From the editor:

The focus this week is on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s address at Bar Ilan University.  It was a major policy statement widely seen as responding to President Obama’s Cairo speech.  The Prime Minister endorsed the concept of a Palestinian state, albeit with significant provisos.  At the same time, he rejected a total freeze on settlement building and the right of Palestinians to return to their former homes inside Israel. 

The White House and most European leaders saw Mr. Netanyahu’s remarks as an “important step forward”--to cite President Obama’s words.  Israelis were divided.  Palestinians rejected it outright. 

What follows is the full text of Mr. Netanyahu’s address (1) and a diverse sampling of “morning after” reactions--most of them brief--from Israeli journalists (2-12 see below).  Note especially the assessment by Leslie Gelb, former president of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations.

The Union for Reform Judaism adopted a resolution co-sponsored by ARZA and the Religious Action Center (13).

Prior to the speech, the Central Conference of American Rabbis issued a statement urging a settlement freeze.  Israeli reporters caught up (14) with CCAR president Rabbi Ellen Dreyfus who was in Israel attending a family wedding . 

And to prove that not everything happening in Israel is political, there’s a report on a highly successful food distribution campaign conducted (15) by IRAC--Israel Religious Action Center, which receives major financial support from your ARZA dues.

1. Text of Mr. Netanyahu’s address
2. Jeff Barak
3. Aluf Benn
4. Paul Eidelberg
5. Leslie Gelb
6. Akiva Eldar
7. David Horovitz
8. Herb Keinon
9. Ari Shavit
10. Yesha Council
11. Aliza Herbst
12. Reactions of Palestinians
13. Resolution of Union for Reform Judaism
14. Interview with Rabbi Ellen Dreyfus
15. FROM OUR ISRAEL MOVEMENT:  IRAC Delivers 7 Tons of Food

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