2011 summer saban binder

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Table of Contents AIPAC Leadership and Staff 1 1. AIPAC on Campus AIPAC Campus Creed 3 AIPAC Campus Lexicon 5 AIPAC Campus Training Opportunities 8 AIPAC Campus Cadre: Roles and Responsibilities 11 2011 Fall Campus Initiatives: Relationships Matter 13 Calendars: Planning 2011 Fall Semester Initiatives Insert Worksheets A, B, C and H Insert AIPAC Campus Assessment Worksheet 2. Engaging Campus Leaders Defining the Debate: Ideas for Action 15 Engaging College Dems and College Reps: Ideas for Action 16 Student Leadership Statements 17 Student Government Resolutions 26 Insert Worksheets D and I 3. Engaging Members of Congress AIPAC President Lee Rosenberg on the Imperative for Political Action 35 Lobbying Year Round: Ideas for Action 39 Corresponding With Your Member of Congress 40 GSI: Responding to an Action Alert in 4 Easy Steps 41 Lobbying 101 43 Student Lobbying Efforts 45 Insert Worksheets E and G 4. Broadening the Base Broadening the Base: Ideas for Action 53 Insert Worksheets F 5. Israel as a Strategic Partner AIPAC Executive Director Howard Kohr on Activism in a Time of Turmoil 56 U.S.-Israel Alliance: Ideas for Action 65 The Importance of the Jewish State 66 Pillars of the U.S.-Israel Relationship 69 Strategic Cooperation Heightens U.S.-Israel Partnership 72 U.S. Foreign Aid: Serving American Interests 75 Foreign Aid: Keeping America Safe, Strong and Prosperous 77

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Page 1: 2011 Summer Saban Binder

Table of Contents AIPAC Leadership and Staff 1 1. AIPAC on Campus AIPAC Campus Creed 3 AIPAC Campus Lexicon 5 AIPAC Campus Training Opportunities 8 AIPAC Campus Cadre: Roles and Responsibilities 11 2011 Fall Campus Initiatives: Relationships Matter 13 Calendars: Planning 2011 Fall Semester InitiativesInsert Worksheets A, B, C and H Insert AIPAC Campus Assessment Worksheet 2. Engaging Campus Leaders Defining the Debate: Ideas for Action 15 Engaging College Dems and College Reps: Ideas for Action 16 Student Leadership Statements 17 Student Government Resolutions 26 Insert Worksheets D and I 3. Engaging Members of Congress AIPAC President Lee Rosenberg on the Imperative for Political Action 35 Lobbying Year Round: Ideas for Action 39 Corresponding With Your Member of Congress 40 GSI: Responding to an Action Alert in 4 Easy Steps 41 Lobbying 101 43 Student Lobbying Efforts 45 Insert Worksheets E and G 4. Broadening the Base Broadening the Base: Ideas for Action 53 Insert Worksheets F 5. Israel as a Strategic Partner AIPAC Executive Director Howard Kohr on Activism in a Time of Turmoil 56 U.S.-Israel Alliance: Ideas for Action 65 The Importance of the Jewish State 66 Pillars of the U.S.-Israel Relationship 69 Strategic Cooperation Heightens U.S.-Israel Partnership 72 U.S. Foreign Aid: Serving American Interests 75 Foreign Aid: Keeping America Safe, Strong and Prosperous 77

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America’s Partner: Israel 80 6. Israel’s Quest for Peace Israel’s 60-Year Quest for Peace 93 Key Principles of the Peace Process 96 Palestinians Must Return to Direct Talks to Achieve Peace 100 Palestinian Unity Deal Undermines Peace Process 102 Palestinian Provocations Undermining U.S. Peace Efforts 105 Senate Resolution 185 107 House Resolution 268 114 7. Iran Sanctions Implementation Iran Mobilization: Ideas for Action 122 The Iranian Nuclear Threat 123 8. Books of Interest Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle 127 Myths, Illusions, and Peace: Finding a New Direction for America in the M.E. 127 Why I am a Zionist: Israel Jewish Identity and the Challenges of Today 127 Right to Exist: A Moral Defense of Israel’s Wars 128 Saving Israel: How the Jewish People Can Win a War That May Never End 128 The Case for Israel 129

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Lee Rosenberg Eta Somekh President Leadership Development Chair Howard Kohr Richard Fishman Executive Director Managing Director

Leadership Development Department Jonathan Kessler Zach Gelman Leadership Development Deputy Leadership Director Development Director Eric Gallagher Jacob Baime Early Engagement Director National Field Director Zach Rosenzweig Michael Citron Campus Communications Director Senior National Field Organizer Ellen Kruk Emily Berman/Elon Stricker National Field Organizer National Field Organizers Rachel Swartz TBD Campus Engagement Director Campus Outreach Director Tanya Ford Joshua Kaye Executive Assistant Leadership Development Intern Emily Trotz Jenna Cantor Leadership Development Intern Leadership Development Intern

Dean Kaplan Josh Fattal Leadership Development Fellow Leadership Development Fellow

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SECTION 1 AIPAC on Campus

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AIPAC Campus Creed 1. The Power of One: Activism is predicated on the notion that each individual can make a difference. 2. Activists, Not Spokespeople: We are AIPAC trained and motivated, not AIPAC representatives. We are part of a larger pro-Israel student movement. 3. Explainers, Not Defenders: We are American supporters of Israel, not Israeli policy advocates. 4. Proactive, Not Reactive: We are strategically pro-active. We don’t allow detractors to set our agenda. 5. Disciplined, Not Reflexive: We set goals and evaluate results. We don’t swing at every pitch. 6. Consensus, Not Partisan: We concentrate on the most vital issues, where community consensus exists. 7. Influentials, Not Masses: There are natural limits on time, talent, and treasure; therefore, we concentrate on campus opinion-leaders and significant political constituencies. 8. Politics, Not Propaganda: We maximize our comparative advantages within the political arena, not through messaging alone. 9. Engagement, Not Debate: Points don’t stay proven and battles don’t stay won. The goal of our advocacy is to engage, not argue. 10. Catalytic, Not Proprietary: We don’t need AIPAC’s name on our initiatives. We find the best vehicles on campus to advance our goals, and coordinate our efforts with other organizations.

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11. Impact, Not Activity: In the final analysis, we are judged by our accomplishments, not by how we spend our time. 12. People, Not Programs: People engage people. We work to build relationships, not just host events. 13. Genuine, Not Utilitarian: Genuine relationships can be lasting, while utilitarian relationships are ephemeral. Enduring relationships help secure access, and access is a prerequisite for influence. 14. Long-Range, Not Flash-in-the-Pan: We ask, “What impact will our actions have years from now?” 15. Locally, Not Nationally: We mine proximate resources first, and are not dependant on national funding. 16. Asset, Not Burden: We seek to be an asset to the wider pro-Israel political movement, and not to divert attention from essential priorities. 17. Successes, Not Setbacks: We showcase our successes, and we never give up. 18. If Not Now, When?: We are leaders on our issues today, and are not waiting on the future.

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AIPAC Campus Lexicon AIPAC: The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, America’s pro-Israel lobby. AIPAC on Campus: AIPAC’s work on campus through its Leadership Development Department professionals and campus activists. Campus Cadre: Group of up to six pro-Israel activists who work to advance AIPAC’s campus agenda. Portfolioed Activist: A campus activist who holds one of six cadre positions: Campus Liaison, Campus Relations Coordinator, Campus Political Coordinator, Campus Advocacy Coordinator, Campus Curriculum Coordinator, or Early Engagement Coordinator. Campus Liaison: The Campus Liaison guides pro-Israel political activism on campus, maintains contact with both an AIPAC Field Organizer and Jewish campus professionals. Showcase Campus: AIPAC’s Leadership Development professionals have identified 60 campuses with which they work on a very close basis. The 60 schools are divided into four areas of the country with 15 schools each. An AIPAC Field Organizer visits the 15 campuses in their region several times yearly. Engagement Campuses: Schools that present significant new opportunities to the pro-Israel movement and campuses located in politically significant parts of the nation. AIPAC’s Leadership Engagement Coordinator works with these schools. Early Engagement Program: AIPAC’s efforts to engage high school students in pro-Israel political activism. The program educates students on relevant skills and issues through campus visits as well as national training seminars, primarily the High School Summit in Washington, D.C. AIPAC Campus Allies: Those engaged from among three key demographic constituencies: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and pro-Israel Christians. AIPAC has a special interest in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Christian Campuses, and schools with significant Hispanic populations. Three dozen members of Congress graduated from schools associated with these networks. Campus Initiatives: Grassroots activism designed to promote the U.S.-Israel relationship through conversational engagement of key campus influentials and allies. Past initiatives include: Petition/Ad Campaigns, Launching Voter Registration Efforts, Visiting Congressional District Offices and Soliciting Statements of Solidarity From

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Student Organizations. For AIPAC’s current initiatives, check out www.aipac.org/for_students. Retail Engagement: Personal, tailored, interactive ways of approaching people one at a time. Individual conversations and personal invitations are examples of retail engagement. Wholesale Messaging: Large events, advertisements, campus-wide activities designed for mass appeal. Wholesale Messaging and Retail Engagement can be coordinated to be mutually reinforcing. Campus Engagement Fellows: AIPAC’s most accomplished student activists who complete Advanced Field Training and travel to other campuses in support of AIPAC’s national and campus initiatives. GAP (aka Government Affairs Portfolio) is a position exclusively focused on involving students in the American political process. AIPAC-trained student activists are working to establish these positions on every campus to ensure the continuity of pro-Israel students’ involvement in American legislative and electoral politics. Broaden the Base: Efforts by AIPAC-trained student activists to expand the movement’s base by engaging three key constituencies: incoming freshman, Taglit Birthright Israel alumni, and young people involved in politics for the first time. Strategic Partners: AIPAC’s key allies in strengthening campus support for the U.S.-Israel alliance. They include the Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC), Hillel, Chabad, AEPi, College Democrats of America, College Republicans National Committee, and BBYO. Saban: AIPAC’s Saban Leadership Seminar. Each summer and winter, AIPAC portfolioed activists and key campus contacts travel to Washington, D.C. for three days of leadership and campus organizing skills building. High School Summit: AIPAC brings outstanding high school student leaders to Washington, D.C. for high-level Israel advocacy and political activism training. Advanced Advocacy Mission to Israel: An intensive mission to Israel to look at the current issues affecting the U.S.-Israel relationship designed for students who have previously traveled to Israel and who have a strong desire in assuming significant community leadership roles upon graduation from college and/or pursuing careers in politics, public policy, media, or advocacy. Policy Conference (aka PC): AIPAC’s Annual Policy Conference. The pro-Israel community’s most significant political gathering, PC brings together community and campus activists with members of the Administration and Congress annually in

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Washington, D.C. AIPAC Campus Allies Mission to Israel: A trip designed for student leaders from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Christian Campuses, schools with significant Hispanic populations, AIPAC campus activists not eligible for AIPAC’s Taglit Birthright Israel program, as well as campus political leaders. AIPAC Internship: AIPAC’s Diamond Internship Program. Pro-Israel students intern in AIPAC’s Washington, D.C. headquarters and its 15 regional offices.

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AIPAC Campus Training Opportunities While AIPAC does not have chapters or affiliated groups on college campuses or in high schools, for more than 30 years we have helped students find their voices in support of a strong U.S.-Israel relationship. AIPAC student activists participate in a variety of training opportunities throughout the year, including: Summer Seminar Series/Regional Intern Seminars June-July, 2011 AIPAC’s Summer Seminar Series events, which are held on a regular basis throughout June and July, attract hundreds of Washington-based interns interested in politics and the U.S.-Israel alliance. Past speakers have included: White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN), Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA), Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer. Regional Intern Seminars are also hosted by AIPAC’s regional and satellite offices throughout the country each summer. National Summit Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 2011 1,000 community activists from across the country—including more than 100 student activists from campuses throughout Arizona—will come together in Scarsdale for this exclusive gathering of AIPAC’s top leadership. Speakers have included: former President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Ambassador Richard Holbrooke. Schusterman Advocacy Institute High School Summit November 6-9, 2011 Each year, AIPAC partners with select Jewish Day Schools, synagogues, national youth groups and teen leadership organizations to bring 400 student leaders from across the country to Washington, D.C. for Israel advocacy and political activism training. Through AIPAC’s Schusterman Advocacy Institute, AIPAC identifies and mentors high school students committed to strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship through the American political process. Saban Leadership Seminar December 18-21, 2011 AIPAC hosts its Saban Leadership Seminar twice annually in Washington, D.C. At each seminar, more than 400 of AIPAC’s top student activists from over 140 campuses participate in four days of intense political programming and advocacy training. During these seminars, students interact with leading Washington policy makers, Middle East experts and AIPAC leadership development professionals.

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Advanced Advocacy Mission Trip to Israel Dec. 26, 2011-Jan. 3, 2012 AIPAC’s most intensive leadership development experience, the Advanced Advocacy Mission is open only to students who have previously traveled to Israel. Leading policy makers and opinion-leaders engage undergraduate and graduate students interested in pursuing careers or community leadership positions in the fields of Israel advocacy, public affairs and policy formulation. Student Speakers Bureau/Advanced Solicitation Training Spring, 2012 AIPAC provides first-rate public speaking and solicitation training to all of its campus activists. Once a year, select activists have the opportunity to work individually with top AIPAC professionals to develop their personal style and speaking proficiency. Members of the Student Speakers Bureau are asked to speak at AIPAC functions across the country to help community leaders, donors and prospective members understand the impact of AIPAC’s leadership development efforts. Policy Conference March 4-7, 2012 More than 10,000 activists representing every state, including 1,500 students from hundreds of campuses, come to Washington, D.C. for AIPAC’s Annual Policy Conference. Delegates hear from top White House officials, Congressional leaders and Israeli government ministers. The conference culminates in a trip to Capitol Hill, where delegates meet with their Members of Congress to advocate for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship. Interested students and campus professionals apply for a seat at the conference through AIPAC’s Leadership Development Department. Campus Allies Mission to Israel Spring, 2011 The AIPAC Campus Allies Mission, which is open only to those who have not been to Israel and are not eligible for Birthright Israel, is designed for pro-Israel political activists and student leaders from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Christian campuses, and primarily Hispanic-serving institutions. Participants experience the land of the Bible, gain a deeper understanding of the strategic and social issues facing Israel today, and examine the challenges and opportunities associated with the U.S.-Israel alliance. Diamond Summer Internship Summer, 2012 AIPAC's Diamond Internship Program enables students to contribute to strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship by participating in one of the most dynamic lobbying groups in American politics. AIPAC offers Diamond Internships in Washington, D.C. and around the country for undergraduate and graduate students. Diamond Interns develop

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their own political activism skills by bringing research, writing, and event-planning experience to a host of projects that help advance AIPAC's mission. Engaging Washington from Abroad Year-Round Hundreds of deeply committed American students travel to Israel each year to spend time studying on Israeli campuses. Recognizing that these students are among their generation’s most passionate pro-Israel activists, AIPAC’s Leadership Development Department mobilizes these American students while they are studying in Israel. This exciting new initiative has transformed this previously-untapped constituency into a tangible asset for the pro-Israel political movement. Washington Professional Forum Year-Round AIPAC’s Washington Professional Forum was created to maintain contact with former campus activists—as well as other recent graduates active in the fields of politics, public policy, and advocacy—to keep them informed on issues affecting the U.S.-Israel relationship. Students interested in these and other AIPAC training opportunities should send an e-mail to: [email protected].

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AIPAC Campus Cadre: Roles and Responsibilities AIPAC Campus Liaison The AIPAC Campus Liaison is charged with three responsibilities:

1. Cadre Continuity: The Liaison is charged with recruiting activists for each cadre position and identifying his/her replacements. The liaison position should last no longer than one year. Effective liaisons constantly search for and cultivate replacements.

2. Cadre Coordination: The Liaison makes sure that each cadre member sticks to and fulfills his/her respective responsibilities.

3. Field Organizer Communication: The Liaison is in weekly contact with his/her AIPAC Field Organizer, to keep him/her apprised of the cadre’s progress and needs, and to seek advice and guidance.

Campus Legislative Coordinator (CLC) The Campus Legislative Coordinator mobilizes pro-Israel activists for legislative impact. CLC responsibilities include:

1. Managing the cadre’s efforts to build relationships with local members of Congress and their district offices, as well as additional members of Congress that represent students on campus from other areas of the country.

2. Tracking legislation of importance to the U.S.–Israel relationship. 3. Organizing all legislative impact initiatives (i.e. lobbying meetings, letter-writing

campaigns). Campus Electoral Coordinator (CEC) The Campus Electoral Coordinator mobilizes pro-Israel students in support of pro-Israel candidates of their choice. CEC responsibilities include:

1. Tracking local Congressional races and identifying opportunities for pro-Israel political action.

2. Mobilizing pro-Israel students for electoral impact (i.e. recruiting pro-Israel students to volunteer for and financially contribute to campaigns).

3. Reporting on students’ electoral involvement. Campus Engagement Coordinator (CEC) The Campus Engagement Coordinator oversees recruitment of new pro-Israel political activists. The CEC should – at a minimum – help the pro-Israel political base grow from 6 cadre members to 36 involved students who can support the cadre in implementing AIPAC’s campus initiatives. Responsibilities include:

1. Identifying and involving incoming freshman who have been involved with AIPAC in high school.

2. Engaging Israel returnees (i.e. Birthright Israel alumni, study abroad alum) in AIPAC’s work.

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3. Helping Liaison and AIPAC Field Organizer recruit for AIPAC training opportunities such as Saban Leadership Seminar, Policy Conference, etc.

Campus Relations Coordinator (CRC) The Campus Relations Coordinator cultivates and manages relationships with influential student leaders. The CRC is responsible for:

1. Identifying and engaging campus influentials (including – but not limited to – leaders of College Democrats, College Republicans and the Student Government Association).

2. Working to strengthen existing relationships with campus leaders. 3. Mobilizing pro-Israel student leaders – in conjunction with the CLC and CEC – in

support of legislative and electoral agendas. Cadre Curriculum Coordinator (CCC) The Cadre Curriculum Coordinator helps ensure that the cadre is current and conversant on the issues that affect the U.S.-Israel relationship. Responsibilities include:

1. Organizing training workshops for the cadre on AIPAC’s unique methodology. 2. Distributing AIPAC issue memos to the cadre. 3. Coordinating with AIPAC Field Organizer invitations to local AIPAC community

leaders and professionals to brief the cadre on topics of concern.

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2011 Fall Campus Initiatives: Relationships Matter Publish Campus Leadership Statement AIPAC encourages pro-Israel student activists to build lasting relationships with influential student leaders on campus. This semester, AIPAC-trained students will meet with leaders of campus organizations to solicit statements of solidarity with Israel and support for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship. With the leaders’ permission, these statements will be published as letters-to-the-editor, op-ed pieces and/or advertisements in campus and community newspapers, and presented to local members of Congress. Student activists will identify a broad range of campus influentials to secure their signatures on bipartisan statements of support for the U.S.-Israel alliance. In particular, activists will gather support from student leaders beyond the organized pro-Israel campus community, devoting special attention to engaging members of Student Governments, College Democrats, College Republicans, fraternities and sororities, and groups on campus. Visit Congressional District Office Effective pro-Israel lobbying involves building ongoing relationships with members of Congress. In cultivating relationships with members of Congress and their staff, student activists maximize their potential for immediate, direct, and tangible impact while creating a foundation for productive engagement well into the future. This semester, AIPAC-trained activists are encouraged to lead a delegation of pro-Israel students to visit local members of Congress and/or key congressional staff in the member’s district office. These delegations should include a select group of pro-Israel student leaders prepared to discuss the member’s views on the Middle East and the U.S.-Israel relationship. Activists who have published a pro-Israel leadership statement in their campus newspapers should bring a copy of the statement to the district office and encourage a similar expression of support from the member of Congress. Throughout the school year, activists should solidify their relationships with legislators by corresponding regularly with district staffs and inviting local members of Congress to speak on their campus. . Broaden the Base to Maximize Political Influence A priority this semester is for AIPAC-trained student activists to expand the politically-oriented pro-Israel movement’s base by engaging key political activists. Through targeted efforts to build relationships with a range of individuals—including incoming freshmen, Birthright-Israel alumni and politically oriented students—activists will work to involve greater numbers of individuals in the work of AIPAC on campus. By cultivating a stronger network and broader community of AIPAC-oriented students—expanding the number of individuals receiving and responding to Action Alerts from six to thirty-six—AIPAC-trained campus activists will significantly increase their impact on legislative and electoral politics.

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AUGUST 2011Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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SEPTEMBER 2011Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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OCTOBER 2011Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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NOVEMBER 2011Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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Created using the Vertex42 Calendar Template More printable calendars: 2011 Calendar, 2012 Calendar

DECEMBER 2011Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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A Orientation Session

What do you want to get out of Saban? What are your goals for this seminar?

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B Action Planning Workshop #1: Surveying the Campus and

Developing the Strongest Possible Cadre Political activism begins not with creating a plan but with evaluating the status quo. This assessment is a systematic process for examining the current allies, detractors, resources in your campus community which have the potential help or hinder the work of your AIPAC Campus Cadre. In addition, it is important to determine who will assume each specific cadre portfolio for the coming year. This survey is meant to help answer the question: "What am I working with on my campus?"

School:

1. Assessing Potential Campus Allies Hillel/Chabad/CUFI Allies Greek Allies Faculty Allies Campus Media Allies College Democrat/Republican Allies Other Potential Allies

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B 2. Assessing Detractor Activity Anti-Israel Student Groups

Unsympathetic Professors Unsympathetic Campus Media Unsupportive SGA Officials Anti-Israel Community Groups Other Potential Detractors

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B 3. Evaluating Potential Resources Politically Engaged Pro-Israel Students Taglit Birthright Israel Returnees Possible Coalition Partners Local Funding Sources Connections with Members of Congress Other Potential Resources

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B 4. Assigning Campus Cadre Portfolios

Campus Liaison Campus Legislative Coordinator Campus Electoral Coordinator

Campus Engagement Coordinator

Cadre Curriculum Coordinator

Campus Relations Coordinator

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C Action Planning Workshop #2:

Bringing Fall Initiatives to Campus Please review the initiatives below and jot down steps that are necessary to successfully implement them

1. Publish Campus Leadership Statement

a.

b.

c.

2. Visit Congressional District Office

a.

b.

c.

3. Broaden the Base to Maximize Political Impact

a.

b.

c.

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H The Challenge of a Finkelstein Coming to Campus

Goal: To develop an approach to the challenge indicated below which advances AIPAC’s strategic objectives on campus. Challenge: An anti-Israel speaker is coming to your campus to give a talk entitled: “Israel: The Apartheid State”. The event is being sponsored by a coalition of student groups and is taking place in a large auditorium. The campus media will most likely cover the event and an article about it will probably appear in the paper the day after. Pro-Israel students on your campus are very concerned.

Think Strategically, Not Tactically

1. What kind of inroads, if any, will this speaker make on your campus?

2. Who on your campus do you need to engage to prevent any real inroads from being made?

3. How can you use this challenge to advance your strategic objectives?

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H The Challenge of Anti-Israel Campus Divestment

Goal: To develop an approach to the challenge indicated below which advances AIPAC’s strategic objectives on campus. Challenge: An anti-Israel divestment bill has just been introduced in your SGA Senate and will be up for a vote soon.

Think Strategically, Not Tactically

1. What are Israel’s detractors’ goals in pursuing anti-Israel divestment through the SGA?

2. What are our goals in this situation?

3. What are some concrete actions that will help to achieve these goals?

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H The Challenge of Clashing Campus Israel Groups

Goal: To develop an approach to the challenge indicated below which advances AIPAC’s strategic objectives on campus. Challenge: Students interested in Israel have formed several groups on campus which traditionally do not cooperate, and at times even clash. One of the groups focuses exclusively on Israeli cultural affairs, one is affiliated with J Street U, and one brings speakers to campus and opposes all critics of Israel.

Think Strategically, Not Tactically

1. Is there a basis for cooperation between or among any of these Israel-oriented student groups?

2. What are the potential advantages and pitfalls to reaching out to each of these groups?

3. What is your minimum objective with each of these groups?

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SECTION 2 Engaging Campus Leaders

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Defining the Debate: Ideas for Action

Invite student leaders to discuss Iran/Hezbollah/Hamas over coffee or dinner.

Bring a member of Congress to speak with student leaders about the U.S.-Israel relationship.

Submit op-ed pieces on the Middle East to campus and local news publications.

Pass a student government resolution condemning Hamas and Hezbollah and denouncing Iran for its destabilizing role in the Middle East.

Help SGA candidates write pro-Israel position papers.

Circulate a petition condemning Iran/Hezbollah/Hamas.

Ask College Democrats and College Republicans to co-sign a letter to the campus newspaper condemning Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Produce a video using clips of Ahmadinejad’s speeches, post it on YouTube, and email customized copies to campus leaders, attaching a personal note to each one.

Host a briefing for student leaders featuring a supportive professor who is a Middle East expert.

Wear engagement t-shirts or buttons that will encourage conversations about the value of the U.S.-Israel alliance.

Use an enlarged map of Iranian missile capabilities as an educational tool and use the map as part of a traveling educational presentation.

Encourage the editorial board to write an editorial in the campus newspaper supporting Israel’s right to defend itself.

Circulate a letter supporting Israel’s right to self-defense to be signed by fraternity/sorority officers and other student leaders.

Staff a table at campus events with information on pieces of legislation relevant to the U.S.-Israel relationship.

Start an Iran/Hezbollah/Hamas congressional letter writing campaign.

Develop a campaign to routinely brief student leaders on U.S. attempts to thwart Iran’s nuclear ambitions and reasons the issue is important for American security and world peace.

Regularly e-mail customized news updates to campus leaders.

Make a presentation about the Middle East in political science, international relations, or other related classes.

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Engaging College Dems and College Reps: Ideas for Action

Engage CD and CR leaders in conversation on the U.S.-Israel relationship over coffee.

Ask the leaders of CDs and CRs to sign a joint letter to local members of Congress thanking them for their support for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship.

Ask CDs and CRs to help circulate a petition in support of the U.S.-Israel relationship, and then invite them to join you in presenting it to local members of Congress.

Ask the leaders of CD’s and CR’s to write a joint statement on the U.S.-Israel relationship, and publish it in campus or local newspapers.

Invite CDs and CRs to an Israel forum with a supportive professor.

Deliver regular Middle East updates at CD and CR meetings.

Work with CDs and CRs to invite members of Congress to campus to discuss the U.S.-Israel relationship.

Meet on a regular basis with the presidents of CDs and CRs to discuss the status of legislation affecting the U.S.-Israel relationship.

Host a Bipartisan Leadership Dinner for campus political leaders, and invite a Middle East or political expert to give an off-the-record briefing.

Invite CDs and CRs to join pro-Israel activists in lobbying meetings in district offices.

Invite CDs and CRs to participate in a legislative impact mission to Washington, D.C.

Staff a table in between CDs and CRs tables at campus activities fairs.

Where appropriate, engage CDs and CRs in state Iran divestment efforts.

Encourage pro-Israel students to run for campus, state, and national positions in CDs and CRs.

Identify and build relationships with students on CD and CR platform committees.

Invite CD’s and CR’s to participate in campus Israel celebrations.

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Student Leadership Statements UCLA:

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Tufts University:

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Washington University in St. Louis:

John Harrison York Jeff Lin Mary Julia Bresman Student Body President Olin Business Council VP Alpha Omicron Pi President Mamatha Challa Daniel Bernard Samie Higer VP Administration Treasury Representative Alpha Omicron Pi, VP Alex Kiles Paul Blachar Amanda Leb Senior Class President Treasury Representative Alpha Epsilon Phi President Mary Pat Sinclair Michael Cohen Rivkah Shenoy VP Programming Treasury Representative Ashoka Co-Cultural Chair David Cohen Jake Lichtenfield Jonathan Branfam Former VP Administration Treasury Representative Pride Alliance Activism Chair Matt Re Gregory Porter Deborah Goldberg Chairman of Academic Affairs Treasury Representative Relay for Life Steering Committee Joshua Aiken Jacob Trunsky John Moynihan Chair of University Initiatives Treasury Representative Wash U Political Review Jamieson Ogle Joe Sutherland Zoe Madigan Senator Cong. of South 40, President OneWorld Editor-in-Chief Kelsey Brod Alina Cohen Jeremy Perkins Senator Cong. of South 40, VP NPSCJ Treasurer Becca Craig Emma Herman Hannah Rabinowitz Senator Cong. of South 40, VP Challah for Hunger President Daniel Fishman Nancy Ye Lena Kelley Senator Cong. of South 40, VP Green Events Commission Sam Kentor Kevin Paule Donna Iken Senator Young Americans for Liberty Sigma Iota Rho Honorary Elana Lederman Brandon Brown Michelle Peleg Senator WU Football Captain Wash U Students for Israel President Joseph Marcus Eliot Rosenthal Eve Samborn Senator Jewish Student Union President Wash U Students for Israel Political Chair Zach Schmitz Gideon Rosenthal Senator Jewish Student Union Treasurer Jenny Wu Erica Sandrock Senator Chabad Students President

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University of Oklahoma:

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University of Vermont:

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University of Central Florida:

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Orange County Teens Advocating for Israel:

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Vanguard Leadership Group (VLG), a leadership development academy and honor society for top students at America’s historically black colleges and universities, takes exception to the deliberate misrepresentation of words and mischaracterization of the state of Israel by the organizers of this month’s Israel Apartheid Weeks.

Words Matter

March, 2011 An Open Letter to Students for Justice in Palestine, The use of the word “apartheid” by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) in its characterization of Israel is patently false and deeply offensive to all who feel a connection to the state of Israel. Your organization’s campaign against Israel is spreading misinformation about its policies, fostering bias in the media, and jeopardizing prospects for a timely resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Such irresponsibility is a blemish on your efforts. Playing the “apartheid card” is a calculated attempt to conjure up images associated with the racist South African regimes of the 20th century. The strategy is as transparent as it is base. Beyond that, it is highly objectionable to those who know the truth about Israel’s record on human rights and how it so clearly contrasts with South Africa’s. Under apartheid, Black South Africans could not vote and had no rights in a country in which they were the overwhelming majority of the population. SJP has chosen to manipulate rather than inform with this illegitimate analogy. Therefore, we request that you immediately stop referring to Israel as an apartheid society and to acknowledge that the Arab minority in Israel enjoys full citizenship with voting rights and representation in the government. You should acknowledge that there are 14 Arab members in the Israeli Knesset, an Arab member of the Israeli governing Cabinet, an Arab member of the Israeli Supreme Court, and Israeli Arabs involved in Israeli businesses, universities and the cultural life of Israel. Decency, justice, and the hope of peace and reconciliation in the Middle East compel us to demand an immediate cessation to the deliberate misappropriation of words and of the flagrant mischaracterizations of Israel. Your compliance with this request will be viewed as a responsible and appropriate first step toward raising the level of discourse. Sincerely, Jarrod Jordan Hakim Ameen Leah Graves Vanguard Leadership Group Rust College Miles College Executive Director Former SGA President SGA President

Latasha Bullock Michael Hayes Alexis Camille Crews Spelman College Clark Atlanta University Spelman College

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Oluwa Abney Jessica Coley Duncan Kirkwood Morehouse College Morgan State University Alabama State University Former SGA President Former SGA President Vincent Evans Jerica Richardson Domonique James Florida A&M University Georgia Tech University Spelman College College Democrats President

Jarvis Belton Richard Fulton Chantel Morant Morehouse College Morehouse College Clark Atlanta University

Walter Whitehead Clark Atlanta University

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Student Government Resolutions Pro-Israel students have been defining the debate by using SGA resolutions, petitions, leadership statements, and op-eds to get the campus talking and to engage student leaders.

Over the years, a number of campuses have been involved in these efforts including: Bethune-Cookman College, Carson Newman College, George Washington University, Indiana University, Northwestern University, Rutgers University, Stanford University, University of Georgia, University of Southern California, University of Florida, University of Oklahoma, Vanderbilt University, Washington University, and University of California- Los Angeles.

Below are samples of resolutions that were passed on college campuses:

Indiana University resolution in support of the U.S.-Israel relationship: CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTION

Sponsor(s): Alexander Groysman (Vice-Chairman of Student Rights Committee) Co-Sponsor(s): Michael Coleman (Student Body President), Peter Servaas (Student Body Vice President), Ines Tzolov, Daniel McKasson, George Thomas, Sam Park, Alex Kain, Allison Kehoe, Ben Sisson, Sarah Wells, Philip Chiang, Trenton Morton, Jewish Student Center, Indiana-Israel Public Affairs Committee, Hoosiers for Israel, College Democrats at IU, and College Republicans at IU.

RESOLUTION TO AFFIRM INDIANA UNIVERSITY’S SUPPORT FOR THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL

WHEREAS, Israel was founded as and is a representative democracy, and is the only stable democracy in the Middle East; and WHEREAS, Israel – similarly to the United States – promotes innovation, entrepreneurship, and freedom; and WHEREAS, Despite the coordinated efforts to undermine Israel’s right to exist in the community of nations, the State of Israel has become a major leader in business, technological development, sustainability efforts, scientific research, medicine, military training and intelligence; and WHEREAS, The special relationship between the United States and the State of Israel proves mutually beneficial with the investment in America’s national security and her soldiers both at home and abroad; and

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WHEREAS, We stand by the United States Congress in reiterating our strong support for a safe and secure State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state; and WHEREAS, Iran’s illicit pursuit of nuclear weapons pose an existential threat to the security of the State of Israel and the United States, and the safety of our citizens abroad; and WHEREAS, There is a special bond of cultural, economic, and educational cooperation between the citizens of Indiana and Israel in that Indiana has over 70 companies with offices in Israel; the Indiana Department of Commerce has a trade office in Jerusalem; and

WHEREAS, Indiana University President Michael McRobbie led a delegation of American university leaders on a trip to Israel to explore closer academic and research ties between the two nations; nine educational institutions in our state, including Indiana University, receive funding from Israeli foundations for research; Indiana University has sent over 100 students to study abroad in Israel over the past decade; and WHEREAS, Indiana senator Evan Bayh in 2009 signed a Senate letter on the Mideast Peace Process stressing that the U.S. must remain a close friend and ally of Israel; THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED, that the Indiana University Student Association Congress affirms the support for strengthening the relationship between the United States and Israel, recognizes Israel’s right to exist and defend itself, and supports the peace process concerning Israel and its neighbors.

WHEREAS, This resolution was written as a direct response to an effort dubbed Global BDS Movement. This effort, largely present on the West Coast, calls for a weaker US-Israel relationship by boycotting, divesting, and placing sanctions against Israel and Israeli companies.

University of Florida resolution in support of U.S.-Israel relationship: STUDENT BODY RESOLUTION 2009-132 WE, THE STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, HEREBY RESOLVE: TITLE: Resolution Affirming Support for the State of Israel AUTHORS: Rafael A. Yaniz, Senator Alan Yanuck, Senator Jesse Sherman,

Senator Joey Regalado, Senator Spencer Pylant, Senator Ben Meyers, Senator Chelsey Campbell, Gators for Israel

SPONSORS: Senator Emily Jones, Senator Shelley Greenspan, Senator Summer

Lubart, Senator Katherine Getty

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WHEREAS, the Jewish people have a developed culture and a long history in the land

east of the Mediterranean, especially in Jerusalem, dating before four thousand B.C.; and

WHEREAS, in 1947 the United Nations aided in re-establishing a home land for the

scattered Jewish people after World War II through creating new boundaries and establishing the Modern Israeli state alongside a Palestinian state; and

WHEREAS, Israel was founded as and is a representative democracy and, according to

the CIA Factbook, is the only democracy in the Middle East; and WHEREAS, since the state of Israel's establishment, numerous outside forces have

sought Israel's destruction, such as during the Six Days War, even though its conception was an international agreement; and

WHEREAS, since its creation, Israel has enhanced the global economy and community

through technological innovation such as the invention of Short Message Service text messaging, instant messaging, computer chips, and green technologies--such as drip irrigation--to maximize water usage in harsh climates; and

WHEREAS, there are over 8,000 Jewish students at the University of Florida, the

largest population of Jewish students at any single campus outside the State of Israel; and

WHEREAS, the Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad stated at a forum entitled,

“Islamic Sovereignty Over Today’s World” on October 26, 2005 -- “Undoubtedly, I say that this slogan and goal is achievable, and with the support and power of God, we will soon experience a world without the United States and Zionism and will breathe in the brilliant time of Islamic sovereignty over today’s world.”; and

In light of Iran attempting to acquire nuclear capability, which poses an existential threat to the safety, security, and existence of the state of Israel and of all the nations of the Middle East and will severely affect the efforts made toward initiating a negotiated Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement; then

THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED that Israel and its citizens have the right to exist, to defend themselves, and to live in peace; and LET IT BE RESOLVED that the University of Florida Student Senate recognizes that the United States of America and the State of Israel share the same foundational values of democracy and justice, and likewise America should continue to support Israel and its existence and maintain the mutually beneficial relationship between the two democracies

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in the sharing of technologies and information in which the nations set the standard for transparency in government and in holding open communication channels; and LET IT BE RESOLVED that the University of Florida Student Senate desires for a two state solution to be negotiated between the Israelis and Palestinians in order for both communities to live in peace and security with recognized borders and diplomatic relations, and that the result of those negotiations be an independent Israeli State and an independent Palestinian State; and THEREFORE, BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the University of Florida Student Senate hereby exhorts the United States Congress to pass and adopt the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions (H.R. 2194 in the US House of Representatives & S.908 in the US Senate) to pressure the Iranian leadership, through peaceful means, to abandon its nuclear weapons program. University of Florida resolution condemning Iranian nuclear proliferation: STUDENT SENATE BILL 2010-1127

TITLE: Resolution Supporting Strict Enforcement of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010

AUTHORS: Rafael Yaniz, Alan Yanuck, Senator Shelley Greenspan, Senator Andrew Hart, Senator Kevin Kleponis, Senator Pat Murphy, Senator Joe Pardo, Senator Cecelia Hardwick, Senator Chris Champion, Senator Ashley Florestal, Senator Scott Salzman, Senator Aundre Price, Senator Limary Gonzalez, Senator Albie Kaminsky, Senator Grant Kerwit, Senator Monya Sharp, Senator Jason Tiemeier, Senator Micah Lewis, Senator TJ Villamil

SPONSORS: Senator Shelley Greenspan, Senator Andrew Hart, Senator Kevin Kleponis, Senator Pat Murphy, Senator Joe Pardo, Senator Cecelia Hardwick, Senator Chris Champion, Senator Ashley Florestal, Senator Scott Salzman, Senator Aundre Price, Senator Limary Gonzalez, Senator Albie Kaminsky, Senator Grant Kerwit, Senator Monya Sharp, Senator Jason Tiemeier, Senator Micah Lewis, Senator TJ Villamil, Senator Jackie Hauser, Senator Michelle Miller, Senator Christina Bonarrigo

WHEREAS, Iran supports and funds terrorism in the Middle East in an attempt to destabilize the region, and

WHEREAS, Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program in order to increase its influence, through coercion, in the region and around the globe, and

WHEREAS, despite numerous sanctions from the United Nations and the United States, Iran has continued their pursuit of weapons grade uranium, and

WHEREAS, Iran is committed to suppressing democracy, violently quelling protests by college students in response to manipulated election results in the summer of 2009, and

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WHEREAS, on June 9th, 2010, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1929, recognizing the UN’s commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction as well as Iran’s previous disregard of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency, and

WHEREAS, Resolution 1929, imposed the strictest international sanctions to date on Iran in order to bring its nuclear weapons program to a halt, and

WHEREAS, on June 24th, 2010, the United States Congress passed the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (CISADA) with a vote of 408-8 in the House of Representatives and 99-0 in the Senate, and

WHEREAS, CISADA is an expansion of previous sanctions imposed on Iran in an effort to curb its desire to achieve a nuclear weapons program, and

WHEREAS, CISADA is a peaceful and diplomatic attempt to dissuade Iran from continuing its pursuit of nuclear weapons, and

WHEREAS, on July 1st, 2010, President Barack Obama signed CISADA into law, then

BE IT RESOLVED that the University of Florida Student Senate, on behalf of the Students of the University of Florida, demand strict enforcement of the sanctions placed by the United States Congress and by the United Nations on Iran, in order to maintain a nuclear-free Iran, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the students of the University of Florida stand in solidarity with their peers in Iran as they protest the destructive and totalitarian regime that continues to pursue a nuclear weapons program to the detriment of Iranian society.

Cornell University resolution condemning Iranian nuclear proliferation: WHEREAS, Pursuant to Article 1.3 of the Student Assembly Charter which states the SA will have the authority to examine any matters which involve the interests of the student community.

WHEREAS, Pursuant to Bylaw 1.3.a.4 of the SA Charter, “a Sense-of-the-Body Resolution, which may or may not be directed at a particular individual, organization or event, is an expression of the opinion of the SA regarding a matter of student concern.” WHEREAS, Pursuant to Bylaw 1.3.a.3, “Recommendation is an action of the SA expressing the recommendation of the SA in policy areas over which the SA through its Charter may or may not have policy-making power.”

WHEREAS, Since January 19, 1984 Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism by the Secretary of State;

WHEREAS, The U.S. Department of State has categorized Iran as “the most active” state sponsor of international terrorism;

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WHEREAS, No country designated to be a state sponsor of terror should be allowed to possess nuclear weapons;

WHEREAS, the Iranian leadership forbids freedom of speech, organization, or assembly as independent newspapers, opposition parties, and trade-unions are banned.

WHEREAS, the Iranian leadership has brutally repressed the students of Iran for many years, culminating in the horrific attack on a Tehran University dormitory in July 1999 where hundreds were beaten and tortured;

WHEREAS, the Iranian leadership currently condemns homosexuals to death, resulting according to Iranian human rights activists, in over 4,000 lesbians and gay men being executed since 1979;

WHEREAS, the Iranian leadership currently disenfranchises women, relegating them to second class citizens, as women do not have the right to divorce and are publicly executed for committing adultery;

WHEREAS, Intellectual dissent and non-Islamic religious expression are suppressed with political opposition, atheism, and secularism punishable by death;

WHEREAS, the Iranian leadership engages in outright Holocaust denial calming that the Nazi murder of Jews during World War II is a “fabrication” and “myth.”

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: Members of the Cornell University Student Association urge the New York Congressional delegation and our national leaders to support current and future initiatives, in cooperation with the international community, to put further pressure on Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Iranian Government as well as any other state sponsor of terror to stop their support of international organizations as well as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: This resolution expressly represents the opinions of the members of the Cornell University Student Assembly. It is also the opinion of the SA that this resolution should not stifle debate concerning this issue, but rather propagate more ideas and opinions from the student body.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: This resolution is in support of the Iranian people who are suffering under the tyranny of the Iranian government and the brave Iranians who have tried to speak out against their government’s actions in the face of brutal repression.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT: Copies of this resolution be sent to The Hon. George W. Bush, President of the United States; The Hon. Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State; H.E. Mr. John R. Bolton, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Nations; The Hon. Charles Schumer, U.S. Senate; The Hon. Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.S. Senate; The Hon. Maurice Hinchey, U.S. House of Representatives; The Hon. Sherwood Boehlert, U.S. House of Representatives. Copies of this resolution also be sent to Hunter Rawlings, President of Cornell University; Carolyn (Biddy) Martin, Provost; Thomas W. Bruce, Vice President for University Communications; Stephen

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Philip Johnson, Interim Vice President for Government and Community Relations; The Cornell Daily Sun, Ithaca Journal, and Ithaca Times for informational purposes.

University of Oklahoma resolution in support of foreign aid: CONGRESSIONAL BILL NO. 850404

A resolution supporting the 2011 US Foreign Aid package; providing an effective date; and directing distribution.

WHEREAS, Funds from the United States Foreign Aid Budget are used to help build, stabilize, and shape countries, and;

WHEREAS, US Foreign Aid is directly responsible for the well-being of countries across the world, and;

WHEREAS, In the midst of the political chaos in the Middle East, Foreign Aid has never been more vital, and;

WHEREAS, The 2011 Fiscal Budget for Foreign Aid is $44.9 billion divided between the State Department and US Agency for International Development, and;

WHEREAS, A large portion of US Foreign Aid is required to be spent in the United States, creating American jobs, and;

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA STUDENT ASSOCIATION UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT CONGRESS THAT:

Section 1: The OUSA Student Congress supports the full US foreign aid bill and encourages the Oklahoma congressional delegation to ensure its passage without amendments

Section 2: This act shall become effective when passed in accordance with the UOSA Constitution.

Section 3: Copies of the resolution shall be distributed to:

Mr. David L. Boren, President of the University of Oklahoma

James M. Inhoffe, U.S. Senator Dr. Tom Coburn, U.S. Senator Rep. John Sullivan, 1st District Rep. Dan Boren, 2nd District Rep. Frank Lucas, 3rd District Rep. Tom Cole, 4th District Rep. James Lankford, 5th District The Norman Transcript The Oklahoma Daily The Daily Oklahoman The Tulsa World

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Authors: Shayna Daitch, International and Area Studies District Representative; Franz Zenteno, UOSA President; Robert Baker, UOSA Executive Cabinet Member

Rutgers University resolution supporting the full implementation of U.N. Resolution 1701: WHERAS, Douglass College Government Association (DCGA) cares significantly about global issues, and

WHERAS, the conflict between Lebanon (Hezbollah) and Israel has deeply impacted our community, and

WHERAS, the United Nations (U.N.) – the central international diplomatic organization – passed Resolution 1701 dealing with the aforementioned conflict, and

WHERAS, the resolution states that the several nations of the U.N. will maintain a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, and

WHERAS, the resolution also calls for the full enforcement of Lebanese sovereignty over all its territory, and

WHERAS, certain of the conditions of Resolution 1701 have not been met, namely the deployment of only one third of the troops called for in the U.N. Resolution, and the lack of any effective international troops called for in the U.N. Resolution, and the lack of any effective international; troop presence on the Lebanese-Syrian border, and

WHERAS, the DCGA believes in supporting effective and worthwhile United States foreign policy, and

WHERAS, stability and prosperity in the Middle East directly impacts the stability and prosperity of our community,

Therefore Be It Resolved, that DCGA gives its support to the full implementation of all parts of U.N. Resolution 1701.

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D Action Planning Workshop #2: Publish Campus Leadership

Statement Goal: To develop a concrete plan to publish a campus leadership statement by identifying student influentials and building strong, lasting relationships.

1. List the names of the following student influentials on your campus: • SGA President

• College Democrats President

• College Republicans President

• Editor of Campus Newspaper • Other Important Campus Leaders

2. Who within your cadre already has a connection with any of the leaders listed

above, and who in your cadre will take responsibility for building a meaningful relationship with each of the leaders listed above?

3. What form of campus leadership statement do you intend to publish?

4. What will be your next steps after the campus leadership statement is published?

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I Engaging the Left

Goal: To figure out how to engage and build credible relationships with left of center and progressive campus activists.

1. Why is this both necessary and vital to the success of the American pro-Israel movement?

2. What basis exists for establishing common ground?

3. How would success in this endeavor be defined?

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SECTION 3 Engaging Members of Congress

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AIPAC President Lee Rosenberg on the Imperative for Political Action It's been said that change is the only constant. And certainly this past year is a testament to the truth of that statement. Throughout this conference, we have and will continue to spend considerable time talking about the turmoil abroad and what it means for America, for Israel, and for our work. But this morning, I want to explore with you the tectonic shifts we are witnessing in American politics right here at home. These are changes which demand from each of us a major adjustment in the way we measure our own activism -- changes which require new thinking and a fresh approach if indeed we want to ensure the safety and strength of America and Israel, now and in the decades to come. For as long as AIPAC has existed, our ability to help ensure Israel strength and survive had depended upon our own individual relationships -- friendships carefully nurtured over time between members of the pro-Israel community, like you, and elected officials in Congress. It is a model which invests in each of us as lay activists to do the actual work of building relationships. It is our remarkable motto of success and has allowed us to overcome our relatively small numbers as a community. Our individual conversations with those in power have ensured America's warm embrace of the 63-year-old nation. Every year, AIPAC's leaders have stood before you to report that this Congress is the most pro-Israel in history. And fortunately, that is still the case. Are we that good that we can sit back and relax? The fact is for all that we have achieved and for all that will be written about this gathering in the days to come, for as exciting as it is to be part of the largest pro-Israel gathering of its kind is history, we must not be fooled by our numbers, or by the impressive look of this room teaming with AIPAC supporters. We have been successful because a relatively small number of leaders over the years assumed the lion's share of the work, building multiple relationships with key members of Congress. What happens when those lay leaders are gone? What happens when those legislators lose an election or retire? Well, we're finding out. In the last several years, a number of trends have taken hold, which have made creating and sustaining political friendships more challenging than ever before, and which demand that we reinvent the nature of our involvement.

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Let's take a look at the three factors shaping politics today: American demographics, congressional turnover, and the ever increasing cost of electoral campaigns. So first, demography. We've witnessed a shift in the last 30 years. As larger numbers of Americans have begun moving away from the Northeast and Midwest into the South and West, congressional representation has changed. Next year, New York will have its fewest number of House seats since the year 1810. Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts and New Jersey, each of them is losing congressional seats. More Americans live in North Carolina than in New Jersey. And more Americans call Washington State home than Massachusetts. Today, minorities account for 30 percent or more of the population and a majority of America's congressional districts, with Hispanic Americans being among the fastest growing political constituency. Fortunately, your support of AIPAC's work over the years have allowed us to adapt. We've opened offices in places like Houston, San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Seattle, Atlanta, and Missoula, Montana. And we began initiatives to work as specifically with Hispanic American, African-American, and pro-Israel Christian leaders so that members of Congress, even those without a Jewish constituency, would understand the importance of Israel to America. But we must keep pace. These initiatives must evolve quickly into deep-rooted movements in these regions. To ensure American support for Israel, continues to remain vibrant, a growing number of Americans must be part of our AIPAC family. Second, congressional turnover. Not only is our electorate changing, but so are those we elect. Congress today exists in a constant state of flux. When I first got involved with AIPAC about 15 years ago, so long as we nurtured our friendships with incumbents, we had the relationships we needed to ensure that Congress would always stand up for Israel. But today, Capitol Hill is no longer a place of entrenched incumbency; far from it. In just over two years, over one-third of the House and Senate has changed hands, and nearly two-thirds of the Congress has turned over in the last decade. And more in-House incumbents have lost their election last November than in any other general election since the birth of the state of Israel. So imagine, if one-third of the professional staff in your office changed every two years -- gone. Knowledge and institutional memory -- gone. Continuity -- gone. Relationships -- gone. If you add up the years of service of everyone who left office in 2010, we lost nearly 800 years of combined legislative and foreign policy experience. So add to all of this the third factor, the ever-increasing cost of congressional campaigns. The cost of a winning House campaign has increased exponentially. Unfortunately, the number of pro-Israel Americans contributing to those congressional elections has not. Too large a burdened is still being shouldered by too few in our community. And quite simply, it's not sustainable. This moment requires that we make a profound cultural shift in how we think about our own pro-Israel work.

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Not only must we increase the number and diversity of Americans involved in our work, we are now required, each of us, to re-imagine what it means to be a pro-Israel activist. Your pro-Israel identity must be remodeled to include a broader responsibility. This isn't something that can be subcontracted to the AIPAC staff or anyone else, for that matter. It needs us. And as I shared last year, being involved in AIPAC and not making financial contributions to politics is like riding a bike without pedals. It just doesn't work. In the next several months, AIPAC will be announcing the expansion of its political education program -- an initiative designed to ensure that everyone understands the obligation to compliment our AIPAC work with a financial commitment to politics. We will be inviting everyone to play this role; to commit resources to the political process this year the same way you make a decision to support AIPAC every year. We have to be building meaningful political relationships with all of our country's leaders. And that doesn't happen 535 times quickly. True friendship, wrote President George Washington, is a plant of slow growth. It takes time. It takes effort. It takes dedication. It takes financial resources. It takes your voice. And it takes people like you who are willing to combine all of these elements into solid relationships with our country's leaders. But we need more people like you. Luckily, we are still in our infancy. In a nation of 315 million, AIPAC is only beginning. We remain a small representation of America's overwhelming support for Israel. We must be far more. It's a historic start, but AIPAC is just beginning to integrate our work into the fabric of our own communities. We must be, for this generation, a clear voice of pro-Israel advocacy, a voice in every conversation with each of every -- of our country's lawmakers and leaders; the voice that ensures that in the years to come, no matter who sits in Congress, the ties between America and Israel will be unbroken. This is our work and this is our calling to be the voice of pro-Israel America. One of the more interesting projects I've been involved in outside of my AIPAC life -- when I actually had one -- was to co-create and produce a documentary about the history of America as told through the lens of recorded music. This planned eight-part film explores how music in America shaped one another. Throughout our history, music was often a vehicle to popularize a notion, sometimes a political movement. But at a certain point, artists of that time had to make a decision -- a decision to their craft, to use their voice as a method to change how people thought about an issue. We all have a similar decision to make. What special gifts, what resources do we possess to be the agents of change for this generation to shape how our leaders think and act? Are we willing to contribute those resources -- resources of time, finances, and talent. Are we willing to lend our leadership skills; our ability to build friendships and to persuade and educate, to inspire others to action? Are we willing to lend our voice?

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The prophet Isaiah called to his contemporary saying, "The guardians of Israel can neither slumber nor sleep." The visionary Herzl spoke to those of his time, "If you will it, it is no dream." Throughout the remainder of this conference, we will hear the eloquent and no doubt stirring words of many who have dedicated their lives to America and to Israel. But on this day, at this moment in time, the only voice which can stir us to action which can compel us to be more than who we are, better than we thought we could ever be, that voice can only be our own. Thank you.

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Lobbying Year Round: Ideas for Action By definition, lobbying once is an oxymoron. Effective lobbying involves building a genuine impactful relationship with a member of Congress in order to influence the member’s positions on various issues. In order to be meaningful, your contact with a member of Congress has to be informative and routine. There are several steps you can take to lobby a member of Congress year-round.

1. Lobby your member of Congress in D.C. – there are lobbying opportunities at AIPAC events such as the High School Summit, Policy Conference, and/or Saban Leadership Seminars.

2. Organize a legislative impact mission to D.C. with student leaders from your school.

3. Lobby in your district office at least twice a year. 4. Invite your member of Congress to school to speak about the importance of the

U.S.-Israel relationship. 5. Build relationships with the staff in your member’s D.C. and district offices. 6. Call and correspond with your member of Congress on key votes with regularity. 7. Send articles to your member of Congress on issues of concern at least once a

month. 8. Deliver a school leadership statement to your member of Congress in support of

the U.S.-Israel relationship. 9. Mobilize student activists to send emails to your member of Congress before

important votes. 10. Mobilize key school constituents to make phone calls to your member of

Congress before the most important votes.

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Corresponding With Your Member of Congress

1. Whenever corresponding with your member of Congress, email is recommended (regular mail is now delayed because of heightened security).

2. Your email should be customized to each member of Congress you correspond with.

3. Keep your correspondence specific! In order to deliver a clear message, focus on one issue, one piece of legislation, or one concern.

4. Make specific references to the member’s position on the issue you are referring to.

5. Indicate your position clearly and concisely without a lot of extraneous background information.

6. When appropriate, personalize your concern (for example: make a reference to your Israel experience or something happening on your campus).

7. Pose specific questions to elicit specific answers. (Note: this is important because it is more difficult for staffers or interns to respond with a generic form letter when specific questions are asked.)

8. If you receive a response that does not include specific answers to your questions, send a follow-up email with appreciation and reiterate the first letter’s specific questions; mention that you would still very much appreciate responses to your questions.

9. Send a follow up letter indicating your intention to discuss the member’s response with friends and family who express a keen interest in the member’s views.

10. Send a thank you email and ask to be kept apprised of the member’s stance on Israel-related issues.

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GSI: Responding to an Action Alert in 4 Easy Steps Preparation Step 1: Identify 6-36 enthusiastic pro-Israel students who want to play an impactful role in ensuring a strong U.S. – Israel relationship

A. The busiest of students can be engaged by face-to-face contact, phone call or e-mail because their involvement needs to take just a few minutes of their time.

B. The student does not need to be an expert on the US-Israel relationship to respond to an action alert– they have a right to voice their opinion to their member of Congress as a constituent.

Step 2: Supply these students with the name of their member of Congress, the member’s e-mail address, phone number, and a script to use during the phone call. If the student has any questions about the issue that you are unable to answer, please contact an AIPAC professional and get back to the student. All of these things can be found in the AIPAC Action Alert, which can also be supplied directly to the student. Step 3: Compile a spreadsheet of these ready/willing students with the following data:

A. Their name, year in school, e-mail, and cell phone B. Create a list-serve of their e-mail addresses, so you can e-mail

them as a group C. Use textblaster for those without smart phones

Step 4: Ask each person to commit to calling and/or e-mailing their member of Congress who represents your campus on the relevant issue within the requested period of time after being notified by you via text or email Game Time (The 24-Hour Time Span)

A. Receive an Action Alert from AIPAC outlining the issue and a suggested script

B. E-mail the name and contact information (phone number and e-mail) for your member of Congress as well as a quick briefing of the issue to your prepared listserv.

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C. Remind the participants on the listserv that they agreed to make these calls and e-mails and to e-mail or text you after they have made contact with their member of Congress.

D. Compile notable results, if any. Afterwards A. Thank students for making the calls and e-mails to their member of Congress. B. E-mail Rachel Swartz – [email protected] to let her know how many calls and e-mails your group made/sent out. C. Broaden the base: ask each group member to recruit 1 of their friends to make the same calls and e-mails the next time an AIPAC Action Alert goes out. Expand your listserv.

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Lobbying 101

American Israel Public Affairs Committee

Lobbying 101

1

Determining AIPAC’s Legislative Agenda

• The Government & People of Israel Determine Their Policies, Not AIPAC

• AIPAC Determines Its Policies, Not the Government of Israel

• Focus on Israel-Related Issues

• Focus on Key Issues That Congress Can Impact

2

Different Goals of Legislation

• Sending a Message

• Setting the Agenda

• Change in Policy or Law

• Funding

3

The AIPAC Approach

• Active Citizen Lobbyists

• Experienced Professional Lobbyists

• Combination of Professionals and Lay People

• Making Foreign Policy Relevant to Member

4

Keys to Our Success

• Knowing Our Audience

• Credible and Timely Information

• Effective Lobbyists in DC

• Mobilized Grassroots Membership

5

Before for the Meeting

• Know Your Member of Congress

• Review Voting Record

• Review Talking Points

6

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Prepare for the Meeting

• Decide on the Purpose of the Meeting

• Tailor Any Requests Accordingly

• Coordinate With Other Participants Prior to Meeting

• Consult AIPAC Lobbyist for Last Minute Developments

7

Types of Meetings

• Can be 5 Minutes or an Hour

• Can be Substantive or Cursory

• Can be Member or Staff

• Staff Are Influential People; Treat Them as if You Are Meeting With the Member

8

Meeting Guidelines

• Show up on Time

• Call if Delayed or to Cancel

• Be Polite and Listen

• Stay on Message, Speak With One Voice

9

During the Meeting

• Try to Establish a Friendly Rapport

• Thank the Member or Staffer for Taking the Time to Meet

• Thank the Member or Staffer for a Recent Vote or Floor Statement

• Seek Commitment

10

Lobbying is a Relationship

• Lobbying Is an Ongoing Process

• The Key Is Establishing a Relationship

• Keep up the Relationship with Member andStaff

• Follow up with a District meeting

• Always Send a Thank You Note

11

American Israel Public Affairs Committee

Lobbying 101

12

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Student Lobbying Efforts Advocating Beyond Campus Israel Campus Beat, April 15, 2011 By Elianna Mintz It’s 3:30 in the morning on a recent Thursday, and a bus full of sleepy college students is departing from the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Destination: Capitol Hill. These students—most attend Columbia and Barnard, but four New York University students have joined the effort—are on a mission, a lobby mission to be exact. After weeks of planning by student leaders, the group is ready to discuss critical Israel-related issues with influential policy makers on Capitol Hill. Welcome to the 2011 LionPac Lobby Mission. More than 40 students have undergone training and preparation to get ready for a series of meetings with elected officials and their top staff members – meetings in which they will address three topics of importance to the US-Israel relationship: ensuring successful execution of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions Accountability and Divestment Act of 2010, urging Eqypt to maintain the 1979 peace treaty, and continuing the critical annual foreign aid granted to Israel. “We chose these particular issues because they are inherently non-partisan and consensus issues,” explained LionPac vice president Eric Schorr. “Both Democrats and Republicans have consistently voted in support of sanctions against Iran, the importance of aid to Israel, and in support of Israel’s right to defend itself.” LionPac, one of Columbia’s main pro-Israel student organizations, has conducted annual lobbying missions for years, and a growing number of schools across the country are engaging in similar efforts. Educated, motivated and prepared college students can have significant impact on Capitol Hill, as these missions often help students envision their place in the pro-Israel community beyond the confines of their campuses. On this particular mission, the students had another, equally important, message to deliver: They wanted to thank the lawmakers for past support and to urge them to maintain their support in the future. Barnard College freshman Hannah Flesch and NYU senior Annie Peck both agreed that this component is critical. “The US-Israel relationship is formed in Congress,” Peck said. “We cannot take the favorable congressional opinion for granted. It must be constantly nurtured and cultivated just as with any relationship.”

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The trip was organized primarily by Barnard sophomore Rachael Schulder who said the hard work was worthwhile. “There is nothing more influential and rewarding than advocating before policymakers in Washington who make decisions that affect Israel and its fundamental principles,” she said.

LionPac members were pleased to learn, a day after they returned from Washington, that both Republican and Democratic U.S. legislators had come out against Palestinian incitement against Israel. Although this issue was not one of the group’s specific agenda items, at least one group had mentioned the issue in meetings with Members of Congress. Increasingly, pro-Israel student groups are viewing lobby missions as an important way to flex their advocacy muscles and to contribute to a broad effort to ensure a strong U.S.-Israel relationship. Just one day after LionPac’s lobby mission, Penn Israel Coalition teamed up with Drexel University’s Dragons for Israel to lobby three Philadelphia-area Congressional representatives. "Both Jewish and non-Jewish students met with representatives from Congressmen Fattah and Brady's office, as well as with Congresswoman Schwartz's office,” Penn freshman Brian Mund said. “As pro-Israel activists, we found that the best way to affect change and ensure Israel's safety and security is through meeting with policymakers directly.” Additionally, students from George Washington University, American University, University of Florida, Indiana University, University of Oklahoma, Cornell and other schools have participated in recent lobbying efforts. Some organize student-run lobby missions, like LionPac’s, while others join with national and regional advocacy groups on their lobby missions. By some estimates, students from more than 60 campuses will participate in pro-Israel lobbying efforts this year. Last August, six University of Nevada, Las Vegas students, including the student body president, lobbied Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Since then they have been lobbying Congressman Joe Heck's local office and plan to send more students to lobby on Capitol Hill in May. “We were nervous about speaking to the senator's staff but it was more like talking to friends than discussing an agenda,” UNLV junior Nathan Sigal said. "It was a very empowering experience to know that we were building a relationship with our representatives that would have a tangible effect on the US-Israel alliance," he continued. "It was even more empowering to discover that our elected officials would take a proactive stance on building and maintaining our ties to Israel. Since then we have gotten Las Vegas high school leaders to become involved and accompany us in our lobbying efforts. Some of these students will be joining us in DC next month as well.”

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Even if some students cannot physically get to Washington, DC, they can make their views known to lawmakers. Many student groups conduct long-distance efforts by writing letters and making phone calls. Pro-Israel students from the University of Florida recently held a series of conference calls with three congressional offices to discuss the importance of foreign aid and the implementation of Iran sanctions. “The conversations were very personable and positive. Not only did we discuss the items on our agenda, but we also discussed affairs in the Middle East, such as the uprising in Egypt,” said Chelsea Cohen, vice president of the University of Florida’s Gators for Israel. “It was really great to hear from all of the congressmen we spoke to about how important the U.S.-Israel relationship was to them.” At the University of Miami, campus activists have drafted a letter to the Florida Congressional delegation in support of foreign aid to Israel. With the help of students across the state, the activists reached out to student leaders at the University of Miami, University of Florida, Florida A&M University and Florida International University and secured their signatures on the letter. The letter’s signatories include presidents of Student Government Associations, College Democrats and College Republicans. Cohen stressed the importance of demonstrating broad support for Israel. “It wasn’t just pro-Israel students showing their support for Israel,” she said, “But the entire community coming together as constituents telling their congressmen that the U.S.-Israel relationship is of vital importance.” Back at Columbia and Barnard, students remain pleased at the impact of their trip, and many already are talking about their next visit to Capitol Hill. Hillel staff members who work with them can’t help but be impressed. Asked about the lobby mission, Columbia and Barnard’s Israel Fellow, Tor Tsuk, said, “As an Israeli, I am very touched to see how Israel is so relevant and important even to those who are a 12-hour flight away.”

Students Lobby Congress in Support of Israel The Daily Pennsylvanian (University of Pennsylvania), April 3, 2011 By Sam Panzer Seven student lobbyists of the Penn Israel Coalition claimed their seats at a round table in Congressman Chaka Fattah’s (D-Pa.) district office Friday afternoon as they prepared for their final meeting of the day. They were about to begin a video conference with Maisha Leek, chief of staff for Fattah.

The lobbyists visited a total of three Congressional offices, including those of Congressman Robert Brady (D-Pa.) and Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.).

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The Penn Israel Coalition’s agenda stressed three main aspects of the United States-Israel relationship: continuing U.S. foreign aid to Israel without cuts, ensuring the successful implementation of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act of 2010, and urging Egypt to honor its existing peace treaties with Israel.

Wharton and Nursing sophomore Jeff Rollman, vice president of governmental/political affairs for the Penn Israel Coalition, thought the conferences went well. “The meeting with Bob Brady went phenomenally,” he said. All three “were very receptive of what we had to say,” he added.

Some members felt that the day was a personal mission. Drexel sophomore Eitan Shamir said that they were there “to inform and deliver the truth.” He added that “as a pro-Israeli American, it’s an obligation.”

“Regardless of background … there are a plethora of reasons why we should support Israel,” Wharton and Engineering junior Stu Posluns said.

Representatives from each congressional office praised the students for taking action. Karen Gurmankin, field representative for Schwartz, told Rollman that the Penn group was the first group of students to visit Schwartz’s office. College freshman Brian Mund, a Daily Pennsylvanian contributing writer, noted that the Penn Israel Coalition was the “first student group to lobby [Brady’s] office in 26 years.”

Leek told the group that they “should really be proud of being politically active. You know how apathetic some students can be.”

Rollman said that the lobbying trip was the Penn Israel Coalition’s most politically significant activity this year. “The most effective way to influence members of Congress is to meet with them,” he said.

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Honorable John Boehner Honorable Eric Cantor Speaker of the House House Majority Leader H-232 The Capitol H-329, The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515 February 10, 2011 Dear Mr. Speaker and Mr. Majority Leader: As young leaders of the Republican Party, we are watching with great interest the debate on Capitol Hill over how to restore fiscal responsibility to the federal budget without jeopardizing American national security. It is in the context of this ongoing conversation that we write you to express our strongest possible support for America’s foreign aid budget, which accounts for just over one percent of total federal spending. The most important account in the foreign aid budget is the state of Israel, and American security assistance to Israel is in our vital national security interest. The ongoing political and social unrest in the Middle East brings into sharp focus the strategic necessity of having a stable ally like Israel in the region. We strongly urge you to support the full funding of American security assistance to Israel at $3 billion with a $205 million supplement for the deployment of Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system. We admire and support your commitment to cutting spending, and we want to be your partners in finding ways to do so without jeopardizing the national security of the United States. Sincerely,

Zach Howell, National Chairman College Republican National Committee

Jeremy Hagen, Executive Director College Republican National Committee

Terence Grado, National Co-Chairman College Republican National Committee

Brand Kroeger, National Treasurer College Republican National Committee

Chandler Harris, National Secretary College Republican National Committee

John Kleinhans, Northeastern Regional Vice-Chair College Republican National Committee

Alex Schriver, Southern Regional Vice-Chair College Republican National Committee

Jonathon Snyder, Midwestern Regional Vice-Chair College Republican National Committee

Michael Antonopoulos, Western Regional Vice-Chair, College Republican National Committee

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Honorable Chairman Emanuel Cleaver II C/O Congressional Black Caucus 1433 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Cleaver, We are writing out of great concern over the U.N. Security Council’s plan to consider a resolution condemning Israeli settlement activity. At this time of great uncertainty and turmoil in the Middle East, the United States must take concrete steps to reassure close allies such as the state of Israel. Now is not the time for measures that make our allies feel anxious and isolated. The United Nations is not the proper venue to discuss final status issues between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. As with all final-status matters, the issue of Israeli settlement activity should be resolved through direct negotiations between the two parties. As U.S. Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo noted last month, “Permanent-status issues can be resolved only through negotiations between the parties—and not by recourse to the Security Council.” We strongly urge you to tell President Obama, whom we respect and admire, to veto this resolution and to encourage the Palestinian Authority to return to the negotiating table with Israel. Sincerely, Travis Randle Student Government Association President Morehouse College Iva Stewart-Barre Student Government Association President Spelman College A. Philanda Moore Student Government Association President Clark Atlanta University

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The Honorable Clarence "Bill" Nelson United States Senate 716 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Nelson:

As the Presidents of Student Governments, College Republicans, and College Democrats across the state of Florida, we are writing to you to express the need and our support for financial assistance to the State of Israel.

Israel is our strongest ally and the only democracy in the Middle East. Today, the security of Israel is at extreme risk from existential threats and a very unstable region. Financial aid to Israel is vital to maintain our commitment to homeland security both at home and abroad. Additionally, most of the foreign aid given to Israel is spent back in our country, thereby securing more jobs for Americans. We understand the importance of fiscal responsibility in these tough economic times and the difficult decisions that you are making on Capitol Hill, but as foreign aid to Israel only encompasses one percent of the total bill, we ask you to consider the dangers in the region and the immense benefits of continuing support for the State of Israel.

We, the student leaders of Florida, strongly urge you to maintain financial aid to Israel in Fiscal Year 2011 and to oppose any amendments that would cut aid to Israel.

Sincerely,

Ashton Charles, Student Body President Jonathan Little, College Republicans President University of Florida University of Central Florida Michael Kilbride, Student Body President Russ Romeo, College Republican President University of Central Florida University of South Florida Avi Assidon, Student Body President Stacy Eichner, College Democrats President University of Florida University of Florida Christina Farmer, Student Body President Gaurav Dhiman, College Democrats President University of Miami University of Miami Cristin Battle, Student Body President Stacy Eichner, College Democrats President Florida International University University of Florida Cesar Hernandez, Student Body President Vincent Evans, College Democrats President University of South Florida Florida A&M University Breyon Love, Student Body President Michael Santana, College Democrats President Florida A&M University Florida International University Vincent Foster, College Republican President University of Miami

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E Action Planning Workshop #2: Visit Congressional District Office

Goal: To develop a concrete plan to arrange a visit to your member of Congress’s district office.

Logistics:

• Your school’s local member of Congress: • Location of nearest District Office:

1. Who within your cadre will be responsible for implementing this initiative?

2. What resources will you use to prepare for your lobby meeting?

3. Assess who will be attending (keep in mind: number of people and campus leadership).

4. How will you continue to maintain your relationship with the member of Congress and leadership on your campus year round?

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G Maintaining Congressional Relationships Year Round

Goal: To develop a concrete plan for maintaining relationships with members of Congress year round.

1. List specific ways in which you and your cadre can maintain Congressional relationships year round.

2. How will you use your Congressional District Office visit(s) to advance your goal of maintaining Congressional relationships?

3. Taking into account the Congressional calendar, when will you pursue the ideas listed in Question 1?

4. How will you follow-up with the Congressional Office after each touch to continue your relationship?

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SECTION 4 Broadening the Base

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Broadening the Base: Ideas for Action

Reach out to the organizers of freshman orientation, and ask them to include information about AIPAC’s campus opportunities in distributed orientation materials.

Attend freshman orientation events and activities fairs to identify and engage new students who have an affinity for our agenda and methodology.

Make a calendar of freshman orientation events conducted by Hillel, Chabad, AEPi, and other campus partners, and attend the events to provide information about pro-Israel political activities on campus.

Reach out to fraternity and sorority leaders, and ask them to identify pledges who should be engaged by the movement.

Participate in online forums for incoming freshmen to identify and engage pro-Israel students who are politically interested.

Help freshmen move into their residence halls while wearing pro-Israel tshirts or buttons, and engage those who are interested in conversations about pro-Israel political activism.

Connect with resident advisors in freshman residential areas, and offer to plan programs about pro-Israel political activism for their residents.

Host an Israeli film screening during freshman orientation, and ask participants to complete a survey at the door indicating their level of interest in pro-Israel political activism.

Search Facebook, MySpace, and other social networking sites in order to engage supportive students who self-identify as freshmen, Taglit Birthright Israel alumni, or political activists.

Create groups tailored to targeted campus demographics on social networking sites (i.e. Class of 2012 Pro-Israel Students at UGA), and invite pro-Israel students to join.

Give presentations on pro-Israel political activism to freshman seminar classes.

Ask Hillel student leaders and professionals for lists of Taglit Birthright Israel alumni, and contact each of them personally about getting involved in pro-Israel political activism.

Host a reunion event for Taglit Birthright Israel alumni, and brief them on the importance of pro-Israel political activism and on opportunities to get involved.

Attend College Dem and College Rep meetings on campus to discuss Israel-related issues.

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Assign pro-Israel political activists as liaisons to the College Dems and College Reps in order to deliver regular briefings on the U.S.-Israel relationship and developments in the Middle East.

Work with supportive professors to identify and engage students who have an affinity for pro-Israel political activism.

Inform Taglit Birthright Israel alumni of AIPAC’s opportunities for committed pro-Israel political activists to return to Israel.

Invite a local member of Congress for an off-the-record discussion about the U.S.-Israel relationship.

Attend the recruitment events of on-campus political organizations at the beginning of the semester, and work to engage students who are looking to get involved in political activism.

Host an AIPAC professional for a political activism skills workshop, and extend personal invitations to students who are working on political campaigns.

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F Action Planning Workshop #3: Broadening the Base to

Maximize Political Impact Goal: To have each of the 6 cadre members identify, connect with, and elicit a

favorable response from 5 potential new activists, to total 36 pro-Israel political activists on your campus.

Remember:

• An empty seat is an asset • Each individual is unique • Retail engagement works best • The Power of the Ask: Ask someone to do something that they are good at and

want to do • Spread leadership responsibilities among the greatest possible number of people

1. How do you identify and initially engage a new pro-Israel political activist?

2. What is the best way to motivate a new pro-Israel political activist?

3. How will you increase the number of students on your campus involved with pro-Israel politics to 36?

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SECTION 5 Israel as a Strategic Partner

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AIPAC Executive Director Howard Kohr on Activism in a Time of Turmoil We have gathered at times of crisis in the Middle East — at times of grave concern, with peace and war in the balance. Today, it is different. Today, we gather at a moment of great transition and hopeful anticipation. For decades now — for generations — Israel has been the Middle East's only democracy — in a sea of dictatorships. Think back just one year ago: Which one of us, when people thronged the streets and squares across the Arab world, demanding regime change — which one of us would have predicted they would not be shouting slogans against the United States, or carrying signs slandering Israel? Which one of us would have predicted we would hear those voices crying out against the injustices of their own rulers — crying out for the right to determine their own fates? This is something friends of Israel have dreamt of forever: For Israel to no longer be the only democracy in the region. Because, as we know, democracies do not attack other democracies. Even as we are right to hope — perhaps precisely because we do hope — we must recognize that the path to freedom—as we are witnessing throughout the region -- is never easy. There are forces — internal and external — in every one of the Arab nations who seek a different ending to the story. Who seek to strengthen the forces of oppression and stifle democracy. Who seek to defeat America and to destroy Israel. Who seek to use this moment of hope to advance their own power and substitute a new era of repression and aggression — in which America and Israel are once more the enemy.

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Dictators in the region have spent decades destroying any of the mediating structures that could pose a threat to their power — the people-to-people organizations that owe nothing to the State, and are the building blocks of democracy. They have spent decades fabricating external enemies to justify their own internal repression, subjecting generations to hateful, horrible anti-Israel rhetoric. Even now, when the dictators have been deposed, that remains their legacy heard today on the Arab Street. Is it any surprise that the fall of a dictator leaves a vacuum — setting off a scramble for power in which the forces of democracy are just one contender among many? We should all celebrate the genuine green shoots of democracy in the Arab world, but we must never shrink from calling out and condemning anti-Semitic policy under the guise of popular will. True democracy is more than the right to vote. True democracy includes building civil institutions and a sense of civic responsibility. And true democracy can never be rooted in racist hatred. We have an obligation to urge our policy-makers to do all they can to ensure that Egypt holds to its peace treaty with Israel... That the fractured factions of a post-Gadhafi Libya, a post-Saleh Yemen or a post-Assad Syria take a different view of Israel and America. The fact is -- this most hopeful time of change in the region is at one and the same time one of the most challenging periods in Israel's history. Imagine you are an Israeli military planner. The security architecture that has existed for the last 30 years, and that has allowed Israel to flourish, may be in jeopardy — indeed, it may be crumbling: For 30 years, the prospect of an all-Arab war against Israel has been inconceivable — impossible, without the participation of Egypt. For 30 years, not only Israel, but the United States and the world have benefited in a shared strategic interest that there be no regional war in the Middle East. Should the new Egyptian Government renounce the peace treaty with Israel — the inconceivable becomes possible. For the sake of stability in the region, maintaining the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty must be an American policy imperative.

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While we all hope that Egypt emerges from its current political transition with a functioning, western-oriented democracy, the fact is the best-organized political force in Egypt today is the Muslim Brotherhood — which does not recognize Israel and which has called for the abrogation of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. If Egypt walks away from 30 years of peace, the strategic implications are inescapable: The militaries of both the United States and Israel would have to consider how to counter a possible Egyptian threat. While the peace treaty may be the cornerstone of stability and security in the region this should not be all that American policy should expect from a post-Mubarak Egypt. A true Egyptian commitment to peace means a continuation of the blockade of Gaza; It means no rapprochement with Iran; And it means maintaining the integrity of the Suez Canal. Now, look to Israel's northern border. Lebanon has, for the first time in its history, a prime minister who owes his office to Hezbollah. After the 2006 Israeli-Hezbollah war, it was estimated that Hezbollah had a few thousand rockets left in its arsenal. The UN Security Council passed a resolution forbidding anyone from re-arming Hezbollah -- and then beefed up the UN military presence in southern Lebanon. But now, not 5 years later, we estimate Hezbollah, a rogue terrorist organization, has somewhere close to 55,000 rockets and missiles. That is more than most countries have. In Syria — we are witnessing political turmoil not seen in 30 years. What we see there is the raw power of repression. Indiscriminate killing. Mass graves. Tanks rolling through the streets. Secret police going door to door, rounding up thousands of people — torn from their homes, many never to be seen again. Where is the international outrage? Where are the demands that this must stop? And where is the U.N. Security Council Resolution? We applaud last week's decision by the White House to sanction Assad, and we hope this is the beginning of ratcheted pressure on this regime.

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Watching events unfold in cities across Syria -- if you are that Israeli military planner, you can only wonder what is coming next. Just this past week, we saw an attack by hostile Syrian residents who swarmed to breach Israel's border in a clear challenge to Israeli sovereignty. Israel rightfully defended her border -- as any country would do in those circumstances. This violent demonstration was apparently orchestrated and inspired by the Assad regime as a cynical ploy to create a distraction and turn the lens away from the killing of innocent Syrians. Unfortunately, this inflammatory act may be just the beginning. Let us be clear: As we meet today, Syria is a central battleground — a key piece in the struggle between the West and Iran to see what forces benefit from the upheaval in the Arab World these past few months — whether nations take their first steps on the path to secular democracies, respectful of rights and religious freedoms... Or whether Syria's patron, Iran, succeeds in hijacking this season of change to advance its radical agenda. If regime change takes place in Syria — if Assad falls and his regime fractures, Iran will lose its only Arab ally in its quest to extend its power in the region. And its ability to project an Iranian presence across Lebanon to Israel's northern border would be severely diminished. I ask you to hold these new realities reshaping Israel's neighborhood firmly in mind as I turn to the second issue I want to discuss today. There is one regime whose leaders regularly celebrate the rising masses in every Arab nation — and yet, will not tolerate the smallest street gathering at home. When it comes to Iran — the international community has fallen silent. Yet, Iran is fomenting unrest in Bahrain. They are aiding the crackdown in Syria. Iran is funding Hezbollah, and they are arming Hamas. Iran is projecting its strength by sending naval ships into the Eastern Mediterranean. Iran is running new weapons into the region, and they are encouraging their proxies to probe and provoke Israel. And if that were not enough, Iran just went to the International Atomic Energy Agency and said — "We are ready to implement the next phase of our nuclear program."

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In January and February, we had momentum when it came to Iran. Then the Arab demonstrations began -- and the focus shifted. Nations everywhere began dealing with the very legitimate challenges and problems that the turmoil presented, and suddenly the world was not talking about Iran with the same sense of clarity and purpose. And so, it falls to us: We must refocus our policy-makers' attention on what Iran is doing in this time of turmoil. Its efforts to cultivate fifth columns in neighboring nations to advance Iranian ends. Its use of terror-by-proxy. Its relentless march toward a nuclear weapon. Make no mistake. This is a war of wills. Iran sees this moment as a chance to project its power — its radical agenda -- into regimes across the region. We see this moment as a chance for freedom-seeking forces to replace corrupt dictatorships and to build new ties to the West. These two views— these two visions of the future —cannot be reconciled. One will prevail, and the other will fail. So there is only one question. Iran is fully committed to its goal. The question is — are we? Are we in the West, are we in the United States committed to stopping Iran? When we say we will not allow Iran's proxies to prevail... When we say it is unacceptable for Iran to become a nuclear power...Do we mean it? That is why the President's comments yesterday, when he said -- "We remain committed to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons,"--- are so important—because it reflects U.S. determination to ensure the policy of prevention is realized. Iran can be stopped. Amidst all the turmoil in the Middle East, there is yet another challenge that requires our attention: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict... And specifically, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his choices — his bad choices.

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Abbas is ready to go to the ends of the earth but he will not travel the few short steps to sit down with Israel to pursue real peace. So for the past 18 months, he has traveled a long and winding path, taking him farther and farther away from the neighbor he needs to sit down and negotiate with. Instead, Abbas has traveled as far as European and South American capitals, where he has encouraged the de-legitimization of the Jewish state, aimed at sapping Israel's very ability to defend her own citizens. He has even begun to carve a path to the United Nations to seek a unilateral recognition for statehood. And now, in the last month, he has decided to come back — closer to home and pursue an effort to make peace ------ with Hamas. And who is Hamas? As President Obama, stated clearly yesterday, "Hamas is a terrorist organization." A terrorist organization -- which refuses to recognize Israel; A terrorist organization, recognized by the United States and the European Union as having the blood of literally thousands on their hands. And the terrorist organization that condemned President Obama and the United States for the killing of Osama Bin Laden. And this -- this is the organization that Abbas has joined forces with? It is important to see what motivates Abbas — to piece together the plan he is pursuing. Abbas seeks a path that absolves him from making the difficult choices and compromises necessary for real peace. He thinks he has found the path of least resistance. It is up to us to create resistance. In the swirl of activity this week, including several speeches and a meeting between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu, it is important to restate some bedrock principles about how to conduct the bilateral relationship between the United States and Israel and those principles that will guide the peace process forward. First, Trust and Confidence — between the leaders of Israel and the United States. This is critical, because Israel is the one with the most at risk in the peace process.

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And unless Israel's leaders know that America will be there to back Jerusalem in the most difficult times, they must be far more cautious in their quest for peace. In addition, if Israel's foes come to believe that there is diplomatic daylight between the United States and Israel, they will have every incentive to try to exploit those differences and shun peace with the Jewish state. That is why it is so important that America and Israel work out whatever differences arise between them privately, and when tensions do arise, that the leaders work together to close those gaps. The President's speech to us yesterday reflected just such an effort to close those gaps. The second principle is for America to play its role as honest broker. And let us be clear: That should not be confused with even-handedness. Part of being an honest broker is being honest. One party in this process is our ally — with whom we share values and strategic interests. In a world which is demonstrably on the side of the Palestinians and Arabs -- where Israel stands virtually alone -- the United States has a special role to play. When the United States is even-handed, Israel is automatically at a disadvantage, tilting the diplomatic playing field overwhelmingly toward the Palestinians and Arabs. The third principle is a firm understanding that efforts to impose solutions from outside are counter-productive. At the end of the day, the parties to peace are the parties at the table. As President Obama said yesterday, "Peace cannot be imposed on the parties to the conflict." As New York Times columnist Tom Friedman wrote, "In the history of the world, no one has ever washed a rented car." When neither party owns the plan or has responsibility to accept it, that plan is doomed to fail. Outside mediators can play an important role. They can help bring the parties to the table, bridge gaps, and offer reassurances -- but they are not the ones who can define a durable peace.

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The last principle is in many ways the most indispensible to progress: The path to peace must include direct talks between parties who are ultimately willing to live in peace with each other. As President Obama stated here yesterday, "No country can be expected to negotiate with a terrorist organization, sworn to its destruction." That is why Israel cannot be expected to sit at the table with a Palestinian government that includes an unreformed Hamas. As much as we have seen steps that put the Palestinian commitment to peace in doubt -- there is still time for a Palestinian leader to be bold and creative — to turn back from the current dead end. To reject Hamas. To reject the international path. To reject the road to unilateral recognition at the United Nations. And instead to embrace the chance to sit down with Israel to negotiate a real peace. Prime Minister Netanyahu is ready, able and willing. We have seen more change in the Middle East and in North Africa in the last 100 days than since the birth of the modern state of Israel. We have witnessed ordinary people calling out for change, and that is a signal to us: History does not make us — so much as we make history. Think about the reasons you are here today. The reasons you put aside your work obligations, the reasons you took time from your family — to come here to Washington to make history. But making history requires hard work, and we have hard work to do: To expand the pro-Israel political movement in America. To re-focus the discussion of the Middle East; To re-awaken leaders to the Iranian threat; To remind decision makers that a strong U.S.-Israel relationship is a bulwark for peace and stability. We have hard work to do — to drive home the need for Egypt to continue its peace with Israel. We have hard work to do — to say to those who profess to stand for peace: There can be no end to strife for the Palestinian people unless their leaders pursue a partnership in peace with Israel. Those fundamentals — those fixed points in our policy: They are the reason we are here together today.

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Through all the change — through all the chaos, some seek to sew in order to harm Israel and harm America... we need you to help policy-makers focus on these fundamentals. On freedom. On faith. On the values shared by America and Israel that make both of our nations — indeed, our world — safer and more secure. This is our moment. This is our mission. And when I look around this room — I know we will succeed. Thank you.

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U.S.-Israel Alliance: Ideas for Action

Create an engagement flyer with quotations from U.S. presidents and policy makers

highlighting the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship. Create an engagement flyer explaining why the U.S.-Israel relationship is important. Ask the student government president to sign a statement highlighting the value of

the relationship between the United States and Israel and have it published in the newspaper.

Ask College Democrat and College Republican leaders if you can speak at their meetings about the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

Bring your local member of Congress to campus and ask him or her to speak on the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

Create an engagement flyer showcasing Israeli technological innovations that we use every day.

Present a PowerPoint presentation on American and Israeli leaders who built the U.S.-Israel relationship at a dinner for campus leaders.

Have leaders from College Democrats, College Republicans, and the student government sign a statement of support for Israel and publish it in the campus newspaper.

Publish a letter of support for Israel in the campus newspaper with signatures from leaders of campus organizations.

Work with campus fraternity and sorority leaders to highlight Israel at chapter meetings.

Publish a timeline in the school newspaper highlighting different positive aspects of the U.S.-Israel relationship over the past 60 years.

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The Holocaust demonstrated the need for the State of Israel as a safe refuge for Jews after the war.

The Importance of the Jewish State

The Jewish connection to the land of Israel is rooted in three thousand years of history, dating back to when the Jewish people established the first independent political entity in the land of Israel. While foreign armies conquered the territory in subsequent centuries, they never managed to break the link between the Jewish people and the land or to completely dislodge Jews from the area. In 1948, the Jewish people reestablished the Jewish state after millennia of exile and persecution. Based on the basic tenet of Zionism—that Jews must have their own country as a haven —Israel has served as a refuge for Jews the world over. Israel has been built on the principles of freedom and democracy, fulfilling both a political and historic imperative. An Idea to Build a New Nation in an Ancient Land The memory of Israel and the desire to return to its ancient homeland remained a central part of the Jewish faith. Most Jews were dispersed from Israel following the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 C.E., although Jews have maintained a continuous presence in the Land of Israel for more than 3,000 years. Jews who left the Holy Land found themselves in locations as diverse as Europe, North Africa, and the Persian Gulf. In most societies, Jews were the subject of discriminatory laws, violence and even expulsion. The religious yearning of Jews to return to their land ultimately spawned the political movement of Zionism in the 19th century, when European anti-Semitism made itself plain in the form of persecution and massacres. Many Jews came to believe that they would only escape discrimination and murder in a state of their own. One of the first and most outspoken proponents of Zionism was Theodor Herzl, a prominent Austrian journalist. In the late 1890s, Herzl helped rally religious and secular Jews to the idea that a viable Jewish state could be re-established in the historic Land of Israel. The Zionists sought international backing for their quest to form a new political entity in the land of their ancestors—a sparsely populated desert wasteland described in the 1860s

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by writer Mark Twain as “a desolate country…given over wholly to weeds—a silent mournful expanse.” In a major political victory for the Zionists, the British issued the Balfour Declaration in 1917, pledging to facilitate the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in the country. On that basis, Britain was awarded the Mandate for Palestine by the League of Nations in 1920. Holocaust Increases Urgency for Establishing a Jewish State Less than three decades later, the genocidal murder of Europe’s Jews would clearly demonstrate to the world the vital need for a safe Jewish refuge. Trapped without anywhere to flee, 6 million Jews—a stunning third of the world’s Jewish population—were systematically murdered during the Holocaust. The Nazis killed Jews by massacres such as Babi Yar and in death camps like Auschwitz. After the war, hundreds of thousands of homeless survivors were kept in Displaced Persons camps. President Harry Truman was among the most prominent international leaders urging increased immigration of Jews to Mandatory Palestine. In 1947, the United Nations voted to partition the country into two states—one Arab and one Jewish. Even though more than half the area allocated for the Jewish nation was desert, the Jewish community in Palestine immediately accepted the compromise. The Arabs rejected the plan, and five Arab armies invaded Israel, openly seeking to abort the creation of the Jewish state. A New Nation Struggles for Survival Since its establishment in 1948, Israel has been forced to wage a struggle for survival, facing hostile neighbors with numerically superior armed forces while also contending with the constant threat of terrorism against its civilians. In its early years, Israel fought three defensive wars against its Arab adversaries: in 1948, 1956 and 1967. The Six-Day War in 1967 left Israel in control of territory including the Sinai (later returned to Egypt), the Golan Heights, Gaza and the West Bank as well as the Old City of Jerusalem. The united city is Israel’s capital, and Israel has opened the city to all—protecting Christian, Muslim and Jewish holy sites and guaranteeing access. Even today, after more than six decades, Israel must fight to justify its own existence and legitimacy. Unfortunately, the calls for Israel’s destruction still resonate in Iran and parts of the Arab world. And the United Nations, which helped give birth to the modern state of Israel, has often become the forum for efforts to delegitimize Israel. A Home for Immigrants from Around the World While combating these challenges, Israel has also faced the task of forging a unified nation from an incredibly diverse range of immigrants. Israel welcomed immigrants who doubled the size of its population in its first few years of existence. Since its founding,

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Israel has shared its agricultural expertise and technologies throughout the world, including in impoverished Africa.

the tiny state has absorbed millions of immigrants from more than 100 countries, including Jews from Europe, Ethiopia and those forced to flee from Arab countries. The achievements of Israel are even more remarkable considering that the country possesses few natural resources—two-thirds of its land mass is arid desert. Israel has developed agricultural techniques that enabled the nation to develop a worldwide reputation for “making the desert bloom.” Today, Israel is home to world-class universities and is a global giant when it comes to high-tech and medical innovations. A National Ethos: Repairing the World For Israel, it is not enough to serve as a safe haven for world Jewry. Equipped with first-hand knowledge of the challenges that resource-poor countries face, Israel has always strived to share its blessings with other countries that are less fortunate. Before it had even established embassies in many world capitals, Israel sent experts abroad to teach Third World nations such skills as how to upgrade medical facilities, improve schools and coax crops from arid land. Today, Israel has one of the most extensive foreign assistance programs in the world. Less than a century removed from being only a dream in the hearts and minds of millions of Jews, Israel has emerged as a thriving democracy and global leader, committed to fulfilling its Biblical mandate of being “a light unto the nations.” Like the United States, Israel is not a perfect country. But also like the United States, its government and people constantly strive to fulfill the principles embodied in its Declaration of Independence: freedom, justice and peace.

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Pillars of the U.S.-Israel Relationship Israel and the United States have shared a special bond since the establishment of the modern Jewish state in 1948. The U.S. was the first country to recognize Israel, only 11 minutes after its founding. Since then, the two countries have developed a resilient friendship that transcends any element of partisanship either in Washington or Jerusalem. As the two countries experience their own respective leadership transitions, the pillars established during the past 60 years will continue to remain strong. Support for Israel is Bipartisan

During the past 60 years, bipartisan support for Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, has been a hallmark of virtually every Congress. Even during periods of partisan divisions in Washington or during the frequent fluctuations between peace and violence in the Middle East, the United States Congress has been a bastion of support for Israel.

Congress Has Strongly Opposed Anti-Israel Rejectionism

While the United Nations, other international organizations, and the governments of many countries of the world often adopt the positions of Israel’s adversaries, Congress has remained unwavering in its moral stand behind Israel and its right to self-defense. Indeed, Congress has become the necessary counterweight to much of the world’s imbalanced approach to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Congress has understood that every Israeli government has sought peace, even as it has often been forced to defend the Jewish state against aggression.

The United States and Israel Have Shared Values The United States and Israel share all the characteristics of an unbreakable

partnership. The Freedom House group recognizes Israel each year as a “Free” nation, in contrast to all the other countries in the Middle East.

President Harry Truman (left) receives a Torah scroll from Israeli President Chaim Weizmann.

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Israel’s commitment to democracy, the rule of law, freedom of religion and speech, and human rights means that it shares a common worldview with the United States. The two allies share interests as well as values. They face many of the same threats in a volatile but strategic region. Above all, they share a deeply held commitment to stand by one another to face the challenges ahead. In a world of great uncertainty and shifting allegiances, Israel has been a key partner, ally, and friend to the United States.

The United States and Israel Stand United for Peace

Both countries have long recognized that their mutual interests of deterring war, promoting stability and eventually achieving peace are only possible if the United States continues to stand behind Israel. U.S. support for Israel has undergirded the success that was realized in Israel’s treaties of peace with Egypt and Jordan. These states, and many others in the Arab world, have come to understand that an Israel allied with America cannot be destroyed, thus making peace possible. The past 60 years have demonstrated that any hope of achieving the goals of stability and peace in one of the world’s most dangerous regions depends on the superiority of Israel’s military; the financial, security, diplomatic and moral support of the United States; and American acceptance of the fact that Israel must make its own life-and-death decisions without pressure. If peace is to be realized, then both potential adversaries and would-be partners must understand clearly the immutability of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

The United States and Israel Work Together to Combat Threats

The United States and Israel face many of the same threats, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, state-sponsored terrorism and the spread of Islamic radicalism. The two countries have set up a complex and cost-effective network of strategic cooperation programs, including sharing cutting-edge technology and valuable intelligence, conducting combined military exercises, and researching and developing new weapons.

President Obama met with Israeli President Shimon Peres during a trip to Israel in July 2008.

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The United States and Israel have also established joint anti-terrorism strategies. The United States has pre-positioned materiel in Israel for use in the event the United States ever needs to respond quickly to a future Middle East conflict. Through these cooperative efforts and the provision of advanced military equipment, the United States has committed to maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge over its potential adversaries.

The United States and Israel Maintain a Robust Economic Partnership

As Israel’s economy and technological prowess continue to grow, America will continue to benefit from the wide-ranging economic partnership enjoyed by the two countries. Clearly, the United States and Israel are two of the most technologically advanced countries in the world. Several bi-national programs allow American companies and universities to benefit from Israel’s expertise in agriculture and high technology, while others aim to break down barriers to trade and cooperation between the two countries to make collaboration easier. Israel was the first country to sign a free-trade agreement with the United States in 1985, which has resulted in a seven-fold increase in trade between the two nations.

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Strategic Cooperation Heightens U.S.-Israel Partnership For decades, the United States and Israel have shared a deep strategic relationship aimed at confronting the common threats to both nations. During the Cold War, the United States and Israel collaborated in limiting Soviet influence in the region. Today, in the post-9/11 world, the United States and Israel are working together more closely than ever before to defeat the common threats of radicalism, terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The Two Allies Train Together for Common Challenges The close strategic relationship between the United States and Israel originated with the allies sharing key intelligence around the time of the 1967 Six-Day War. This partnership was later broadened and formalized in the early 1980s when President Ronald Reagan and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir announced the establishment of the Joint Political Military Group to coordinate planning against threats faced by both nations in the Middle East. Later in the decade, Israel was formally designated as a major non-NATO ally of the United States. Today, the United States prepositions military equipment such as ammunition and armor in Israel, and the two allies engage in joint military exercises involving American and Israeli land, sea and air forces. Twice annually, U.S. Marines conduct desert warfare training with their Israel Defense Forces (IDF) counterparts, and American soldiers and security officials have received Israeli instruction on urban combat techniques. U.S. pilots hold mock dogfights with the Israeli Air Force and have tested aerial combat tactics and practiced refueling. Research-and-development collaboration between the United States and Israel has produced innovative technologies and security techniques that are now protecting American and Israeli lives. In addition, Israel and the United States have cooperated on a wide range of intelligence sharing programs, including work on monitoring Iran, al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. Such collaboration has played a critical role in stemming extremism in the

The Arrow anti-ballistic missile is a cornerstone of U.S.-Israel strategic cooperation.

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Bradley Reactive Armor TilesHundreds of U.S. soldiers havebeen saved by the Israeli-developed armor plating thatexplodes outward, diffusingthe impact of incoming fire.

Litening PodIsraeli-developed and American-produced, this sophisticatedsystem has revolutionized thetargeting and navigationcapabilities of American aircraft.

The EmergencyBandageUsed widely in Iraq, this state-of-the-art Israeli bandageenables medics to dress awound while simultaneously stemming bleeding.

Hunter UAVThe Israeli-developed drone hasbeen used daily by U.S.commanders in Iraq andAfghanistan to gather criticalintelligence.

SAVING LIVES:Israeli Technologies, Techniques Used in Iraq and Afghanistan

region and boosting Israel’s role as an indispensable player in the war against radical Islam. The United States and Israel Cooperate on Missile Defense The close partnership between the United States and Israel has yielded leading military technologies such as the Arrow, anti-ballistic missile-defense system that is currently deployed in Israel. Jointly developed by the two allies, the Arrow is among the world’s most sophisticated missile shields. It is the only operational system that has consistently proven that one missile can shoot down another at high altitudes and supersonic speeds. Israel and the United states are also collaborating on the development of a quick-reaction defense system, called “David’s Sling,” to address the threats posed by a myriad of short- and medium-range missiles and rockets. In addition, as the potential threat of long-range nuclear-armed ballistic missiles from rogue regimes looms, Israeli and U.S. missile-defense agencies and industries are developing a more sophisticated missile defense-system that can target enemy missiles at the highest reaches of the atmosphere. Israeli Technologies and Techniques Help U.S. Soldiers on the Battlefield Strategic cooperation has also made other, important Israeli military innovations available to the United States, which is currently putting these systems to use in the Middle East. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Litening Targeting Pod The American military routinely deploys Israeli-developed unmanned aerial vehicles, which have logged thousands of hours in Iraq and Afghanistan. U.S. planes in both countries have been equipped with the Litening targeting pod, an Israeli-origin system

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with infrared sensors that identify ground targets and enable pilots to fly at night and in bad weather. The Litening made it possible for American fighter pilots to deliver the munitions that eliminated al-Qaeda’s top leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Bradley Reactive Armor Tiles and IED Protection Israeli-developed reactive armor tiles, which explode outward upon impact, have been used to protect American armored personnel carriers in Iraq, saving hundreds of servicemen from potential death or injury. America and Israel have also cooperated to reduce the threat posed by improvised explosive devices, increase the accuracy and safety of multiple weapon systems, and improve aircraft self-protection and personnel safety. Advanced Medical Training and Products Israeli battlefield medical expertise has yielded an increase in the survival rate of severely injured U.S. combat troops through both training and medical products heretofore unavailable. Beyond the hardware, Israel has opened its doors and its expertise to U.S. military doctors researching efforts to mitigate the effects of Post-Traumatic Syndrome and the psychological issues challenging amputees during rehabilitation.

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U.S. Foreign Aid: Serving American Interests

“It has become clear that America’s civilian institutions of diplomacy and development have been chronically undermanned and underfunded for far too long – relative to what we traditionally spend on the military, and more important, relative to the responsibilities and challenges our nation has around the world.…For the first time in a long time, I sense real bipartisan support in Congress for strengthening the civilian foreign affairs budget.” — Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (July 15, 2008, U.S. Global Leadership Campaign Tribute Dinner) Foreign aid, at little less than 1 percent of federal spending, is an essential, cost-effective tool for promoting American interests abroad and supporting our vital allies such as Israel. A robust international affairs and foreign aid budget reflects our humanitarian and democratic values and is critical to bolstering American national security and to building overseas markets for American goods and service and, in turn, creating jobs here at home. Key Principles of Foreign Aid Foreign Aid Bolsters American Security Foreign aid is an essential component of U.S. national security strategy that supplements our defense budget. Foreign aid advances economic development and political stability in countries where radical opponents of peace use terror in an effort to destroy the prospects for reconciliation. Foreign aid programs help keep threats from our shores by supporting international efforts to curb the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, stop narcotics trafficking, fight terrorism and thwart other criminal activities. Foreign Aid Promotes Peace and Democracy In the Middle East, and in other regions, U.S. aid bolsters friendly countries as they take substantial risks for peace after decades of violent confrontation. The United States provides critical security assistance to Israel, which helps the Jewish state maintain its

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qualitative military edge and feel secure in pursuing diplomatic talks with the Palestinians and Arab states such as Syria. U.S. Foreign Aid Spurs Assistance from Our Allies As the world’s sole superpower, the U.S. plays an indispensable role in the world. Nonetheless, we cannot and should not have to act alone. When the United States tangibly demonstrates its commitment to play an active leadership role, it is often able to secure the assistance of others, thus reducing America’s financial share. Foreign Aid Creates Jobs Here at Home By law, nearly all U.S. assistance must be spent on American-produced items. U.S. jobs that produce U.S. exports pay more: an estimated 13 percent to 18 percent more than the U.S. national average. Aid helps developing nations establish fair business codes, viable commercial banks and reasonable tax and tariff standards. This assistance helps create the necessary stable business environment and uniform standards for U.S. companies to operate. Foreign Aid Supports Transitions to Democracy Foreign aid helps stabilize the economies of fledgling democracies and assist them in developing open and free political institutions. Democracy-building programs in Central America and Eastern Europe help organize free and fair elections, support due process, train future leaders and protect human rights. Foreign aid is being targeted to root out corruption in countries all over the world and help them build accountable governments and free market economies. Foreign Aid Supports our Humanitarian Values Through our foreign aid program, the U.S. has led the world in supporting programs to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases. U.S. aid fights poverty and promotes economic and social development through programs that provide disaster relief, food aid and clean water to communities across the globe. Through this aid the U.S. reaches the most vulnerable populations and helps to create self-sufficient economies and empower women and the most disadvantaged. Bipartisan Support for Foreign Aid For decades, presidents and lawmakers from both parties have strongly backed foreign aid and recognized its vital role in promoting U.S. foreign policy goals abroad. Over the past eight years, led by President George W. Bush, the U.S. has increased funding for foreign aid from $15 billion to $26 billion. President Obama has pledged to double U.S. foreign assistance spending by 2012 while also committing to implement the 2007 U.S.-Israeli Memorandum of Understanding that calls for the United States to provide $30 billion in assistance to Israel during the next decade.

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March 9, 2011

Foreign Aid: Keeping America Safe, Strong and Prosperous

The United States faces extraordinary challenges to its preeminence in today’s world. Our nation faces threats to its security and economic well-being. American military leaders repeatedly warn that we cannot meet these challenges through costly military force alone. U.S. leadership in the world today also depends on a robust foreign aid program that supports key allies like Israel and helps preserve America’s safety, security and prosperity.

Foreign aid is an essential component of America’s national security strategy. • U.S. national security challenges today extend

well beyond traditional military threats. A robust foreign aid program complements and reinforces the efforts of American military forces to combat aggression and promote stability in crucial conflict zones.

• Unless we provide the resources to help secure allies like Israel, build stable societies in conflict zones, stop criminals and disease from spreading across our borders and encourage responsible economic development in struggling countries, America will confront a much more precarious future.

• To achieve U.S. goals in Iraq and Afghanistan, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has called for “a dramatic increase in spending on the civilian instruments of national security—diplomacy, strategic communications, foreign assistance, civic action, and economic reconstruction and development.”

• Gates and other military leaders understand that the U.S. foreign aid budget helps strengthen civil society and build institutional and economic capacity in the very places where hundreds of thousands of American soldiers are risking their lives.

• Both the Obama and Bush administrations have included foreign aid, together with defense and homeland security, as part of overall “national security spending” in the budgets they presented to Congress.

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Modest investments in foreign aid will save America money in the long run. • At a time of declining budgetary resources, foreign aid is a cost-effective and relatively small

investment that saves U.S. taxpayers money. • Investing foreign aid dollars wisely today helps prevent the more costly wars, crises and

disasters that might otherwise occur. • Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said, “Having robust civilian capabilities available could

make it less likely that military force will have to be used in the first place, as local problems might be dealt with before they become crises.”

• Admiral Mullen has stated, “It is my firm belief that diplomatic programs, as part of a coordinated strategy, will save money by reducing the likelihood of active military conflict involving U.S. forces. The more significant the cuts, the longer military operations will take and the more and more lives are at risk.”

Foreign aid asserts U.S. economic leadership and creates American jobs. • In today’s global economy, foreign aid continues to help U.S. companies develop foreign

markets, create jobs at home and build stable business environments in developing countries. • Today, one in five American jobs is linked to U.S. exports. Foreign markets offer the best

opportunities to expand the American economy. • Foreign aid helps make the United States competitive with the fast-growing economies of the

world. Foreign aid and the money America uses to fund its embassies and support American industry help ensure that the United States will not idly cede markets and business opportunities to international competitors.

Foreign aid promotes U.S. leadership abroad to protect Americans at home. • We cannot disengage from the world without consequences for our homeland and for our

people. To keep America safe, President Bush has written that, “America has a direct stake in the progress and hope of other nations.”

• Foreign aid helps bring political, economic and social stability to the most hopeless and poor areas around the world. Foreign aid helps prevent these areas from becoming breeding grounds for terror, disease, poverty and lawlessness that can spill over into other countries and directly threaten American interests as well as the American homeland.

• American foreign aid can be used wisely to help stabilize and develop failing states by building institutions; creating economic opportunities; developing standards for rule of law; and giving hope to young generations who have known violence, despair and ignorance.

Foreign aid helps affirm and promote American values. • America’s foreign aid program embodies the core values of the United States: protecting the

most vulnerable populations, especially when disaster strikes (such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake); promoting democracy, pluralism and human rights; and encouraging needy people and their governments to become self-sufficient and law abiding.

• Democracy-building programs in Central America, Eastern Europe, South Asia, Africa and the Middle East help organize free and fair elections, support due process, train future leaders, promote good governance and protect human rights.

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• U.S. government programs leverage billions of dollars in contributions by private American donors for critical projects in needy countries. They also encourage collaboration between U.S. companies and private American voluntary organizations in running projects that promote health, education, economic development and private entrepreneurship.

251 H Street, NW Tel 202-639-5200 Washington, DC 20001 Fax 202-639-0630 www.aipac.org

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HIGH-LEVEL MEETINGSMilitary cooperation between the United States and Israelwas formalized in 1983. Since then, both countries havecreated a number of high level cooperative groups whichmeet regularly to discuss shared threats and develop jointsolutions. These groups include the Joint Political MilitaryGroup, the Defense Policy Advisory Group and theStrategic Dialogue Group. In June 2010, the Defense PolicyAdvisory Group met in Tel Aviv where both countries discussed mutual threats including Iran and terrorism.

Strategy. Safety. Security. Those are the principles that define the defense partnership between the United States andIsrael. Whether it’s phone calls between senior defense officials at the Pentagon and theircounterparts in Tel Aviv, instant communication between American and Israeli commanderson duty, or joint training exercises between troops from both countries—not a day goes bywithout critical American-Israeli engagement.

For more details, visit www.aipac.org/strategicasset

AN UNPARALLELED MILITARY ALLIANCE

Strategy. {

Army Maj. Gen. Davis Sprynczynatyk, Air Force Gen.Craig McKinley and Israeli Maj. Gen. Yair Golan, discussa national exercise at Nesher, Israel.

“The Israelis, of course,remain a vital ally and acornerstone of our regionalsecurity commitments.”

–ADMIRAL MIKE MULLEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINTCHIEFS OF STAFF

DID YOU KNOW? In 2010, the head of the U.S.National Guard, Air Force Gen. Craig McKinley, visitedIsrael as part of a four-year partnership with Israel’sHome Front Command.

FIRST EDITION

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INTELLIGENCE SHARINGOne of the most significant contributions Israel has made to U.S. security has been sharing intelligence—an intense and daily element of cooperation which, for the most part, is conducted far from the public eye. The U.S. military and various intelligence agencies rely on Israel for human intelligence—including information about terrorism, radical Islamic movements and weapons proliferation.

MEDICAL COOPERATIONIsraeli and U.S. military doctors share cutting-edge medicaltechnologies and life-saving techniques on a regular basisthrough high level meetings, working groups, joint trainingand educational exchanges. U.S. medical delegations regu-larly visit Israel’s Military Medical School and IDF hospital,where they undergo state-of-the-art training for respondingto mass casualties and biological warfare, complicated bat-tlefield injuries and post-traumatic mental health issues.

An Unparalleled Military Alliance

Strategy.

“It’s a transfer of information.They tell us how they conductoperations and we tell them how we run our operations.”

Safety.

DID YOU KNOW? Israel has shared extensive intelligence on Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. This information was especially critical when the U.S. intelligence community was not focused as extensively on Iran as it is today.

Air Force Lt. Col. Lisa Snyder (left)meets with Israeli Col. Dr. Ariel Barat a hospital in Ramdan, Israel.

Intelligence sharing and cooperation between the United States and Israelcrosses all areas of the defense establishment.

–BOB DETZEL, TRAINING OFFICER, CHEMICAL/BIOLOGICAL INCIDENT RESPONSE FORCE (U.S. NAVY)

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For more details, visit www.aipac.org/strategicasset

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MISSILE DEFENSEFor decades, missile defense has been the centerpiece of U.S.-Israel strategic cooperation. With both nations increasinglyunder threat from long and short-range ballistic missiles,Israel and the United States have jointly developed some of the world’s most sophisticated missile defense systems.The United States views Israel as a testing ground for manyof the most advanced missile defense systems that help protectIsraeli civilians as well as U.S. and Israeli combat troops.

DID YOU KNOW? Jointly developed by the United States and Israel, the Arrow missile defensesystem can shoot down incoming missiles at highaltitudes and supersonic speeds. The system wastested for coordinated use by both countries at the2010 Juniper Cobra joint military exercise in Israel.

An Unparalleled Military Alliance

Security.

“Our relationship with Israel is a critical one that is stronger than ever. We greatly value thiscooperation.”

• COMPUTER WARGAMES:Simulating battlefieldconditions and strate-gizing attack scenar-ios by using virtual systems that replicatecombat zones.

• COMBATCOMMUNICATIONS:Controlling the battle-field in real-timethrough a network ofcomputers, camerasand other digitaldevices.

• UNMANNEDWARFARE:Developing dronesand other unmannedaerial vehicles thatcan strike enemy tar-gets without puttinghuman pilots at risk.

• INFORMATIONWARFARE:Intercepting commu-nications, monitoringterrorist networksand refuting propa-ganda on television,radio and online.

Operation Juniper Cobra is the largest biennial joint exercise between the United States and Israel and one of the largest missile defense drills in the world.

–GENERAL CRAIG MCKINLEY, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

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For more details, visit www.aipac.org/strategicasset

DIGITAL DEFENSEFrom weapons systems to command and control, today’s battlefield is going high-tech. The United States and Israel are at theforefront of some of the most innovative military solutions designed to maximize the use of new technologies and save lives.

U.S.-Israel High-Tech Combat Cooperation

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JOINT EXERCISESEach year, various branches and levels of both countries’militaries hold numerous joint training exercises in theUnited States and Israel. They learn from one another,improve how they work together and experience combatsituations in diverse geographical locations. Each trainingmission provides an opportunity to develop joint militarysolutions to a variety of potential scenarios.

MILITARY EXCHANGESEach year, units from every branch of the U.S. military visitIsrael for in-depth training. From educating soldiers aboutunderstanding the terrorist mindset to utilizing Israeli airranges, Israeli training provides an invaluable opportunity for American forces.

From America’s West Point to Israel’s National DefenseCollege, hundreds of soldiers attend each country’s profes-sional military training institutions each year where theyreceive advanced training in a variety of specialized areas.

For more details, visit www.aipac.org/strategicasset

An Unparalleled Military Alliance

Security. {

DID YOU KNOW? Baladia City is a 7.4 square milesimulated Arab village used for urban combat train-ing in Israel’s Negev desert. Built by the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers and funded with U.S. military aid,the facility is being used by the Israel Defense Forcesto hone their urban combat skills. U.S. military unitshave extensively trained at the facility with theirIsraeli colleagues in order to simulate urban combatmissions in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

• NOBLE SHIRLEY:A biennial exercise training desertwarfare and counterterrorism inIsrael’s Negev desert.

• RED FLAG:Israel participates in this advancedair combat exercise at Nellis AirForce Base in Nevada.

• JUNIPER STALLION:One of 10 annual joint warfareexercises between the U.S. andIsraeli Air Forces.

• JUNIPER COBRA:The largest U.S.-Israel joint exer-cise focusing on missile defense.

Security. {

The IDF and U.S. forces in Europe conduct eight major reoccuring militaryexercises and chair four bilateral, biennial conferences.

U.S.-Israel Joint Exercises Include…

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The Transportation Security Administration and airportofficials from around the United States have been workingwith world-renowed security experts at Israel’s Ben-GurionInternational Airport in order to learn how to efficientlyimprove airline security.

In March 2010, the United States and Israel signed anagreement to increase aviation security cooperation. The two allies will conduct drills reviewing procedures in case of attacks and share codes that send immediatealerts if passengers try to commit acts of terror.

Working Together as Allies {

For more than six decades, the reality of life in Israel has forced Israelis to defend themselvesagainst constant terrorist threats. As a result, the Jewish state has become a leader in design-ing techniques and technologies in the arenas of homeland security and counter-terrorism.Israel is working with U.S. government and private entities to develop technologies andequipment aimed at thwarting terrorism and safeguarding citizens from both nations.

“We went to the country that’sbeen dealing with the issue forthe past 30 years. We were thereto learn from them.”

U.S.-ISRAEL HOMELAND SECURITY COOPERATION

–PAUL E. EVANS, BOSTON POLICE COMMISSIONER, PRAISING ISRAEL’S HOMELAND SECURITY EXPERTISE

–MAJOR GENERAL (RET.) ROBERT HARDING,SECURITY CONSULTANT

“We should move even closer to an Israeli model where there’smore engagement with passen-gers…We’ve just started to dothat at TSA…”

For more details, visit www.aipac.org/strategicasset

Aviation Security

FIRST EDITION

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“The Israelis are legendary for their security, and this visit is anopportunity to see firsthand what they do, how they do it, and, asimportantly, the theory behind it.”

Israeli police forces train international peers in security procedures ranging from combating terrorism to preparingfor mass casualty emergencies. Israel has worked with multiple American agencies, including the FBI, NYPD,LAPD, and Washington, D.C. Police Department. The U.S.Capitol Police have also undergone training in Israeli counterterrorism techniques.

FEMA and U.S. National Guard officials have traveled toIsrael to study the Jewish state’s nation-wide emergencymanagement drills and procedures. The drills replicate amultitude of disaster scenarios including natural disasters,biological disasters and emergencies at schools and hospi-tals. Lessons learned through the drills provide Americanofficials invaluable intelligence, experience and knowledge.

U.S.-Israel Homeland Security Cooperation

The Port of Miami will be using an Israeli company, NICE Systems, to improve its video monitoring equipment.The new Israeli system will be used to protect the four million travelers who come through the port annually as well as the 7.4 million tons of goods.

Israel’s vast experience in protecting its borders from terrorists, and the technologies developed as a result, has been put to use here in the United States. The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection has been operatingIsraeli-designed unmanned aerial reconnaissance vehiclesalong the U.S. border with Mexico as part of the ArizonaBorder Coordination Initiative.

Working Together as Allies {

–STEVEN GROSSMAN, DIRECTOR OF AVIATION AT THE PORT OF OAKLAND

For more details, visit www.aipac.org/strategicasset

Emergency ManagementPolice Cooperation

Port Security Border Security

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U.S.-Israel Homeland Security Cooperation

American observers from FEMA and the National Guardoften travel to Israel to participate in Israeli homeland secu-rity drills. In January 2010, Israel conducted a large-scalebio-terrorism drill simulating a smallpox outbreak causedby a terrorist attack. Since then, FEMA and the IsraeliNational Emergency Authority have signed a formal agree-ment to conduct more joint-training drills and exercises.

Israel and the United States are two of 15 nations that areworking together to reduce the threat of attacks on com-puter networks. The collaborative efforts of these countries will help ensure that each nation’s online infrastructure is secure.

Verint, an American company with extensive operations in Israel, has developed a security system that is being used to secure the LaGuardia and Newark Airports, JFKInternational’s AirTrain transportation system and the Port of Beaumont. The technology has been certified by the Department of Homeland Security as an anti-terrorismtechnology.

Professor Ehud Keinan of the Technion and Professor PhilipDawson of the Scripps Research Institute in Californiainvented an explosive testing device, which was partiallyfunded by the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation(BSF). The $25 device can detect minuscule amounts of peroxide bomb-related substances by performing a quickon-the-spot chemical test. The terrorism fighting tool,which looks like a pen, can be applied to a wide variety of fields such as airport security and police activities.

Working Together as Allies {

“We have a very long and active relationship with Israel’s Home FrontCommand. It’s a great opportunity to be here [in Israel]…”

–ANDREW SLATEN, FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

For more details, visit www.aipac.org/strategicasset

Bioterrorism Cyber Defense

Mass Transportation Bomb Detection

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U.S.-Israel Homeland Security Cooperation

In an effort to improve both nations’ homeland securityefforts, the United States and Israel signed an agreement inMay 2008 to increase their science and technology cooper-ation. The agreement covers a broad range of areas.Washington and Jerusalem will increase their informationand personnel exchanges so that experts from

both nations can learn from each other. They will alsowork to enhance the security of physical and online infra-structure. And finally, the two nations will conduct researchtogether in order to better protect themselves against thethreat of nuclear, chemical and biological attacks.

Working Together as Allies {

DID YOU KNOW? In May 2010, 50 retired Generals and Admirals wrote to President Obama, highlighting thevalue of U.S.-Israeli cooperation. “American police and law enforcement officials have reaped the benefit of closecooperation with Israeli professionals in the areas of domestic counter-terrorism practices and first response to terrorist attacks,” the letter read.

“Our exchange of ideas and infor-mation with the [Israeli] HomeFront Command is of substantialbenefit to the National Guard in exercising its responsibilities for homeland defense.”

–AIR FORCE GENERAL CRAIG MCKINLEY, CHIEF OF THE NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU

For more details, visit www.aipac.org/strategicasset

Science & Technology

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U.S. Risks, Israeli Solutions.

“It is difficult to find anyother technology in theDepartment of Defense thatin a single decade has madesuch a tremendous impact.”

RISK TO U.S. TROOPS: U.S. Armored Vehicles AttackedSince 2001, insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan have killedhundreds of U.S. soldiers by targeting armored personnelcarriers with explosive devices.

ISRAELI INNOVATION: Bradley Reactive Armor TilesCreated by the Israel Defense Forces, the tiles overlay the vehicle’s armor with embedded explosives that blastoutward to suppress incoming fire. The tiles have protectedthousands of U.S. troops in armored personnel carriers.

RISK TO U.S. TROOPS: Booby-Trapped Safe HousesOn many missions, U.S. forces apprehend enemy combatantsand terrorists holed up in urban safe houses. Breaching the doors of these houses can be a deadly proposition whenU.S. troops come face to face with armed insurgents.

ISRAELI INNOVATION: Distance Door-Breaching SystemThe Israeli SIMON door-breaching system is capable of blasting down steel or wooden doors up to 130 feetaway. The system has reduced soldiers’ exposure to theenemy and saved lives.

Every day, Israeli military innovations are helping to save the lives of American troops inAfghanistan and Iraq. Because the United States has a deep strategic relationship with Israel,the U.S. military is able to learn from the Israel Defense Forces’ vast combat experience. Below are some of the life-saving Israeli military advances that the United States uses today.

For more details, visit www.aipac.org/strategicasset

{

ISRAELI INNOVATIONS SAVE AMERICAN LIVES ON THE BATTLEFIELD

DYKE WEATHERINGTON, U.S. DEPT. OF DEFENSE, PRAISINGISRAELI UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES

FIRST EDITION

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RISK TO U.S. TROOPS: Bleeding on the BattlefieldNinety percent of American battlefield deaths occur beforethe wounded reach field hospitals. Half of those fatalitiesare due to hemorrhaging.

ISRAELI INNOVATION: Emergency BandageCarried in every Army soldier’s first aid kit, the Israelibandage stems blood loss, prevents infection and allowsnon-medically trained soldiers to stabilize the wounded, following an attack.

RISK TO U.S. TROOPS: Remote-Controlled ExplosivesRemote-controlled explosive devises have caused more than 60 percent of U.S. casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan.

ISRAELI INNOVATION: Advanced Detection of ExplosivesThe U.S. military uses various Israeli technologies that candetect remote-controlled explosive devices. For example,1,200 Marine Corps vehicles are equipped with system tojam the signals that detonate roadside bombs. In addition,U.S. Army vehicles have a device that uses radio frequenciesto detect partially buried improvised explosive devices(IEDs). The U.S. military also uses unmanned aerial vehi-cles that have sophisticated IED sensors.

RISK TO U.S. TROOPS: Suicide AttacksSince Operation Iraqi Freedom began in 2003, there havebeen more than 1,700 suicide attacks targeting Americanand allied forces as well as civilians.

ISRAELI INNOVATION: Concealed Weapons DetectorIsrael developed the Coral-SD—a portable device thatdetects explosives and other weapons concealed under the clothing of an enemy, from a far distance.

“The emergency bandage has saved time and lives and is well on itsway to being one of the greatest assets emergency personnel can have.”

For more details, visit www.aipac.org/strategicasset

Israeli Innovations Save American Lives on the Battlefield

BOB SCAVELLI, U.S. ARMY (RET.), SPEAKING ABOUT THEUSE OF THE ISRAELI BANDAGE ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

U.S. Risks, Israeli Solutions.

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RISK TO U.S. TROOPS: Dangerous Flying ConditionsTargeting enemies in densely populated civilian areas ischallenging for even the most seasoned fighter pilots.Sandstorms, bad weather and darkness can make a pilot’smission more difficult—and more risky.

ISRAELI INNOVATION: Litening Targeting PodThe Israeli-developed Litening Pod identifies targets withlaser precision from high altitudes, placing the pilot in lessdanger, while reducing collateral damage on the ground.The system allows fighter planes to operate at night and inpoor weather. In 2006, this Israeli system helped Americanfighter jets target Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaeda’s former leader in Iraq.

RISK TO U.S. TROOPS: Surveillance Under FireTo be effective on the battlefield, the U.S. military needs tolook deep inside enemy territory in order to collect intelli-gence and relay it to commanders on the ground. But witharmed terrorists encamped in urban areas, reconnaissance is challenging.

ISRAELI INNOVATION: Unmanned Aerial VehiclesIsrael supplied the U.S. Army with its first unmanned aerialvehicle (UAV), known as the Hunter. This pilotless remote-controlled airplane collects real-time video intelligence and targets enemy combatants with laser-guided precision.Israeli UAV technology has reduced the number of pilotedmissions, leading to fewer American casualties.

For more details, visit www.aipac.org/strategicasset

Israeli Innovations Save American Lives on the Battlefield

U.S. Risks, Israeli Solutions. {

“There isn’t a trip that I take into theater where some young soldier or Marine won’t say to me, ‘Keep those MRAPs and MATVs coming.They save our lives. Tell whoever you see that’s involved thank you.’”

ADM. MIKE MULLEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OFSTAFF, ON U.S. VEHICLES PROTECTED BY ISRAELI ARMOR

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RISK TO U.S. TROOPS: Roadside BombsSince 2001, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) inAfghanistan and Iraq have caused more than 27,000 U.S.casualties. These roadside bombs and homemade explosiveshave killed more than 2,600 U.S. troops.

ISRAELI INNOVATION: Secure Vehicle ArmorIsraeli-made armor secures the majority of the U.S. military’sMine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles inAfghanistan and Iraq. Thousands of U.S. soldiers traveldaily in dangerous areas, where the threat of IEDs is greatest.MRAP vehicles help to save their lives.

RISK TO U.S. TROOPS: Lethal Urban WarfareU.S. forces often fight in urban settings, exposing them to unprecedented risks.

ISRAELI INNOVATION: Guerrilla Warfare TechnologyA number of Israeli-developed weapons systems help U.S.forces fight more safely and effectively in urban warfare.The Corner Shot allows soldiers to attack enemy targetsfrom around a corner. The Through-Wall Imaging Systemenables soldiers to see, as its name suggests, through walls.The Eye Ball R1, a remote camera the size of a baseball, canbe tossed into an area, ahead of advancing soldiers, to givethem time to assess risk before placing themselves in danger.

RISK TO U.S. TROOPS: U.S. Military Base AttacksTerrorists have launched countless attacks against Americanmilitary bases in Afghanistan and Iraq.

ISRAELI INNOVATION: Automated Detection of IntrudersThe U.S. Army and Marines use Israeli technology to securetheir vulnerable military bases. The SPIDER system auto-matically detects motion in a large perimeter area. The sys-tem provides detailed real-time location information aboutenemy intruders, preventing deadly attacks and saving lives.

For more details, visit www.aipac.org/strategicasset

Israeli Innovations Save American Lives on the Battlefield

U.S. Risks, Israeli Solutions. {

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SECTION 6 Israel’s Quest for Peace

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Israel’s 60-Year Quest for Peace Even before Israel was established, the leaders of the Jewish community in then-British Mandate Palestine sought peace with their Arab neighbors. The State of Israel has remained committed to that goal throughout its history, repeatedly demonstrating its desire to live side-by-side with neighboring states and peoples. Israel’s willingness to trade land for peace has led to peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan. Likewise, Israel proved its willingness to make bold, painful concessions in order to secure agreements that it hoped would end the conflict with the Palestinians. The current Israeli government continues on this path. 1918 - 1919 – Early Zionists Reach Out to Arabs Chaim Weizmann, who was to become the first president of Israel, led a mission to Cairo in 1918 to meet with leading Syrian Arab nationalists. He expressed the Jewish people’s desire to live in harmony with the Arabs. The following year, he entered into an agreement with the Arab nationalist leader Emir Faisal, in which the two agreed to support each other’s nationalist aspirations. 1937 – Jews Accept Peel Commission Report In 1937, Israel’s future Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion accepted the recommendations of the official British Peel Commission report as a basis for negotiations. The Commission allocated a very small percentage of Palestine to a Jewish state, while most of the country would have gone to an Arab state and Jerusalem would have remained under the British Mandate. The Arab governments vehemently rejected the plan.

1947 – Jews Accept U.N. Partition Plan The Jewish community of Palestine, and Zionists worldwide, accepted the partition plan approved by the United Nations that would create a Jewish state alongside an Arab state. They accepted that the plan although the Jewish state it envisioned was truncated and non-contiguous, without Jerusalem. The Arab states rejected the U.N. resolution, invading Israel in 1948 with the explicit purpose of destroying the Jewish state. Israel won the war.

David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, reads the Jewish state’s declaration of independence in 1948.

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1948 – A State is Born Declaring independence, David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister, said Israel would “extend the hand of peace to all its neighbors” as well as “full and equal citizenship and due representation” for the non-Jewish population. 1967 – Israel’s Offer to Withdraw is Rejected Days after successfully defending itself in the Six-Day War, Israel offered to return captured territories in return for peace treaties. Egypt and Syria immediately rejected the offer, as did the rest of the Arab League countries. The Arab League proclaimed its three “No’s” – no negotiations with Israel, no recognition of Israel, and no peace with Israel.

1978 – Israel Signs Camp David Accords with Egypt Israel agreed to return the entire Sinai Peninsula, an area more than twice the size of Israel, to Egypt in return for a peace agreement and normalization of relations. In 1979, Egypt and Israel signed a Treaty of Peace – the first such treaty between Israel and an Arab country. 1993 – Israel Inks Oslo Agreement Israel granted the Palestinians unprecedented authority over Gaza and parts of the West Bank and commenced negotiations designed to end the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians in exchange for a Palestinian agreement to recognize Israel and end terrorism. 1994 – Israel Establishes Peace with Jordan Jordan’s King Hussein and Israel’s Yitzhak Rabin signed a treaty of peace. Jordan became the second Arab state to formally come to terms with Israel. 2000 – Israel Makes Historic Offer for Peace Following talks at Camp David, Yasir Arafat rejected Israel’s far-reaching peace offer and the Palestinians launched sustained terrorist attacks. Nevertheless, by the end of 2000, Israel agreed to President Clinton’s proposals for a final peace between Israel and the Palestinians: Israel would cede all of Gaza, 96% of the West Bank and additional

In 1994, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (left) and Jordan’s King Hussein (right), with the help of President Bill Clinton, signed a peace agreement.

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territory from within pre-1967 Israel, recognize an independent Palestinian state, cede parts of eastern Jerusalem to serve as the Palestinian capital, and recognize the right of Palestinian refugees to return to a new Palestinian state. Arafat rejected these proposals as well. Israel also offered Syria a peace deal in which Israel would withdraw from the Golan Heights, but the deal was rejected.

2000 – Israel Unilaterally Withdraws from Lebanon With backing from the United States, Israel unilaterally withdrew from southern Lebanon after 18 years of maintaining a security zone to prevent attacks on its northern communities. Israel’s step toward peace was met with a massive military buildup by the terrorist group Hizballah, which regularly fired rockets into Israel and launched a war against the Jewish state in the summer of 2006 by ambushing and killing three IDF soldiers in Israeli territory and abducting from Israel and subsequently killing two more soldiers. 2005 – Israel Unilaterally Withdraws from Gaza With U.S. support, Israel takes a historic step and unilaterally withdraws from Gaza and parts of the West Bank, providing the Palestinians with an unprecedented chance to prove their intention to fight terrorism and govern effectively. Unfortunately, the Israeli step is met by nearly 7,000 rockets and mortars fired from Hamas-controlled Gaza. 2007 – Israel Extends Hand in Peace at Annapolis Conference At the U.S.-sponsored Annapolis conference, Israel reiterated its commitment to peaceful negotiations with the Palestinians and Arab states. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he believes “that there is no path other than the path of peace. I believe that there is no just solution other than the solution of two national states for two peoples.” 2008 – Israel Continues to Seek Peace Despite Daily Attacks Despite daily Hamas rocket fire and other terrorist attacks against its civilians during the year, Israel held intensive negotiations with the Palestinian Authority to reach an agreement covering all remaining issues. 2009 – Israel Endorses Demilitarized Palestinian State In a major policy address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally endorsed the creation of a demilitarized Palestinian state, called on the Palestinians to recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people, and called for the immediate resumption of negotiations with the Palestinians without preconditions.

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Key Principles of the Peace Process The United States and Israel have long shared the goal of establishing peace between Israel and all of its Arab neighbors, including the Palestinians. For decades, the United States has engaged in diplomatic efforts to facilitate negotiations between Israelis and Arabs. Throughout these efforts, successful American diplomacy has been founded on several core principles. These remain key to improving the likelihood for future success in Israeli-Arab talks. America’s approach has been based on the following elements: (1) successful peacemaking requires close U.S.-Israel coordination during all phases; (2) the parties to the Arab-Israeli dispute need to engage in face-to-face negotiations; (3) no outside party—including the United States—can impose an agreement; (4) Arab parties can play a key positive role by normalizing relations with Israel and backing Palestinians committed to peace with Israel; (5) the United States maintains all elements of its close alliance with Israel even as it attempts to help broker agreements; and (6) the United States will support basic policies that protect the character and security of the Jewish state. Key Principles Vital During Transition in United States and Israel Now that the United States and Israel have each elected new leaders, these key principles should continue to ground efforts by the new governments in Washington and Jerusalem as they explore ways to advance Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Syrian negotiations. The U.S. and Israel Should Work Together The chief guiding principle is that the United States and Israel must always work together, even if they are not in full agreement on every issue. Israel has been able to be more flexible in negotiations with the Arabs when it has great confidence in its relationship with the United States. Efforts to go around or pressure Israel on issues relating to its security and survival are destined to backfire. When the United States and Israel closely coordinate their approaches to peacemaking and avoid surprises, the chances for success increase, as evidenced by the peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan.

President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have pledged to work closely on the issues facing both nations, including peace efforts.

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The United States promotes negotiations in a variety of critical ways. The United States often hosts talks, and is obviously in close contact with regional and international partners. It can help rally support for negotiations and opposition to parties trying to undermine them. In the case of Israel’s negotiations with the Palestinians, the United States can help isolate the terrorist organization Hamas until it forswears terror, accepts Israel’s right to exist and accepts prior Israeli-Palestinian agreements. The United States also can help break logjams in the negotiations at key moments by working together with both sides. While the United States should be sensitive to the needs of both parties to negotiations, it should not adopt a posture of “evenhandedness” between its ally, Israel, and other parties. The United States should continue to approach negotiations with an acceptance of Israel’s need for secure, recognized and defensible borders, with the understanding that Israel must determine its own security requirements. Negotiations should also be premised on the belief that a final-status agreement between Israel and a Palestinian state would entail the end of all claims between the parties. America’s approach—including its special relationship with Israel—is an asset to the negotiations process, and has historically made the United States the only outside party trusted by both sides to be an effective mediator. The United States can act to help the parties in a fair-minded way, and urge them to maintain their commitments. With respect to the Palestinians, it can support moderate leaders without abandoning its insistence that the Palestinian Authority decisively act to halt violence, incitement and terrror. In fact, this continued support is more likely to lead to breakthroughs in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations because Israel will be more willing to take risks for peace when its security requirements are being addressed and when the United States is backing its efforts. Direct Talks—Not Imposed Solutions—Are Necessary for Success An enduring solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must arise from the parties themselves, and cannot be imposed by the United States or other outside parties. A deal can only work if both parties enter into it willingly, feel vested in it and intend to implement it. Without buy-in from the two parties and the publics they represent, no accord will be viable. That is why direct, bilateral negotiations—which can be facilitated by the United States—are still the best way forward. Arab States Have Important Role to Play in Supporting Negotiations The Arab states have a vital role in supporting Israeli-Palestinain negotiations. To play a positive role in fostering such efforts, it is critical for the Arab states to accept Israel’s right to exist within secure and recognized boundaries as stipulated by U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, work toward normalizing relations with Israel and support Palestinian leaders committed to peace. The Arab states can also help support negotiations by taking sustained efforts to combat terrorists who are seeking to undermine peace efforts.

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The U.S.-Israel Relationship Transcends the Peace Process Beyond the peace process, the United States and Israel have a deep alliance based on common values that benefits both countries. The two allies share intelligence, have extensive defense cooperation and work to counter the shared threats of terrorism and proliferation. It is critical that this vital cooperation is maintained irrespective of the daily ups and downs of Israel’s negotiations with its Arab neighbors. Israel, PA Conduct Year of Peace Talks In November 2007, the Bush administration launched a new diplomatic initiative in Annapolis, which led to formal negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian officials, with the backing of the Arab states. The goal of the talks was to try to reach a comprehensive peace agreement by the end of 2008. Throughout the ensuing year, then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas met on a regular basis to hash out the principles and details of a possible peace agreement between the two sides. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni also held regular discussions with former Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei. Palestinian Divisions Complicate Talks Aside from the weighty issues discussed at the negotiating table during the past year, the talks were hampered by the political divisions and leadership struggles on the Palestinian side. Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad have had no control of Gaza since June 2007, when the terrorist group Hamas staged a violent coup against the Fatah party. Hamas, which was in a unity government with Fatah, forcefully took control of Gaza and stepped up rocket attacks against Israel while leaving Fatah in control of the West Bank. This development dramatically changed the tenor of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, forcing Israel to isolate Hamas and protect Israelis from attack while pursuing talks with the legitimate Palestinian leadership in the West Bank. It will be very challenging to make diplomatic progress in 2009 so long as Fatah and Hamas fight over who is the legitimate governing authority. And even if Israel were to reach a peace agreement with Fatah leaders, it would be difficult to implement so long as they exercise no authority in Hamas-controlled Gaza. Critical for Congress to Support Time-Honored Principles As the Obama administration and the new Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu look to continue negotiations between Israel and her neighbors, the United States and Israel should continue the close cooperation that has characterized the current diplomatic process thus far. The United States also should remain supportive of moderate Palestinians interested in making peace with Israel and helping their people prosper.

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In this context, Congress and the executive branch should continue to closely adhere to the principles outlined above. The United States can maintain its special relationship with Israel while supporting the efforts of moderate Palestinian leaders to combat extremists and build their economy and civil society. An American position consistent with our historic principles offers the best chance of helping both Israelis and Palestinians ultimately achieve peace.

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Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas refuses to talk with Israel and is taking steps to isolate Israel.

March 9, 2011

Palestinians Must Return to Direct Talks to Achieve Peace

Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have stalled because Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas has refused to meet with Israeli leaders since September 2010. Instead, Abbas has traveled the world seeking recognition of a Palestinian state and sought to isolate Israel. Abbas’ circumventions will bring neither peace nor a Palestinian state; direct talks are needed for that. America should continue its long-standing support for negotiations to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and oppose harmful unilateral efforts.

The Palestinians continue to refuse to talk with their Israeli counterparts and instead have taken unilateral steps that undermine the peace process. • Despite repeated calls by Israel and the United

States to hold serious direct talks, Abbas has refused to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since Sept. 15, 2010.

• Instead, the PA has launched a campaign outside the negotiations process to win international support for the recognition of a Palestinian state. “We have moved into the internationalization stage,” senior Palestinian official Nabil Shaath told the Los Angeles Times in a recent interview.

• The Palestinians have spoken openly about unilaterally declaring a state and have won recognition from many countries around the world, with the objective of attaining United Nations membership this year.

• The Palestinians have also made it clear that they will continue to use the U.N. and other international fora to press Israel for concessions instead of negotiating peace with Israel.

• Rejecting President Obama’s personal request to Abbas urging him to drop the matter, the Palestinians and their allies last month proposed a one-sided U.N. Security Council resolution that would have condemned Israel for construction in eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank. The United States vetoed the measure.

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• The United States has repeatedly said it opposes unilateral Palestinian steps at the U.N. “We continue to believe strongly that the only way that there will be a resolution of the conflict … is through a negotiated settlement,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said earlier this year. “Therefore, we don’t see action in the United Nations or any other forum as being helpful in bringing about that desired outcome.”

Israel remains committed to conducting direct peace negotiations in order to reach a lasting peace. • Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that Israel remains committed to

direct talks. “We are prepared to pursue those peace negotiations vigorously and are eager to get on with the work of achieving a secure peace,” he said recently.

• Israel’s Defense Minister Ehud Barak told the Wall Street Journal in an interview on March 8 that Netanyahu will likely announce a new peace plan soon. The new proposal is an effort by Netanyahu to get the stalled talks back on track.

• Netanyahu has already taken far-reaching steps to pave the way for substantive talks with the Palestinians—calling for a Palestinian state, reducing barriers to movement in the West Bank and implementing an unprecedented 10-month West Bank housing construction moratorium.

• Just last month, Netanyahu and Quartet Representative Tony Blair announced a series of steps aimed at further boosting the Palestinian economy, including developing new infrastructure and enhancing living standards.

• Amid these Israeli confidence building measures, the Palestinian economy in the West Bank experienced a 9 percent increase in GDP in 2010.

The United States should continue to press the Palestinians to return to negotiations with Israel • The United States should press Abbas to embrace the U.S. initiative and enter into

negotiations immediately. • The United States should also continue pressing Arab states to back the resumption of peace

talks and to provide political cover and financial aid to the PA. • The United States must continue to publicly make clear that it opposes unilateral Palestinian

steps and that it will act against any effort at the U.N. that seeks to single out Israel. • The United States should oppose efforts within the Quartet (the United States, Russia, Britain

and the U.N.) to predetermine the terms of reference for negotiations regarding borders. The Palestinians want the group to affirm that the borders should be based on those that existed before the 1967 Six-Day War, when Israel captured the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, among other territory.

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May 5, 2011

Palestinian Unity Deal Undermines Peace Prospects Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas’ decision to formally ink a reconciliation agreement with the U.S.-designated terrorist group Hamas is likely to severely undermine U.S. peace efforts. The unity deal does not require Hamas to change its positions, which include openly seeking Israel’s destruction and carrying out attacks on innocent Israeli civilians. As leading members of Congress have urged, the United States should suspend aid to the PA unless it becomes clear that a new government will meet international expectations that it renounce violence, recognize Israel’s right to exist and accept the commitments made by prior PA governments.

The Hamas-Fatah unity government does not require Hamas to recognize Israel and end violence. • Under the agreement, formally adopted on

May 4, Hamas is not required to accept the Quartet (the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia) conditions of recognizing Israel’s right to exist, rejecting violence and endorsing previous Israeli-Palestinian peace agreements in order to participate in the transitional government and elections.

• Abbas made clear that he will not press Hamas to recognize Israel. “We will form a government of technocrats and we will not ask Hamas to recognize Israel,” he told Al-Ahram newspaper.

• Hamas vowed during the May 4 signing ceremony that it will continue to use violence. “The only campaign we have is against Israel,” Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal said, adding, “Our common enemy is Israel. Israel must be fought through force and diplomacy.”

• By reconciling with Hamas, the PA has chosen to break from its peace commitments with Israel, under which it is required to fight terror and dismantle the terrorist infrastructure represented by Hamas, among other groups. Incorporating an unreformed Hamas that has not foresworn terror would make it impossible for the PA to meet these commitments.

• Indeed, the unity agreement may represent part of a broader Palestinian strategy to abandon talks with Israel and seek U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state outside the context of negotiations.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh (left) and PA President Mahmoud Abbas have agreed to form a unity government.

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• Abbas said during the signing ceremony that world leaders have “come together to indicate the Palestinian people’s right to an independent state. … The Palestinian state needs to be born this year.”

Hamas refuses to recognize Israel and is increasing its attacks against Israeli civilians. • The Hamas charter, published in 1988, details the guiding principles of the group. The charter

is laced with anti-Semitism and racism, rejects peaceful efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and calls for the destruction of the State of Israel through jihad, or holy war. Hamas considers all of Israel to be occupied territory.

• Hamas’ past involvement in political activity has not moderated or otherwise altered its stated goal of destroying Israel and building a radical Islamist society. Since seizing Gaza from Abbas in a bloody coup in 2007, Hamas has imposed harsh Islamic law throughout the coastal strip.

• Hamas and other Iranian-backed terrorist groups in Gaza have stepped up their smuggling of Iranian arms and increased their mortar and rocket attacks against Israeli civilians, firing nearly 300 this year. A deliberate attack on a school bus recently killed a 16 year-old boy.

Israel’s leadership sees no path to peace with a PA that includes an unreformed Hamas. • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on May 4 that the reconciliation agreement is

“a tremendous blow to peace and a great victory for terrorism. … The only way we can make peace is with our neighbors who want peace. Those who want to eliminate us, those who practice terror against us, are not partners for peace.”

• Israeli President Shimon Peres also denounced the agreement. “The agreement between Fatah and the terrorist organization of Hamas is a fatal mistake which will prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, and destroy the chances of achieving peace and stability in the region,” he said.

• Israel’s opposition leader Tzipi Livni said the new Palestinian government “will have to accept the Quartet's conditions if it intends to keep peace with Israel.”

The United States must refuse to recognize or provide aid to any government that includes Hamas until Hamas renounces violence, recognizes Israel and agrees to previous PA obligations. • Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said May 5 that the United States has “made it very clear

that we cannot support any government that consists of Hamas unless and until Hamas adopts the Quartet principles.” In April 2009, Clinton told members of Congress that that the United States would “not deal with, nor in any way fund, a Palestinian government that includes” an unreformed Hamas.

• U.S. law prohibits the provision of aid to a PA government that includes Hamas unless the government and all its members have publically committed to the Quartet principles.

• Members of Congress are urging the administration to review the situation and to suspend U.S. aid if Hamas does not meet the Quartet requirements.

• The Obama administration should also make clear that the PA—regardless of who is in control of the governing body— is bound by its commitment to end violence, dismantle the

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terrorist infrastructure and adhere to all agreements with Israel and understandings with the United States.

• The United States should also tell the international community that supporting any Palestinian government that rejects the Quartet principles will undermine the prospects for peace with Israel.

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June 14, 2011

Palestinian Provocations Undermining U.S. Peace Efforts

Rather than responding to Israel’s efforts to negotiate peace, the Palestinian Authority (PA) is engaging in diplomatic warfare against the Jewish state. The PA is choosing reconciliation with Hamas over talks with Israel, and is campaigning internationally to isolate Israel. The United States—which is trying to facilitate direct peace talks—should strongly oppose PA provocations and veto Palestinian attempts to seek U.N. Security Council recognition of a Palestinian state outside negotiations with Israel.

Palestinian preconditions are blocking U.S. and Israeli efforts to restart peace talks. • PA President Mahmoud Abbas is blocking the resumption

of talks by setting onerous preconditions on issues that are supposed to be solved through negotiations.

• The Palestinians wasted nearly 10 months of an unprecedented Israeli moratorium on housing starts in the West Bank by avoiding negotiations. Now they refuse to talk with Israel until the Jewish state halts all construction in the West Bank and the eastern part of Jerusalem.

• The Palestinians have now stepped up their preconditions by demanding that Israel publicly commit that a Palestinian state will be based on the pre-June 1967 lines with mutually agreed land swaps.

• According to prior Israeli-Palestinian agreements, all final status issues—including settlements, borders, Jerusalem, refugees and security—are to be determined through negotiations, not predetermined prior to talks.

The Palestinians are implementing a strategy of diplomatic warfare to isolate Israel and avoid talks. • At the same time the PA is refusing to talk with Israel, it has launched a campaign outside the

negotiations process to win admission as a full member of the United Nations by this September.

• By avoiding negotiations and seeking recognition of a Palestinian state within the 1967 lines with Jerusalem as its capital, the Palestinians are violating past agreements with Israel that say the conflict must be solved through direct negotiations between the parties.

PA President Mahmoud Abbas is seeking U.N. recognition of Palestinian statehood instead of negotiating with Israel.

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• Abbas, in a May 16 New York Times op-ed, said the admission of a Palestinian state into the United Nations is not part of a strategy to solve the conflict, but a way to perpetuate it. He said this step “would pave the way for the internationalization of the conflict as a legal matter, not only a political one.”

• President Obama has publically rejected the Palestinian unilateral approach at the United Nations, saying on May 22 that “no vote at the United Nations will ever create an independent Palestinian state.” On May 25, Obama called the Palestinian efforts at the U.N. a “mistake.”

• While demanding the immediate recognition of a Palestinian state prior to final-status negotiations, Palestinian leaders continue to refuse to affirm Israel’s status as the homeland of the Jewish people, as President Obama has articulated.

• In fact, the PA is backing efforts aimed at delegitimizing the existence of the Jewish state. The PA supported efforts by Palestinians in Syria, Lebanon and Gaza to overrun Israel’s borders during the “Nakba” protests in May against the creation of the State of Israel in 1948.

• Abbas praised the protestors that violated Israel’s borders, saying, “Their precious blood … was spilt for the sake of our nation’s freedom.”

Abbas’ decision to sign a unity deal with Hamas is another major blow to U.S.-led peace efforts. • Rather than talking with Israel, Abbas signed a deal to form a unity government with Hamas,

a U.S.-designated terrorist group bent on destroying Israel. • Under the April 27 accord between Hamas and Fatah, Hamas did not accept the Quartet’s

(U.S., U.N., E.U. and Russia) conditions of recognizing Israel’s right to exist, rejecting violence and endorsing previous Israeli-Palestinian peace agreements in order to participate in the transitional government and election.

• Fatah appears to have decided to reconcile with Hamas rather than abide by its peace commitments to Israel, under which it is required to fight terror. Incorporating an unreformed Hamas into the PA makes it impossible for the Palestinians to meet these commitments.

• Hamas’ past involvement in political activity has not moderated or otherwise altered its stated goal of destroying Israel and building a radical Islamist society.

• President Obama has made clear that Israel cannot reach an agreement with Hamas, saying, “No country can be expected to negotiate with a terrorist organization sworn to its destruction—and we will continue to demand that Hamas accept the basic responsibilities of peace, including recognizing Israel’s right to exist and rejecting violence and adhering to all existing agreements.”

In contrast to the PA, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has demonstrated Israel’s commitment to direct negotiations and peace. • During the past two years, Netanyahu has taken far-reaching steps toward substantive talks

with the Palestinians—calling for a Palestinian state, reducing barriers to movement in the West Bank and implementing the 10-month moratorium on new West Bank housing construction.

• In a joint meeting of Congress on May 24, Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s desire for peace with the Palestinians, delivering his most far-reaching statements on the peace process to date by outlining steps Israel would take to facilitate a two-state solution to the conflict.

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SECTION 7 Iran Sanctions Implementation

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Ideas for Action: Iran Sanctions Mobilization

Create flyers or pamphlets in the student center showing ten things that will happen if Iran goes nuclear and pass them out as an engagement tool.

Make presentations in your classes explaining why it is in America’s interest to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Make a Pledge of Support for Middle East Stability or Petition to Stop Iran from Pursuing Nuclear Weapons and circulate it on campus.

Present an Iran petition to student government officials and your local member of Congress.

Encourage student leaders to sign an Iran petition and publish it in the school newspaper.

Create a sheet with quotes from Ahmadinejad (i.e. “The way to peace in the Middle East is through the destruction of Israel”) and on the bottom have a short statement about Iran’s nuclear plans and what we can do to stop it. Pass this out on campus as a tool for engagement.

Give presentations to pro-Israel religious organizations on how a nuclear Iran threatens peace, and then urge them to lobby their elected officials on the issue.

Build a relationship with your school’s clubs and organizations, then go to their weekly meeting and explain the need for Iran sanctions using specific examples to make it relevant and interesting for them.

Engage local churches to educate their congregations on the Iran issue.

Work with local churches to lobby members of Congress.

Write an op-ed on Iran in your school and local newspaper.

Invite a small group of student leaders to a private briefing with a pro-Israel teacher on the situation in Iran, and present action ideas.

Lobby your members of Congress on bills in their district office that deal with Iran.

Organize a lobbying mission to Washington D.C. to lobby your members of Congress on Iran-related legislation.

Where appropriate, participate in your state’s Iran divestment effort. Organize a “Block the Bomb” trip to your state capitol and lobby state legislators.

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The Iranian Nuclear Threat The Islamic Republic of Iran’s nearly twenty-year secret nuclear program was exposed by an exile group in 2002, and subsequently confirmed by inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Seven years and four United Nations Security Council Resolutions later, the United States continues to lead the international effort to halt Tehran’s uranium enrichment program and other activities that could lead to a nuclear weapon. As the leading state sponsor of international terrorism, a nuclear-armed Iran would pose unacceptable threats to global security. Although Iran is rapidly progressing toward nuclear breakout capability, American and internationally imposed sanctions, designed to convince Iran to suspend its nuclear program, are seriously hampering Iran’s ability to conduct business abroad and to attract desperately needed investment for its energy sector. Diplomatic approaches by the United States should be accompanied by the threat of much more robust economic, diplomatic and political sanctions to persuade Iran to turn away from its current dangerous course. Iran Nearing a Nuclear-Arms Capability In 2006, Iran announced that it had successfully begun enriching uranium. By February 2009, the IAEA released a report showing that Iran has now acquired more than 2,200 pounds of low enriched uranium that—if further enriched to weapons-grade level—is enough for one nuclear bomb. The IAEA report also said Iran was operating more than 5,900 centrifuges—machines that spin at supersonic speeds to enrich the uranium needed to build a nuclear bomb—a 500 percent increase in the number of centrifuges compared with 2007. With these increased enrichment capabilities, Iran is reducing the time it requires to produce enough

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highly enriched uranium (HEU) for nuclear weapons. Iran has tested more efficient and advanced centrifuge models and has informed the IAEA that it plans to begin installing additional centrifuges as soon as early 2009. Tehran’s stated goal is to assemble more than 50,000 centrifuges for industrial-scale enrichment, which would enable Iran to produce enough HEU for up to 50 nuclear warheads per year. Iranian Nuclear Activities Have No Civilian Purpose In addition, inspectors from the IAEA have uncovered evidence that Iran has carried out a number of nuclear activities with no known civilian energy purposes. Iran has experimented with polonium, an element whose primary use is to trigger nuclear explosions, and continues to block IAEA inspections to numerous nuclear facilities. Iran’s Green Salt Project, an alleged clandestine Iranian entity focusing on uranium processing, high explosives and a missile warhead design, remains a matter of serious concern and critical to an assessment of a possible military dimension to Iran’s nuclear program. Iran has also been conducting research and tests on technologies needed to deliver a nuclear weapon, including the rapid advancement of its long-range ballistic missile and space program. Tehran has also upped its violent rhetoric and military tests including war games, rocket and land-mobile missile tests and threats to close the Straits of Hormuz. A Nuclear Iran Would Destabilize the World A nuclear-armed Iran would constitute an existential threat to Israel, but would not merely threaten Israel. It would likely lead to nuclear proliferation elsewhere in the region and around the globe while fundamentally altering the strategic balance of the Middle East, a vital region key to U.S. national security interests. Nuclear Weapons Would Embolden the Regime Nuclear weapons would embolden Iran’s regime. Iran could seek to further its radical foreign-policy agenda by strengthening its support for terrorist allies like Syria, Hamas and Hizballah, which are actively working to undermine U.S. peace efforts. If Iran possessed nuclear weapons, it could share this technology with anti-American terrorist groups to carry out attacks against U.S. interests worldwide. A Nuclear Iran Would Destabilize Pro-Western Arab States Arab countries with strong ties to the United States are terrified of Iran achieving a nuclear weapons capability. Gulf countries in particular fear that Iran will use its nuclear umbrella to intimidate their governments and radicalize their people. Iran might never need to actually use a nuclear weapon; the mere potential might persuade its neighbors to further distance themselves from the United States.

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Nuclear Arms, Missiles Would Pose Major Threat to U.S. By combining a nuclear weapon with its ballistic missile program—already capable of targeting American troops in the Middle East and parts of Europe—Iran also would pose a serious nuclear threat to the United States and its allies. Such a threat would increase as Iran is able to perfect advanced ballistic missile technology and build missiles capable of striking the United States and Western Europe. Nuclear Iran Would Spur Regional Arms Race, Kill Non-Proliferation Regime Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons also would likely touch off a regional nuclear arms race among other Middle Eastern countries. Indeed, many Arab states have expressed new interest in “peaceful” nuclear programs as Iran continues its nuclear weapons pursuit. This heightened interest in nuclear technology would likely spread beyond the Middle East, marking the death knell of the global non-proliferation regime. A world in which nuclear weapons have spread widely would be a much more dangerous place and exponentially increase the likelihood that such weapons might actually be used.

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SECTION 8 Books of Interest

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Books of Interest Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle Authors: Dan Senor and Saul Singer Publisher: Twelve (2009) Synopsis: Hampered by an Arab nation boycott that makes regional trade impossible and endowed with precious little by way of natural resources, Israel has beaten the odds to become a major player in the global business world, especially in the technology sector. With the highest number of startups per capita of any nation in the world and massive venture capital investment, Israel is one of the world's entrepreneurship hubs. Senor, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and Singer (Confronting Jihad) track Israel's economic prowess using a number of factors, including the social networks and leadership training provided by Israel's mandatory military and reserve service, a culture of critique fostered by centuries of Jewish tradition and an open immigration policy for Jews that continually restocks Israel's population with motivated people from around the world—all of which foster a business climate in which risk is embraced and good ideas are given a chance to grow. (Amazon.com) Myths, Illusions, and Peace: Finding a New Direction for America in the Middle East Authors: David Makovsky and Dennis Ross Publisher: Viking Adult (2009) Synopsis: Why has the United States consistently failed to achieve its strategic goals in the Middle East? According to Dennis Ross and David Makovsky, two of America’s leading experts on the region, it is because we have been laboring under false assumptions, or mythologies, about the nature and motivation of Middle East countries and their leaders. In Myths, Illusions, and Peace, the authors debunk these damaging fallacies, held by both the right and the left, and present a concise and far-reaching set of principles that will help America set an effective course of action in the region. Among the myths that the authors show to be false and even dangerous is the idea that Israeli-Palestinian peace is the key to solving all the Middle East’s problems. (Amazon.com) Why I am a Zionist: Israel Jewish Identity and the Challenges of Today Author: Gil Troy Publisher: Bronfman Jewish Education Center (2002) Synopsis: Why I am a Zionist is a penetrating and startling analysis of the challenges facing the Jewish nation today. Author Gil Troy ardently returns to the core issues—What is Zionism? Why is Zionism equated with racism in the eyes of the world?—and

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the result is a crash course in Jewish nationalism and identity, covering an important range of topics including the Arab-Israel conflict, terrorism, multiculturalism, and the quandary of North American modern Zionism. In Why I am a Zionist, Troy addresses the tough questions, exploring recent events such as the current Intifada and September 11. The result is a thoroughly relevant and honest exploration of contemporary issues that cannot be ignored. (Amazon.com) Right to Exist: A Moral Defense of Israel’s Wars Author: Yaacov Lozowick Publisher: Doubleday (2003) Synopsis: In Right to Exist, Yaacov Lozowick, an Israeli historian, describes his evolution from a liberal peace activist into a reluctant supporter of Sharon. In making sense of his own political journey, Lozowick rewrites the whole history of Israel, delving into the roots of the Zionist enterprise and tracing the long struggle to establish and defend the Jewish state in the face of implacable Arab resistance and widespread international hostility. Lozowick examines each of Israel’s wars from the perspective of classical “just war” theory, from the fight for independence to the present day. Subjecting the country’s founders and their descendants to unsparing scrutiny, he concludes that Israel is neither the pristine socialist utopia its founders envisioned, nor the racist colonial enterprise portrayed by its enemies. Refuting dozens of pernicious myths about the conflict—such as the charge that Israel stole the land from its rightful owners, or that Arabs and Jews are locked in a “cycle of violence” for which both bear equal blame— Right to Exist is an impassioned moral history of extraordinary resonance and power. (Amazon.com) Saving Israel: How the Jewish People Can Win a War That May Never End Author: Daniel Gordis Publisher: Wiley (2009) Synopsis: The Jewish State must end, say its enemies, from intellectuals like Tony Judt to hate-filled demagogues like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Even average Israelis are wondering if they wouldn't be better off somewhere else. A country which once restored hope to Jews world-over now feels itself slipping. Increasingly, Israelis wonder how much has really been accomplished and whether they ought to persevere. Can Israel win the next military war for survival, whomever the foe? Can Israel defuse the demographic time bomb of a growing Arab population? Can Israel, a country that’s come so far and sacrificed so much, keep up the will to fight? Daniel Gordis is confident his fellow Jews can renew their faith in the cause, and in Saving Israel, he outlines how. Gordis has written many popular personal essays and memoirs in the past, but Saving Israel is a full-throated call to arms. Never has the case for defending -- no, celebrating -- the existence of Israel been so clear, so passionate, or so worthy of wholehearted support. (Amazon.com)

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The Case for Israel Author: Alan Dershowitz Publisher: John Wiley and Sons (2003) Synopsis: Noting that he has been working on versions of these arguments since 1967, famed Harvard law professor Dershowitz offers “a proactive defense of Israel,” a kind of amicus brief to “the court of public opinion.” Not least among the exhibits are a WWII-era Muslim Palestinian leader who was “a full fledged Nazi war criminal, and he was so declared at Nuremberg”; a “vastly under populated” late 19th-century Palestine, to which European Jews began emigrating; and a 75-year-long Arab-Israeli war that features “Arab nations dedicated to genocidal aggression against civilians.” Each of the 32 chapters begins with a commonly heard accusation against Israel. (Publishers Weekly)