Published on AL Quds (http://www.alquds.com)

التخطيط للفشل - كيف يمكن انهاء الاحتلال واقامة دولة فلسطينية والتوصل الى سلام مع اسرائيل دون مفاوضات؟

 

 

 

Publication_date: 

الأحد يوليو 13 2008

المؤلف: 

غيرشون باسكين

بالرغم من انني لا زلت متفائلا نوعا ما بامكانية التوصل عبر المفاوضات الى اتفاقية لحل الدولتين، الا ان احتمال فشل المفاوضات هو احتمال حقيقي. ان فشل العملية دون التوصل الى خطة واضحة ومفصلة حول استراتيجية انهاء الاحتلال واقامة الدولة الفلسطينية بجانب اسرائيل والتوصل الى سلام مع اسرائيل ربما سيؤدي الى جولة جديدة من العنف التي من المحتمل ان تكون اكثر رعبا مما شهدناه حتى الان.

وقد يعني فشل المفاوضات تلاشي حل الدولتين علما انه لا يوجد حل حقيقي اخر غير هذا للنزاع. والحديث عن حل الدولة الواحدة ليس الا وهما. فهذا ليس بالحل بل انه يعيد النزال ويحوله الى نزاع وجود «نحن او هم» بدلا من «نحن وهم» كما هو الحال بالنسبة لحل الدولتين، فحل الدولة الواحدة ينكر الحقوق الاساسية لتقرير المصير بالنسبة لكلا الشعبين الاسرائيلي والفلسطيني، كما ينكر على الشعبين حقهما في اقامة دولة قومية لكل منهما - وهو اطار سياسي يعبر عن تطلعاتهما الثقافية والتراثية الوطنية وهويتهما الوطنية والثقافية.

اذا فشلت العملية السلمية يتوجب ان نكون مستعدين لاطلاق استراتيجية لانهاء الاحتلال والعمل على اقامة دولة فلسطينية الى جانب اسرائيل - والتوصل الى سلام بين الدولتين - كل ذلك دون مفاوضات.

وستعتمد هذه الاستراتيجية على اعمال من جانب واحد. ومن الناحية العملية فان الزخم الاساسي لهذه الاستراتيجية هو الاعلان الاحادي الجانب للسيادة الفلسطينية بكل الطرق السلمية الممكنة. والقاعدة الاساسية لهذه الاستراتيجية يجب ان تكون على شكل مشروع وطني منضبط تتولاه القيادة السياسية. فالمواجهة المباشرة السلمية مع اسرائيل هي المفتاح والقيادة والانضباط هما الاداتان.

والمرحلة الاولى من هذه الاستراتيجية هي الدعوة التي توجهها القيادة للاعلان بأنه ومن هذه اللحظة فان الدولة الفلسطينية قائمة وان حدود هذه الدولة هي حدود الرابع من حزيران 1967 وان عاصمتها القدس الشرقية ، وان دولة فلسطين واقعة تحت الاحتلال وان الشعب الفلسطيني سيجبر اسرائيل على انهاء الاحتلال عبر حملة مواجهات سلمية مباشرة تقودها القيادة الفلسطينية. وتطلب القيادة من المجتمع الدولي توفير عضوية كاملة لهذه الدولة على جميع المنتديات الدولية بما في ذلك الامم المتحدة وجميع وكالاتها. وستدعو القيادة الفلسطينية جميع الحكومات الاجنبية للاعلان بأن جميع ممثلايتها وقنصلياتها قد اصبحت سفارات في الدولة الفلسطينية. وسيتوجب دعوة السفراء الاجانب لتقديم اوراق اعتمادهم لرئيس دولة فلسطين محمود عباس. وبالمثل، سيدعو الرئيس محمود عباس جميع الدول في العالم الى الاعتراف بمكاتب منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية ومكاتب المصالح الفلسطينية كسفارات لدولة فلسطين.  READ MORE

 

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Planning for failure – how to end the occupation, create the Palestinian state and make peace with Israel without negotiations

 

Gershon Baskin*

 

July 13, 2008

 

Al Quds newspaper in Arabic

 

While I remain somewhat optimistic that it is still possible to reach a negotiated agreement for the two state solution, the possibility of failure of the negotiations is very real. Failure of the process without a clear and well thought out detailed plan for a strategy of ending the Israeli occupation, establishing the Palestinian state next to Israel and making peace with Israel will probably result in a new round of violence which is likely to be much more horrific than what we have seen until now.

 

Failed negotiations may very well mean the final demise of the two-state solution and there is no other real solution to this conflict. Talks of a one state solution is a lie. It is no solution. It turns the conflict back into an existential conflict of "us or them" rather than "us and them" as the two state solutions is defined. The so called one state solution denies the basic right of both the Israeli people and the Palestinian people to self determination. It denies both people the right to a nation state of their own - a political framework that gives expression to their cultures, heritage national aspirations, cultural and national identities.

 

If the peace process fails we must be ready to launch a strategy for ending the occupation, bringing about the creation of the Palestinian state next to Israel, making peace between the two states – all of this without negotiations.

 

A new strategy would be based on unilateral actions mainly taking place by the Palestinian. Functionally the primary impetus of the strategy is the unilateral assertion of Palestinian sovereignty in every non-violent way possible. The fundamental basis of the strategy must be a well disciplined national project led by the political leadership. Non-violent, direct confrontation with the occupation is the key, leadership and disciplines are the tools. READ MORE...>>>

 

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Encountering Peace: Palestinian nationalism is the mirror of Zionism

Jun. 30, 2008
Gershon Baskin , THE JERUSALEM POST

At the age of 14 my family moved from a very Jewish neighborhood in Long Island, NY to a very non-Jewish neighborhood. The percentage of Jewish students in my schools decreased from around 80% to around 5%. It was quite a dramatic change.

 

As minorities do anywhere in the world, we seek each other out and cling to each other in order to retain a sense of security and belonging. In my first weeks in my new school I found a friend who had just returned from a visit to Israel and whose family was preparing to make aliya. He informed me that he was establishing a chapter of the Zionist Youth Movement Young Judaea in our town, and he invited me to join. By the following year I was elected to the regional executive board of the movement and in my last year in high school I was president of the Long Island region.

 

I spent the following year in Israel on the Young Judaea Year Course. During that year I firmed up my decision that Israel was my home and after completing my BA in the States (at the urging of my parents) I returned to Israel and became an Israeli citizen.

In Young Judaea, the Zionist education that I received and that I imparted to many others after me, was that moving to Israel had to be a qualitative shift in cognition and not just a change of address. In other words, moving to Israel had to have a larger meaning and being an Israeli meant that I would have to do something that would make a positive contribution to the development of the State of Israel and to the Jewish people. Then, as today, I understood that the most pressing and compelling challenge to the State of Israel was/is to find a way to make peace with our Arab neighbors. It is in that area that I have spent the past 30 years of my life. READ MORE...>>>

 

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Palestinian choices and realities     By: Gershon Baskin   23 June 2008 Special to AMIN There is a general sense amongst Israelis and Palestinians alike that the permanent status negotiations are going nowhere. The promise and hope for real changes on the ground since Annapolis have faded away, like most of the other promises and hopes of the Oslo peace process. Daily hardships for Palestinians remain much as they have been since the beginning of the second intifada.  Israeli checkpoints and road blocks still make the possibility of movement and access a challenge that most normal people fail to understand and cope with.  Israeli settlements are expanding and few people can comprehend how a contiguous Palestinian state can ever be established.  Nonetheless, despite the understandable pessimism and even cynicism regarding the peace process, intensive negotiations are taking place. There are at least three negotiating forums: (1) the meetings between President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert, (2) the meetings between the heads of the negotiating teams – Livni and Qurie, and (3) the seven technical committees. There have been more than 70 negotiating sessions held between Livni and Qurie as of the date of this writing. The heads of the negotiating teams are meeting three times a week.  The technical committees are meeting at least once a week.  I also believe, although without any hard evidence for this, that there is at least one secret channel of negotiations taking place as well. There are continuous contradictory reports on progress or the lack of in the negotiations, but in truth, we have no real information and the negotiations are continuing.  From past experience, we know that the real hard decisions are always made in the final hours of the negotiations, and not before. READ MORE...>>>

 

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Encountering Peace: The road map can work

Jun. 16, 2008
Gershon Baskin , THE JERUSALEM POST

Remember the road map? For some time it was the only game in town and then Ariel Sharon declared that there was no partner and declared the unilateral disengagement from Gaza. Then came Mahmoud Abbas, elected with a large majority to rule the Palestinian Authority and once again the road map showed up as the plan to guide the sides back to the table. But then, a year later, Hamas was elected and took over the Palestinian government and once again the road map was pushed aside. Then came the Hamas takeover of Gaza a year ago, and Abbas broke relations with Hamas. President Bush convened the Annapolis summit which put the road map back on the table. The government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority once again obligated themselves to implement Phase I of the road map while at the same time, in parallel, moving into Phase III - the permanent status negotiations.

 

Phase I of the road map obligates the Palestinians to take decisive action against the terrorist infrastructure, to reorganize the Palestinian security forces and to reform the Palestinian Authority, removing all elements of corruption. The Phase I obligations of Israel include freezing all settlement growth, including for natural growth, removing unauthorized outposts and redeploying to positions held prior to September 28, 2000.

 

Since the road map's inception, Israel has complained that the Palestinians did not implement any of their obligations. Israel claimed that the implementation of the road map must be sequential and not parallel, meaning that first the Palestinians must implement their primary obligations of fighting against terror and only then would Israel implement its obligations. The Israeli interpretation of the sequential nature of the obligations was never correct, however; even it if were correct, today the Palestinians have and are fulfilling their obligations, whereas Israel has done absolutely nothing to address its obligations. READ MORE...>>>

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Encountering Peace: Green and red lines

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GERSHON BASKIN , THE JERUSALEM POST

Jun. 2, 2008

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Walking (and driving) the Green Line for three days this past week from Mt. Gilboa to Gush Etzion provided a unique opportunity to feel the pulse of the country, to reflect on its natural beauty and to assess the realities shaped on both sides of the border by the separation barrier.

 

Days prior to the journey, I participated in the Palestinian Investment Conference in Bethlehem that brought together close to 2000 participants from the West Bank and Gaza, Israel and the rest of the world. The Bethlehem Intercontinental Hotel and the newly opened Palestinian Convention Center in Bethlehem were overwhelmed by the huge turnout of participants who came to voice their support for normalcy, stability, and peace. The Palestinian Authority did an outstanding job to ensure real security and order for all of the local and foreign delegates and dignitaries, including the 50 Israeli business and community leaders who attended. The conference, initiated by Prime Minister Salam Fayad and Tony Blair, was an inspiration and a vote of confidence in the peace process and in the business of building a Palestinian state living in peace next to Israel.

 

The Green Line and the separation barrier in the northern section of the West Bank are one in the same. Admittedly the barrier is a clear wound in the pastoral beauty of the area, but the sense of security that it provides to both Israelis and Palestinians can be felt and witnessed by speaking with residents on both sides.

Israelis and Palestinians alike, in that part of the country, acknowledge that it is not yet possible or wise to re-establish an open border but note that at some time in the future, once there is real peace, it would be desirable. In the meantime, the lack of a border dispute in the area has enabled a process of fruitful dialogue and mutual planning that will bring great benefits to both populations. READ MORE...>>>

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דרוש: מציל לי-ם

 

גרשון בסקין מחפש מנהיג לירושלים שאינו פוליטיקאי או מיליונר השואף להיות פוליטיקאי

 

גרשון בסקין | 2/6/2008 16:15

מדינת ישראל ציינה לפני שנה ברוב הדר 40 שנה לאיחוד העיר ירושלים אך אנו, תושבי הבירה, יודעים היטב כי מאחורי חגיגות הראווה מסתתרת אמת עגומה מאוד. מציאות החיים בירושלים כיום איננה מציאות של איחוד, כי אם של שסעים לאומיים, כלכליים, תרבותיים, דתיים ובין-דתיים עמוקים.

נכון להיום, ירושלים היא אחת הערים העניות במדינות ישראל. מחירי הדיור בה הם מהגבוהים ביותר בארץ, ואפשרויות הדיור לזוגות צעירים הולכות ומתמעטות. העיר סובלת מצפיפות, ממחנק ומהזנחה, רחובותיה מטונפים ולא ניכרת כמעט כל עבודת טיפוח של הגנים והמרחבים הציבוריים.

אמנם בשנים האחרונות חלה צמיחה מסויימת בחיי התרבות בעיר ואיכות ההיצע הקולינרי השתפרה באופן יחסי, אך גם בתחומים אלו ירושלים עדיין מציעה לתושביה ולמבקריה הרבה פחות מאשר אחותה הצעירה תל אביב.  קרא עוד...>>>

 

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Encountering peace: Negotiating through the drums of war

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GERSHON BASKIN , THE JERUSALEM POST

May. 19, 2008

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The drums of war are beating once again. Israel's Independence Day festivities are behind us. The "Shimon Peres show" that brought the leaders of the Jewish world and tens of heads of state has also closed down. President Bush and his entourage are gone. Now Olmert and his government are free to devote attention to the continued rocket fire from Gaza (that is of course, in between being investigated for all sorts of corruption).

 

The grad missile that landed on the Ashkelon shopping mall during the exact moments when Bush was sitting with Olmert only supported the firm belief held by the US president that "you don't talk with terrorists." It is interesting to imagine what Olmert was thinking at that moment. Olmert was well aware that his negotiations with Hamas through Egypt were continuing despite the fact that Olmert, Barak and Livni delivered the identical negative response to Egyptian Security Chief Omar Suleiman regarding the package deal Egypt negotiated with the Hamas and the other factions in Gaza for a cease-fire and the reopening of the Rafah crossing for people and goods. It is quite easy to assume that Bush gave his "green light" for Israel to launch a major ground operation into Gaza (after he leaves the country of course). Israel needs US consent to use US supplied weapons that will kill Palestinians in Gaza, including innocent non-combatants who will get in the way of the fire.  READ MORE...>>>

 

 

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בקרוב אצלך גרשון בסקין

ביום העצמאות ה-60, גרשון בסקין מאחל לישראל שתשכיל להגיע עם הפלשתינים להקמת מדינה עבורם פעמים אחדות בשנה, חגי ישראל והחגים הנוצריים והמוסלמיים נחגגים כמעט באותם ימים. בחוגים שלי, נוצרים, יהודים ומוסלמים נוהגים לברך זה את זה בברכת "חג שמח" מעבר לכל מחשבה על סכסוכים ואיבה בין ישראל לבין הפלשתינים. יש אפילו מנהיג מהפת"ח ששולח לי ברכת "חג פסח שמח וכשר". לפני כמה שנים צלצל אליי חבר פלשתיני ביום העצמאות לאחל לי ולמשפחתי חג שמח. אני מודה, מרוב תדהמה נאלמתי דום, ורק כעבור שנה הייתי מוכן להשיב לו איחול: "בקרוב אצלך". אני איש שמאל ותיק. השנה לא אשתתף בטקסים המשותפים ליהודים ולערבים. אני כן משתתף בטקסי יום הזיכרון האלטרנטיביים השונים – ואסביר מה ההבדל ביניהם בעיניי. באמת צר לי כי לעם הפלשתיני אין עדיין מדינה עצמאית משלו. ברור כשמש שלמדינת ישראל יש אחריות לא קטנה בעניין הזה, אך אין לה אחריות מלאה. הפלשתינים עצמם אחראים לכל הטעויות שהם עשו ועדיין עושים בסכסוך המר הזה. אך אין באמירה הזו שום אליבי למדינת ישראל להימלט מאחריותה שלה, ומעבר לזה - מהאינטרס המובהק שלה שתקום בעתיד הקרוב מדינה פלשתינית לצד מדינת ישראל.  אני רוצה לחגוג את עצמאות עמי ומדינתי. עצמאותנו היא האירוע החשוב ביותר בהיסטוריה המודרנית שלנו כעם, ואני שמח שמדינת ישראל נולדה לפני 60 שנה. נכון שבה בעת שהוקמה מדינת ישראל התרחשה הנכבה של העם הפלשתיני, וכישראלי וציוני אני מוכן לחפש ולמצוא את הדרך הנאותה לציין מה שקרה לעם השכן ולא לברוח מחשבון נפש בתוכנו על חלקנו באסון שלהם. קרא עוד...>>>

 

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Encountering Peace: Next year in Palestine

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Gershon Baskin , THE JERUSALEM POST

May. 5, 2008

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Sixty years! Rising from the ashes and faced with six decades of struggle and war, Israel certainly has a lot to be proud of. Not only is Israel one of the world's largest producers of news and interests around the world, given our size, and the real problems with which we are faced, Israel has emerged to be a leading nation in so many fields - agriculture, water technology, high tech, medical treatments and research, bio-technology, communications, computers, and more. Recently even Israel's film industry has attracted international attention and fame. I look forward to our Independence Day celebrations every year. I am proud and pleased that we have this day to celebrate.

 

Many organizations on the far left have begun to combine Independence Day celebrations with ceremonies to mark the Palestinian Nakba - their national day of tragedy. There are some on the radical left who even call for boycotting Independence Day entirely. While I am considered a veteran "leftist" by many, I will not be there with those who suggest that we should not celebrate our day of independence.

It is very common for me to share wishes for happy holidays with my Palestinian friends. Several times a year Jewish, Christian and Muslim holidays take place around the same dates. It is customary for me to receive good wishes from many Palestinians and to wish them happy holidays in return. One of the more humorous of these is the annual Pessah greeting I receive from a Fatah leader who extends his wishes in the traditional Jewish form: Wishing you a happy and a kosher Pessah!

READ MORE...>>>

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Can we talk?: Parleys with Hamas aren’t unusual for activists

by joe eskenazi
staff writer

When Hanna Siniora or Gershon Baskin’s phones rings late at night — or even at 3 a.m., Hillary Clinton-style — they never know who’ll be on the other end.

Could it be Israeli or Palestinian teachers searching for coexistence curriculum advice? Possibly.

Could it be European diplomats hoping for help hammering out a Mideast cease-fire? That’s possible too.

Or could it be Hamas officials hoping Siniora and Baskin can act as intermediaries between Israel’s military and the Hamas kidnappers who nabbed Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006? Well, it wouldn’t be the first time.

Siniora is a 70-year-old Palestinian, born and raised in East Jerusalem; Baskin is a 51-year-old Brooklyn-born Israeli Jew. The two are co-CEOs of Jerusalem’s Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information. The two men made several speeches throughout the Bay Area last week, all of them sponsored by the living-room dialogue groups founded by Len and Libby Traubman of San Mateo.

The 20-year-old think tank founded by Siniora and Baskin has Israelis and Palestinians working on water rights, border economics and all the esoterica that will have to be settled if ever the Arab and Jewish states will ever really exist side-by-side in a semblance of peace.

READ MORE...>>>

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Encountering peace: Two sides of the price tag for Schalit

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Gershon Baskin , THE JERUSALEM POST

Apr. 21, 2008

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During this festive Pessah holiday of freedom my thoughts, like so many thousands of others, have been with Gilad Schalit and his family. Held in captivity somewhere in Gaza for 667 days, there is still no clear sign in sight that his release is imminent. Why has it taken so long to secure his release?

For one, we are dealing with a political-Islamic-radical movement that while willing and even anxious to negotiate his release, is not willing to negotiate directly, even in a secret back channel. Although kidnapped by what are apparently three separate groups, Hamas has been charged with the negotiations, pretty much since the beginning of the negotiating process. Hamas issued its demands very soon after the abduction of Schalit. The only compromise that Hamas has shown since that time concerns the release of information on his welfare and actual proof that Gilad is alive and well. Initially Hamas demanded the release of all Palestinian women and minors in Israeli prisons, numbering some 450, in exchange for information.

Having been directly involved in the negotiations prior to the appointment of Ofer Dekel by Ehud Olmert, I can say that Hamas was convinced to release a sign of life without receiving anything in exchange, mainly because it was a way to prove that there actually was a channel for negotiations that had a direct connection to the people holding Schalit. On September 9, 2006, 75 days after his abduction, a hand-written letter from Gilad finally reached the hands of the Egyptian mediators who at that time were still based in Gaza.

Hamas was led to understand that there would be some kind of confidence-building measure undertaken by Israel following the release of that letter. On September 12, 2006 it was announced that an Israeli military court had ordered the release of 16 Hamas politicians being held since the kidnapping. It is not clear if this order had been initiated by Olmert in response to the letter from Schalit.

At the end of the day, the court order was reversed and none of the Hamas politicians were released at that time. The captors of Schalit immediately passed on a message (to me) that Israel was not taking the situation seriously and was in fact endangering the life of Schalit.

READ MORE...>>>

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Encountering Peace: Creating a culture of peace in Israel and Palestine

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Gershon Baskin , THE JERUSALEM POST

Apr. 7, 2008

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Israel and the Palestinian Authority have decided to put the culture of peace on the negotiating table. Genuine peace is not made solely by signing and implementing agreements between governments. It must be fostered, developed and implemented between the citizens of both sides. Over the past years, a core issue of concern has been text books and incitement. Text books are issued by governments and reflect the official values that societies wish to impart to their citizens. An essential aspect of values-based education is imparting and building the national identity. This kind of task is complicated under the best circumstances; when faced with a 100-year violent conflict with the neighbors, it becomes extremely problematic and difficult.

A peace process occurs between nations, transferring them from a state of war between enemies to a state of peace between partners. A successful peace process requires a shift of attitudes in a cross-section of the society and must be built between the two peoples. Education is a powerful agent of change, and both Israel and Palestine must make changes in their curricula and textbooks.

There is little or no chance that Israelis and Palestinians will share the same understanding and interpretation of the history of the land and the conflict between its peoples. There is a clear right for Palestinians and Israelis to give their version of history in their textbooks. Both peoples have struggled for their freedom and liberation, and their students must know their history as it is an essential element of collective nation building and in defining their identity.

READ MORE...>>>

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IPCRI ISSUES POLICY PAPER FOR ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATORS ON FOSTERING A CULTURE OF PEACE

INTRODUCTION

 

The Government of Israel (GOI) and the PLO have decided to create a forum within the negotiations process on a framework agreement for permanent status to reach agreements on the ways and means of fostering a Culture of Peace. This decision was made in recognition of the fact that genuine peace is not made solely by signing and implementing agreements between governments, it must be fostered, developed and implemented between the citizens of both sides.

Many observers would question why is fostering a culture of peace within the realm of governments; shouldn’t this be done by civil society?  The answer is both positive and negative:  civil society must play a large role in developing programs that will enable Israelis and Palestinians to meet each other in organized people-to-people activities; however, there are specific tasks that governments must take responsibility for in this process as well.  Some of those tasks include the creation of an “enabling environment” for civil society people-to-people activities to be able to function and thrive. There are also a whole set of tasks concerning the specific roles and responsibilities of governments that must be undertaken and implemented by them because they concern issues which are under their direct purview.

This document will suggest an agenda for the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations on fostering a Culture of Peace.  The agenda will include both of these domains: specific responsibilities of governments for fostering a culture of peace and the creation of an enabling environment for civil society people-to-people activities.

READ THE DOCUMENT BY CLICKING HERE

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Jewish Advocate

Fri April 4 2008

Peace is still within reach

By Donna Spiegelman - Friday April 4 2008

Gershon Baskin and Hanna Siniora, the Israeli and Palestinian co-directors of the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI), recently told an audience of 120 at Temple Israel in Boston that “a framework agreement for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is within reach.”
Rabbi Kolin of Temple Israel welcomed the speakers from IPCRI and opened the conversation on “homeland, safety, and peace” by inviting those present into the “sacred space” of the sanctuary, appropriate for discussing the serious issues at hand.

“Despite the setbacks of the recent weeks of violence, negotiations will continue and Abbas and Olmert will reach an agreement” Baskin asserted. The two speakers expressed confidence that a significant majority on both sides will support peace, if given the opportunity within a reasonable timeframe. In the meantime, they said, behind-
the-scenes talks are progressing, mediated by a third party, to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

 

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Michigan Journal

 

Dear Supporters of Peace in the Holy Land,

The Children of Abraham People's Peace awards honoring an Israeli and a Palestinian peace pioneers were held in Las Vegas on March 19, 08, and by all accounts, was a major success.

The Award ceremony which included leaders of the Christian, Jewish and Moslem communities in Las Vegas was chaired by US Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV)  who presented the People's Peace Awards to Dr. Gershon Baskin, an Israeli from Jerusalem and Mr. Hanna Siniora - A Palestinian, from Jerusalem.

US Senate Majority Leader, Sen.Harry Reid (D-NV) sent a representative who read a letter from Senator Reid praising the efforts for peace in the Middle East and commending  Dr. S.E.Elia - Founder and President of the Children of Abraham Coalition for organizing the People's Peace Awards and congratulating the winners. ( Copy of Sen. H. Reid's Letter attached)

Both award winners who are Co-CEO's of IPCRI ( Israeli Palestinian Center for Research & Information) have devoted the last 2 decades of their lives to peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. This is despite living in Jerusalem, which has witnessed untold violence in the past half a century. Their belief is that peace is not an option, it is the only solution. This was echoed by Dr. Elia in his opening remarks by stressing that there are no winners in war and that there are no losers in peace.

The success of the peace Awards was due in large measure to the participation & support by all the major religious and ethnic communities in Las Vegas which included the Arab American Community, The  Jewish American Community, The Asian American Community and the Latino Community. Speakers at the Peace Awards event included Ms. Karen Boyett - Executive Director of the Interfaith Council in Southern Nevada, Dr. Aslam Abdullah, Executive Director of the Islamic Society of Nevada, Rabbi Y. Mintz of the Valley Outreach Synagogue, Dr.Martha Poling-Goldenne, Pastor of the New Song Lutheran Church, Anthem, and Rabbi S. Akselrad of the Ner Tamid Congregation in Henderson, NV. In addition to the religious leaders, a presentation  was made by Mr. Matt Taha on behalf of the Palestinian community.
 

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Encountering Peace: A long way from the Three Noes

Recently I re-examined the September 1967 decision of the Arab League summit in Khartoum - the famous three no's - no recognition, no negotiations and no peace with Israel.

Here we are 40 years later and instead of speaking about the Arab-Israeli conflict, we speak about Arab-Israeli relationships - complex and diverse.

Peace, albeit cold, with Jordan and Egypt. The Saudis continue to speak about the Arab Peace Initiative (API) and even Hamas wants a cease-fire agreement with Israel. Syria is calling for direct negotiations with Israel. The Palestinians claim that Israelis are holding back on making progress toward peace for the creation of a Palestinian state which is essentially supported by the government and a majority of Israeli citizens. The Lebanese government, which also supports the API and managed to kick the Syrians out of Lebanon, claims that Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon will not be complete as long as Israel holds on to the Shaba farms.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said that he would consider opening talks with Damascus, but we all know that his hands are tied by President George W. Bush. The US has issued preconditions to Syria that must be met before Washington is willing to loosen the rope around Assad's neck. The US demands that Syria seal its border to Iraq to prevent insurgents from killing US soldiers there. The US has also demanded that Syria cease the flow of Syrian and Iranian money and weapons to Hizbullah. The US further demands that the Assad regime shut down the offices of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Damascus. All of these are quite reasonable demands and something that every supporter of peace in the Middle East should applaud.

Encountering Peace: The moral majority for peace

Reaching a peace agreement by the end of the year seems almost impossible. The violence between the sides is once again in full gear and the rage on the streets of both Israel and Palestine is on the rise. Israel killed more than 100 Palestinians in the last "operation" in Gaza - more than half of them civilians, say Palestinian sources. Palestinian celebrations in Gaza after the murderous attack in Mercaz Harav and crowds of Israelis calling "death to the Arabs" once again demonstrates that we have not learned anything. Jews and Arabs have been killing each other over this land for 100 years. The mutual calls for revenge continue to feed this horrific cycle of death and destruction. Many of our political leaders, on both sides, follow the mob response calling for more death, more blood, and more revenge. How many more families on both sides must bury their dear ones before we all wake up and realize that this must end? Fortunately Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas responded to the recent violence positively stating: "Despite all the circumstances we're living through and all the attacks we're experiencing, we insist on peace. There is no other path."

Israeli leaders have been less explicit. This is most unfortunate. The leaders on both sides should sound a voice of morality recognizing that the violence on both sides of the conflict will continue as long as there is no political agreement that will lead us to the end of the conflict.

I find it completely beyond comprehension that people on both sides actually believe that the way to put and end to the violence of the other side is to hit them with more force and bring more suffering on them. How can any thinking person believe that if we kill more of "them" that they will simply surrender? Would we? If the Palestinians continue to kill us in a wholesale manner would we consider surrendering our rights? Would we lay down our arms and make concessions on our rights for liberty, freedom, statehood, and justice because we suffer losses?

Palestinians are no different than us on matters concerning their national dignity, dreams of statehood and demands for freedom, liberty and justice. If we were occupied and denied our freedom would we lay down our arms? Would we adopt strategies of non-violence? I doubt it.

NO, IT IS not easy to reach a negotiated end to this 100 year conflict. Both political systems are so weak, divided and dysfunctional that it is almost impossible for the political leaders to find the courage to make the leap that is necessary to give each other the minimum concessions that are needed to produce an agreement.

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Encountering Peace: To save lives - negotiate with the devil

Israel does not negotiate with terrorists. This "truism" is one of the biggest spins in the history of spinning. Israel has always negotiated with terrorists and will continue to negotiate with them as long as we continue to cherish (Jewish) human lives.

Israel is negotiating with Hizbullah for information about its two kidnapped soldiers. Israel is negotiating with the Hamas for the release of Gilad Schalit. If it were possible Israel would hold direct negotiations with Hassan Nasrallah and Khaled Mashaal themselves. But the two of them are not willing to conduct direct negotiators and third-party mediators are carrying Israel's offers back and forth. Almost no one in Israel criticizes the basic idea of negotiating with these terrorists for the release of kidnapped soldiers. Most Israelis will be willing to pay a very high price for their release.

WHY WOULD negotiating with Hamas for a cease-fire that has the potential to save tens, perhaps hundreds of lives in Israel be any less legitimate than negotiating with Hamas to save one human (Jewish) life?

The Hamas leadership in Damascus and in Gaza have both sent messages that they are interested in a cease-fire with Israel. In order to be clear, they are speaking about what they call tahadiyeh or a "calming down," and not what is referred to as a hudna, or a long-term cease-fire based on Islamic history and teachings.

Encountering peace: The way forward

There is a very curious news black-out both in Israel and in Palestine regarding what President Bush read in the Olmert-Abbas joint statement in Annapolis: "We agree to engage in vigorous, ongoing and continuous negotiations and shall make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008."

Are those negotiations taking place? We don't really know. Not only the politicians aren't talking, most of the media is not reporting, the international community is silent and I have even heard that Tony Blair has instructed members of his staff to keep quiet.

Every so often, there is a statement, usually from the Palestinian side that no progress has been made. The latest statement came form PA Prime Minister Salam Fayad. Sometimes some of the politicians on the Left in Israel also state that nothing is happening on the peace front. Sometimes we hear rumors of exactly the opposite - for instance this newspaper's headline on Monday: "Coalition crisis looms after Post reveals secret Jerusalem talks."

A FEW weeks ago several Israeli news analysts reported that Prime Minister Olmert and Abu Mazen have made considerable progress toward a framework agreement. We even hear statements from time-to-time that the end of 2008 deadline is possible to reach, while others insist that it is impossible. We really have no idea which assessment is accurate. READ MORE...>>>

The prospect of a new Gaza reality

Even after the disengagement from Gaza, Israel remained legally responsible for the welfare of the 1.5 million Palestinians there. International law considered the Gaza Strip to be under Israeli occupation even after every single settler and soldier left. The reason for Israel's continued legal responsibility is mainly based on the fact that Israel sealed all of Gaza's borders to the outside world and prevented the opening of a sea or airport in Gaza for the use of the Palestinians. Israel furthermore continues to control Gaza's territorial water and airspace. After the kidnapping of Gilad Schalit the Israeli control of Gaza was made even harsher. Following the Hamas coup d'état in mid-June 2007 Israel's squeeze on Gaza translated into a policy of complete strangulation.

Because of the continued illegal launching of rockets and mortars at Israel most of the international community did little more than voice concern over the Israeli policies and fears of an emerging humanitarian crises in Gaza. For the people of Gaza, those policies became intolerable. That led to the decision of the Hamas leadership to bring down the walls on the Rafah border and to create new facts on the ground.

FOR THE time being, the status quo of complete Israeli domination and control over Gaza has been broken by the Hamas. Returning to the previous situation before the forced border opening is probably impossible. Hamas has been strengthened by its bold actions against the Israeli strangulation which was aimed at weakening Hamas. READ MORE...>>>

New IPCRI Policy Paper on Israeli and Palestinian Strategic Options vis-a-vis Gaza

Policy Options vis-à-vis Gaza

January 2008

January 17, 2008

As we are completing this policy paper, a process of extremely dangerous escalation is taking place on the ground. The present tension, anger and sense of real urgency to change the status-quo do not provide the conditions for intelligent strategic decision making.

The issue of what to do about Gaza is complex, and there are no good options at hand. Every possible decision has its negative consequences and pitfalls that may in fact worsen the situation.

The current Israeli domestic political crisis over the publication of the Winograd report should also not be used as the “excuse” for military decisions that have very grave consequences – both in the short and long-term.

Whatever strategic choices are made at this time, it is paramount that all parties keep in focus the primary common strategic objectives of Israel and the Palestinian Authority: to continue and to succeed in the renewed peace process and to create the political and security possibilities for Gaza to be included in the peace process. All policy decisions taken must keep these primary strategic objectives in focus.

It is, therefore, of the utmost urgency that de-escalation of forces and tensions takes place immediately on both sides of the Gaza border. IPCRI calls on the Government of Israel and the PA in Ramallah to enter into direct consultations on the emerging situation on the ground. IPCRI calls on the Hamas political and military leadership in Gaza and in Damascus to halt all military activities against Israel and to allow for a period of calm to return so that all parties can reconsider their strategic options. IPCRI calls on the Government of Israel to respond to any Hamas de-escalation by de-escalating in parallel its attacks against Gaza.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE COMPLETE PAPER

IPCRI

Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information

IPCRI Co-CEOs to be Ordained Cavaliere dell”Ordine della Stella Solidarieta Italiana by the Italian Republic for their peace making efforts

Italian Republic: Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity

Ordine della Stella della Solidarieta Italiana

Ribbon: Red with narrow green and white edge stripes.

The Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity was instituted in 1947 to recognize the achievements of those Italians and foreigners who had played a distinguished role in the reconstruction of Italy after World War II. It is now bestowed upon Italians and the foreign nationals who have given a meaningful contribution to the cultural prestige of Italy.

The Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity is being bestowed on Gershon Baskin and Hanna Siniora, the Co-CEOs of IPCRI in recognition of their efforts for making peace between Israel and Palestine.

The Ordination Ceremony will take place on Thursday, January 31, 2008 at 12:30 at the residence of the Mr. Nicola Manduzio, the Italian Consul General in Jerusalem.

IPCRI NEWS

January 15, 2008

Dear friends

I am using this email with my regular Jerusalem Post article to provide you with some information about what is happening in IPCRI and to once again request your assistance.

Upcoming activities:

1.    The formal launching of the IPBF- the Israeli-Palestinian Business Forum.  We have formally registered the Israeli Economic Cooperation Council  (an Israeli registered NGO) and the Palestinian Economic Cooperation Council (a Palestinian registered NGO).  The two economic cooperation councils are coming together in a joint venture to launch the IPBF which will be formally established this week.  The IPBF is being “birthed” by IPCRI but it will be an independent organization providing services to Israeli, Palestinian and International business concerns that are interested in conducting cross-boundary Israeli-Palestinian business, commerce, and investment.

2.    STAT – IPCRI’s Strategic Thinking and Analysis Teams in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation will be holding a weekend meeting in the beginning of February to work on issues in the negotiating process.

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Peek at an agreement

President George W. Bush has given Israel and the Palestinian Authority until the end of his term to reach an agreement on the creation of a viable democratic Palestinian state that will live peace with Israel. The assumption is that the sides will negotiate in secret and will reach a declaration of principles which will then be brought to the electorate in Israel and Palestine - either through full elections or through referenda.

The agreement will set down principles for permanent status and for the end of the conflict and a finality of all claims. The implementation of the declaration of principles will be based first on the full implementation of phase 1 of the road map (Palestinians dismantling the infrastructure of terrorism and Israel freezing all settlements and redeploying to the position held in September 2000), and then on the negotiations of a detailed agreement. Gaza is another issue that will have to be dealt with before an agreement could be implemented there.

It would safe to state that the parameters of the Declaration of Principles are more or less known. In the end it will look something like the following:

Declaration of Principles on Permanent Status Peace - Preamble The Government of the State of Israel and the P.L.O., the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, reaffirm that it is time to put an end to decades of confrontation and conflict, recognize their mutual legitimate and political rights, and strive to live in peaceful coexistence and mutual dignity and security and achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive peace settlement and historic reconciliation based on the "two-states for two peoples" solution. The two sides fully recognize that each state has the right to define its own identity which will be respected by both sides. READ MORE...>>>