Americans For Peace Now - Organization Timeline

Organization Timeline

• 1978 - Founding of Shalom Achshav (Peace Now) The largest grassroots movement in Israel's history is founded in 1978 by 348 reserve army officers and combat soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces.

• 1979 - Forging the First Peace On the eve of Prime Minister Begin's historic trip to negotiate peace with Egypt, Shalom Achshav mobilizes hundreds of thousands of Israelis in a massive demonstration of public willingness to trade land for a secure peace with an Arab neighbor. Begin would later write that this demonstration was on his mind as he negotiated at Camp David.

• 1981 - Establishment of Americans for Peace Now Networks of support for Shalom Achshav emerge around the United States and a national movement begins to form.

• 1982 - Ending the war in Lebanon Following the massacres of Palestinians in the Sabra and Shatilla refugee camps by the Phalangist militia, Shalom Achshav helps to rally 400,000 people - 10% of Israel's population - in a successful effort to demand a government commission of inquiry and an end to the war in Lebanon.

• 1985 - Building Bridges to the Other Side Shalom Achshav initiates dialogue and reconciliation projects with Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

• 1988 - Speak Peace with the PLO Shalom Achshav launches its campaign "Speak Peace with the PLO" helping to legitimize dialogue and pave the way for the Oslo negotiations.

• 1989 - Promoting Peace in Times of Crisis As the Intifada and violent retaliation escalates, Shalom Achshav organizes "Hands around Jerusalem," a landmark partnership as 25,000 Israelis and Palestinians linked hands to encircle the walls of the Old City in a chain of peace.

• 1990 - Launching of Settlement Watch project This project has become one of the most reliable and respected sources of information on settlement activity.

• 1993 - Creating a Shalom Achshav youth movement Thousands of Israeli youth have been mobilized throughout Israel and have helped facilitate a parallel development among Palestinian youth in the West Bank and Gaza.

• 1994 - Establishing Ir Shalem project This project opposes housing eviction and land confiscation of Palestinians in Jerusalem and promotes policies that seek equity and unity among all of Jerusalem's residents, Israeli and Palestinian.

• 1996 - Groundbreaking tour by Israeli and Palestinian youth From the White House to inner-city high schools, they traveled the United States sharing their ideas about reconciliation, offering hope even in the face of a new wave of suicide terrorism.

• 1997 - Expanding Washington advocacy APN launches its Action Alert Network program in support of American mediation efforts in the Arab-Israeli conflict.

• 1998 - APN presents Creative Policy Options Presenting ideas to breaking the protracted negotiating deadlock and challenging both Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Arafat to live up to their Oslo obligations.

• 1998 - APN hosts Yitzhak Rabin peace award APN Begins an annual award ceremony honoring individuals that further the United States commitment to the Israel and Palestinian Peace process.

• 2002 - Over 100,000 Israelis rally for peace Peace Now and the Israeli Peace Coalition launched a major new campaign to end the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. Under the banner, “Get Out of the Territories, for Israel’s Sake,” over 100,000 Israelis responded to this call and rallied for peace in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv on May 11.

• 2003 - APN Hosts Geneva initiators Americans for Peace Now (APN) played a major role in hosting several Israelis and Palestinians who worked on the Geneva Accord when they were in Washington. With the assistance of APN, the Geneva team had a tremendous impact on government officials and the media.

• 2005 - Israel unilaterally withdraws from the Gaza Strip Israel unilaterally withdraws from all permanent Israeli presence in the Gaza Strip and from four settlements in the northern West Bank. Peace Now supported the withdrawal, although it repeatedly called for the withdrawal to be negotiated with Palestinian Authority President Abbas.

• 2006 - Settlement report Peace Now published a report stating that 40% of Israel settlement land is owned by Palestinians. Israeli settlements in the West Bank are built on land which the Israeli government recognizes as privately-owned by Palestinians, as opposed to "state land" whose ownership is unclear, or land owned by Jews. (The report may be seen at November. An update of the report can be found at March.)