American Jewry Embraces
Netanyahu's Decision on Peace Talks

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, July 28, 2013. Netanyahu on Sunday urged divided rightists in his cabinet to approve the release of 104 Arab prisoners in order to restart peace talk with the Palestinians. (photo by
REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun )

Last week [July 25], senior members of the Jewish community in the United States congratulated, in writing, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, thanking him for his consent to start negotiations with the Palestinian leadership to reach a solution for the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. According to them, such a solution would prevent Israel from becoming a binational state, thus jeopardizing the future of the Jewish state.

Initiated by the Israel Policy Forum, the letter was signed, among others, by prominent mainstream figures of the Jewish community, including former Sen. Joe Lieberman, professor Alan Dershowitz and Dov Zakheim, who served as adviser to Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

Other signatories to the letter include former congressmen Gary Ackerman, Howard Berman, Barney Frank, Mel Levine and Robert Wexler. The letter was also signed by renowned businessmen and philanthropists, including Daniel Abraham, Robert Belfer, Charles Bronfman, Lester Crown, Irwin Jacobs and Stanley Gold. Another signatory was former AIPAC executive director Tom Dine.

"We recognize that achieving a two-state solution will require a territorial compromise that provides for a Palestinian state without jeopardizing Israel’s security. That is why we applaud your understanding that one must be “willing to make painful compromises to achieve this historic peace.” It is our hope that President Mahmoud Abbas will be similarly prepared to make the difficult decisions that achieving an agreement will require," the Jewish leaders wrote in their letter.

The letter added: "We share your concern that “the creation of a bi-national state between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River … would endanger the future of the Jewish state.” We further agree with your statement that the resumption of peace talks is “important not only for ending the conflict with the Palestinians, but also significant in light of the Iranian threat and the civil war raging in Syria."

The Jewish figures applauded Netanyahu's leadership in his decision to adopt the initiative of US Secretary of State John Kerry, encouraging the prime minister ahead of the challenges that he and his government will face on their new path:

"We are grateful for your leadership in embracing the process that Secretary Kerry has initiated, and offer our encouragement for you and the government of Israel as you embark on the challenging and delicate path ahead."

Al-Monitor has learned that in the wake of the decision to resume the diplomatic process and release Palestinian prisoners, Netanyahu received calls from European foreign ministers as well as from ministers from other countries who expressed their appreciation for his decision.

Foreign Ministry officials in Jerusalem believe that the European Union will now put on hold additional measures that Brussels had in the pipeline against the settlements.