FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 17, 2008

The American Israeli Action Coalition (“AIAC”), on behalf of American citizens living in Israel, called today for prompt new elections in Israel and the formation of an interim government of national unity until a new administration is elected and formed.

Harvey Schwartz, Chairman of the Israel-based AIAC, stated that “with Ehud Olmert’s declared resignation as Prime Minister, the current method for selecting his successor is not democratic in nature. The declared present method is for the Prime Minister’s successor to be selected solely by the votes of the registered members of the Kadima Party. With no more than 70,000 members (many of whom recently joined), Kadima represents less than 1% of the entire Israeli population. It is inconceivable that the next Prime Minister of Israel will be selected by such a miniscule percentage of the entire populace.”

“American citizens living in Israel know how a true democracy functions,” Schwartz continued. “They experienced it in the United States, the cradle of democracy. They recognize that the current exercise in Israel – in which the country’s leadership will be determined by a select few – is not democracy. Rather, it smacks of totalitarianism of the worse kind which should be an anathema to the Jewish State. Israel deserves much better.”

Aaron S. Tirschwell, AIAC’s Director remarked that “Israel is facing too many challenges of the greatest magnitude – including existential ones – for its leadership to be selected by a closed, small group. It is for the Israeli population as a whole to select its leader to face these challenges, rather than an unelected, anonymous group.”

AIAC proposes that Israel move to hold prompt national elections and, in the interim, all major parties join in a government of national unity, to deal solely with the day-to-day issues of governing the country until a new government is formed.

AIAC is devoted to effectively recruiting and activating the more than 250,000 expatriate American citizens in Israel in order to create a united voice that will be heard by the governments and people of the United States and Israel on issues that pertain to the continued safety and security of Israel and the Jewish people worldwide.