Pro-Israel Democrats’ Moment of Truth

President Trump’s peace plan challenges long-held views of the Washington foreign policy establishment, including those of pro-Israel Democrats. When the government of Israel, backed by a broad consensus of its citizenry, adopts the plan and proceeds to annex a portion of the West Bank as early as July 1, a moment of truth will arrive. Pro-Israel Democrats will have to decide: Do they like an Israel of their imagination or one of real Israelis?  Most of my friends in the Washington foreign policy establishment— diplomats, civil servants, think-tankers and journalists—are pro-Israel Democrats. They do not agree with every policy decision of the government of Israel. But, unlike critics of Israel in the left-wing of the Democratic Party, they fully support the traditional U.S.-Israel security relationship, including its expansion under President Obama. And when they disagree with...

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The Four Key Players in Israel’s Annexation Debate

What are the chances of this dramatic step actually taking place? Is this an inevitable result of the new government formed or yet another election-promise bound to be discarded as campaign rhetoric makes way to reality?

It all depends on four key players, their motivation, and their ability to influence the course of events.

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Five Things to Know This Week: Annexation Alert and the Deal of the Century

Last Friday, as election results in Israel became clear and as final touches were being put on the U.S. Middle East peace plan, a.k.a. “the deal of the century,” a group of Jewish organizations sent a letter to President Trump essentially asking him to rein in Israel’s re-elected prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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