Middle East peace initiatives
by:* Supporting aid to the Palestinians according to the provisions of the Supplemental Budget.
* Supporting President Obama’s approach to engaging with a possible Palestinian unity government.
* Supporting President Obama’s efforts to engage diplomatically with Iran by rejecting initiatives to impose new Iran sanctions and rejecting efforts to impose impractical timelines to engage
diplomatically with IranThank you.
