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The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil,    but because of the people who don't do anything about it

Occupation magazine - Commentary Home page  back Print  Send To friend Gaza and West Bank are one and the same problem - not two This week, we witnessed the Israeli government reckoning with the limitations of military solutions in addressing political problems. The choice to continue pursuing an agreement with Hamas rather than starting another painful and costly war is a confirmation of the futility of trying to solve the issue of Gaza through military actions. Indeed, there are no military solutions to this problem. There is only a political solution. To achieve it, the two parties must negotiate directly, with President Abbas serving as the representative of the Palestinian people both in the West Bank and in Gaza. Israel`s policy of separation between Gaza and the West Bank is a grave mistake. The notion that the conflict in Gaza and the conflict in the West Bank are two separate conflicts, which itself suggests that the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank are two separate peoples, should be rejected outright by all of us who are committed to peace - in Israel, in Palestine, and by the international community. There is one conflict; there is one Palestinian people. Gaza and the West Bank are part of the same conflict, and should be addressed as such, under a single, holistic policy. We say again: to solve the issue of Gaza, for the benefit of all Israelis and all Palestinians (and most pressingly, for Gaza`s two million residents), we must move forward with real and determined efforts to reach an inclusive and permanent agreement between Israelis and Palestinians – those in Gaza and in the West Bank, as one. Noam Rabinovich Director of Foreign Relations, Geneva Initiative Tel: +972 (3) 6938780 | Mobile: +972 (52) 6688699 noam@heskem.org.il | http://www.geneva-accord.org Month in Review Ireland An important and timely reminder: conflicts can be resolved An integral part of our work is studying other conflicts around the world and deriving lessons from the ways in which they were resolved. This month we invited experts from Northern Ireland to join their Israeli and Palestinian colleagues in discussing the similarities and differences between the conflict in Northern Ireland and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in particular what lessons can be drawn and applied in a future process of reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. One common feature of both conflicts was the feeling of despair. The Irish speakers admitted that they themselves had little faith that the conflict could be resolved until the agreement was signed, an impression that persisted for some time even after the signing. The feelings of helplessness and hopelessness are inherent to a long-standing conflict, they said, but we are measured by our ability to carry on despite them. As Peter Robinson, former First Minister of Northern Ireland, reminded us in his final remarks: `All conflicts can be resolved. I came here to say to you that even what appears to be impossible, is possible. So please, do not despair!` reconpanel Reconciliation as a core issue The Geneva Initiative participated in two panels at the First International Conference on Innovations in Conflict Resolution and Mediation at Tel Aviv University. The Initiative`s Director of Foreign Relations, Noam Rabinovich, moderated a panel introducing our unique reconciliation model. Alongside the Geneva Accord, where the practical and technical framework of a political agreement is laid out, Israelis and Palestinians must face and speak about the painful and significant issues at the core of the conflict, the issues that prevent real recognition and acknowledgment of the other side`s narrative. Brigadier General (Ret.) Israela Oron and Dr. Mostafa Elostaz, spoke about their personal experience of the joint process to develop the reconciliation approach – the moments of pain, frustration and elation - and introduced the pillars of our reconciliation model. tauconf At the same time, in a different room, Attorney Talia Sasson, Geneva Initiative`s Board Member, took part in a panel about lessons learned from the Northern Ireland conflict and their relevaancy to our context. Sasson laid out the principal elements of the Geneva Accord model, its evolution in the 15 years since it was signed and its importance in our current political moment. We were excited about the opportunity to present the two elements of the Geneva Initiative - the political agreement and the reconciliation process, as both are crucial to achieve real, long-lasting peace. visioncourse Advocating to future advocates Geneva Initiative`s Executive Director, Gadi Baltiansky, spoke to participants of Peace Now`s course aimed at cultivating young leaders and advocates for the two-state solution. Baltiansky presented the Geneva Accord, the most detailed solution to the conflict ever written by representatives of both sides, and spoke about the elements required to reach an agreement. indexoct Two State Index goes down by 1.6% in October America professes its desire for peace, but its actions speak louder. Regional diplomacy takes center stage. The PLO meets, Europe scores a promising victory, and some signs of hope from civil society. Such contradictory trends ultimately lowered the Two-State Index by 1.6% in October. Here’s why. 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