WASHINGTON (JTA) — Americans for Peace Now met with Israel’s deputy foreign minister and raised concerns over the ministry’s treatment of a J Street delegation.
Danny Ayalon spoke off the record Monday with the APN leadership delegation in Jerusalem.
Ayalon listened and commented as APN urged him to fully implement the settlement freeze and emphasized the need for credible peace talks.
APN also addressed the fact that Ayalon snubbed J Street by refusing to meet with its delegation of U.S. Congress members in Israel last month. Ayalon at the time had voiced his willingness to meet with the delegates, but only without the presence of J Street staffers.
"We told him how dismayed we were by the way in which his office dealt with the congressional delegation that J Street brought to Israel last month," said Debra DeLee, CEO and president of APN. "We told Ayalon that Israel’s government does itself a disservice when it refuses to have a full and frank conversation with elected representatives of the American public."
APN said it was pleased with the outcome of the discussion and the ability to speak frankly with Ayalon.
