Thank you JCall

It’s difficult to imagine that only three years ago, I was the one sinking into my chair upon hearing criticisms of Israel in the occupied territories or towards its Palestinian minority.

Back then, I simply tried to defend with very little conviction a country which I blamed for the death of my beloved uncle. Had he not been in these bloody territories, he’d still be alive today and we would probably have enjoyed a scotch on the Tayelet immediately upon my arrival as in the good old days.

But unfortunately,

Mar 3, 2002 – Didi Yitzhak, 66, of Eli was one of 10 soldiers and civilians killed when a terrorist opened fire at an IDF roadblock north of Ofra.

This week, I’ve actually confronted my ghosts and arrived in Israel where I had vowed never to set a foot again. Why?

Because a man, David Chemla, disrupted my personal boycott one day in May 2010 by issuing a petition called Call to Reason stating that We, Jews in Europe, are inviting our Israeli brothers to accept and speed up the Two States Solution in the Middle-East.

You can find elsewhere my other comments about JCall in my blog by clicking on this link to the JCall Page where this post will be included as well shortly.

However, after this petition which I signed, and the various other meetings with David. I let Marko Weinberger convince me of still doing something else than trying to sink into my chair every time Israel was mentioned. Here, I owe all my Israeli friends a big apology. I realize that obsessed by my uncle’s death, I never realized how cruel I could be in keeping telling them I’d never set a foot in their country.

I only realized this when I told them I was coming, and that in their turn, they waited until I was ACTUALLY in Israel that they were relieved I had changed my mind. Larissa and Michal, you both said exactly the same thing and it made me retrospectively sad that I unwillingly hurt your feelings.

Well,  here I am…After a day in S’dérot where I could literally touch the fear of the other in the form of sheltered life S’derot inhabitants have to go through because of the rockets which have hit them continuously since 12 years, after hearing all parties and realizing how close these neighbouring enemies were in this complicated ABC zones, after understanding how narrow Israel is, or to quote Lydia Aysenberg, “my son runs every morning the width of my country” (15 km from Natanya) and listening to extraordinary talks from Nathan Sharoni and Elie Barnavi which I reproduce below, today was an amazing day as I was able to meet and discuss with Prime Minister Salam Fayed in Ramallah.

Before I get caught in other projects, I thought I should share with you my notes, begging for forgiveness for the typos I will correct ASAP.

These are the verbatim of most of the presentations I was able to listen to since Monday. Add the Basilica of the Annunciation and Church of the Nativity and you’ll realize I have been kept quite busy. Here’s the link about our trip

Now the texts, please note that titles are mine and visit this page again as I will probably add lots of photos:

Abdallah, Abdallah (2013), ‘Let Justice Prevail’, paper given at JCall trip to Israel and Palestinian Territories, Tel Aviv, April 30, 2013.

Casulties of palestine attacked and detained by the Occupying Power and Settlers. Settlers cut trees. All and much more contribute to the prolongation of conflict, deepening hatred. Those interested in seeing end to the conflict and justice, what’s their role in the face of these provocation. No one can claim they don’t know. Israeli newspapers and TV clearly show all this. So everything is in the open. See or read what comes from the Israeli themselves. The coalition of the Knesset is based on who is the most brutal twoards the palestinians. New law that makes it impossible to pass any agreement with Palestinian in the name of the security. The security of the Israelis is important but in the Palestinian territory there shouldn’t be any israeli soldiers, but this was rejected which continues the occupation, something unacceptable for palestinian. We accepted to have only 22% of our historic land as long as it’s sovereign and continuous. Meet the Europeans which are interested in the stablilty of this region. Each has to take his own responsibilities and to address the state which is still wrong doing. Israel is a democratic country. The palestinians in the west of Jordan will soon be more than israelis. Our role is to make sure that justice is prevailing.

Aysenberg, Lydia (2013), ‘Maps of the Puzzle’, paper given at JCall trip to Israel and Palestinian Territories, Tel Aviv.

Born in Britain. Worked her over 25 years. Jewish. Only jewish family in Wales. Her grandparents from Poland, my parent, one of the youngest born in wales.I was asked to come to jewish school to explain about the Arabs. You become a bridge in GH, you open curiosity box of young people.First school I went to speak to, I noticed on the desk of a 14 year old desk, grafitti, of magen david and Israeli flag and I began to realize even with my 5 children, at the age of 4 in kindergarten, they are drawing the flag of Israel. This creates identity, nationalism. So I took my welsh flag to ask them to draw my flag. I only saw that flag on someone died, in a rugby match, when the queen came to her castle. This is one of the many points of discussion: the flag of the country, do you see yourself represented in the country flag if you are an arab.I’m a zionist and not asking to change this flag. I left Wales because of antisemitism. In Wales Jesus Christ story: Lidya, tomorrow, it’s our Lord Jesus Birth. Lydia come and tell your comrades how your family kill Christ.I’m trying to make a difference in this country, not only because I’m an old hippy, but to make a change for Israel in the future.
I drew the maps I gave you will help you understand the problem.
Green line: 1949 armistice line. It’s the seam of this country. It’s not shown on a tourism map. Asking for it will cause you trouble. At the best, you’ll have disconnected spots.
Netanya is 15 km from Tulkarem. That’s the distance my son runs every morning. Can you imagine your son coming to tell you I ran the width of my country before breakfast.
The 2 State solution is seen as the only solution by the majority, but the fear is there and generally, they wish this second state should be a bit further away and if possible not on the mountains above you! Narrowness and flatness of this country.
First phase of peace process was Gaza and Jericho withdrawal.
The Wall is a actually a fence mostly. I wasn’t demonstrating against the fence. I don’t have all the answers but my son was injured and in the next bed was an arab terrorist from Fatah who had killed 4 arabs accused of being traitors.
There is a ditch in the middle of the Barta village since 1949. One extended family became citizen of two different states and in conflicts with each other.
This is the world of Monty Pithon if you didn’t realize yet.
In Lebanon, French and Brits cooked the mess we are still trying to sort out today!
Dayan, Rabin, Yigal Alon, Yigal Yadin, young officers then in the army drew that green line with Ralph Bunch, an Afro-American from the UN who received the Nobel Peace Prize the next year in Rhodes.
We are here to break down stereotypes! There is selective education in all country. Only at the age of 17 did I hear in Wales about the Holocaust.
orange: security fence.
On the map they used for the green line, the village wasn’t on the map and was in the continuation of the valley…thus the division of the Bartaa village. Never assume on your own logic. Example o fthe man who chose the jordanian part because that’s where he had more sons.
Bartaa is in Limboland,not here, not there, the only area B under palestinian authority. thriving commercial center.
Pink is route 65, since biblical times has been a road to Damascus for the merchants. Wadi Ara.
Blue is Route No 6.
4 Jewish settlements in yellow. the crosses were expelled by Sharon. TM: TEL MENASHE. Over the fence is the Dotan Valley. That’s where Joseph was thrown down the pit by his brothers.
Zion Oil and Gaz company, evangelical from Texas strongly believe Joseph was thrown into an oil Well!
7 stars of sharon created in the 80s. Settlements to create a larger jewish presence in the area by Sharon. Created after the Judaization of the Gallilee. Katzir, Harish, Bat Her

Barnavi, Elie (2013), ‘Situation politique en Israel’, paper given at JCall trip to Israel and Palestinian Territories, Tel Aviv.

Nati avait raison sauf sur un point…celle de la quesiton iranienne. J’appartiens à une école qui ne croit pas à la rationalité de Rafsanjani.
Le fait que les Iraniens ont la bombe signifie principalement que tout le monde l’aura et qu’il faudra apprendre à vivre avec un proche-orient nucléarisé.
Nous sommes dans une situation inédite dans les annales des conflits. Consensus international absolu, largement admis par les opionions publiques des partis en conflits, israeliens et palestinionens pour un règmment rationnel. D’un côté le monde entier y compris peuples…Minorité extrémiste qui dicte leur loi par le système démocratique tant en Israel que pour le Hamas.
Governemnt qui peut apporter un progrès socio-éco, mais un gouvernment de colons. Les rênes du pouvoir sont dans la main de la droite dure. Le likoud est devenu un parti d’extrême droite. Govuernment qui met en danger la survie non pas physique du pays, mais de mort politique, spirituelle. Sa raison d’être juif et démocratique.
Choix entre Etat binational ou apartheid. C’est une alternative théorique. Il n’y aura jamais un état binational. Il s’agit d’un choix entre maitre-ilote ou état démocratique.
Parallèle avec les colons pied-noirs. La fenêtre d’opportunité se rétrécit. Un an, deux, cinq ans tout au plus.
Alternative n’est pas nécessairement la paix, mais la fin de l’occupation. Je ne suis pas sur que la paix soit possible, pas sûr qu’il y ait avec qui faire la paix, mais je sais que la fin de l’occupation est nécessaire, par le biais d’un accord quelconque. D’une manière ou d’une autre il faut libérer les territoires, pour nous libéere de ceux ci.
Diaspora ne comprend pas où se trouve son intérêt. JCall a été créé pour que le gouvenrment ici comprenne que les juifs de la diaspora ne sont pas d’accord avec l’annihilation du projet sioniste.
Idee: Séminaire de ministres européens pour produire un non-paper.
Soutient de JCall essentiel et il reste de l’espoir.
Question sur les ultra-religieux: la question du retrait des implantations marquera la fin de leur suprématie. Nous avons aussi notre Hamas.

Bouskila, David (2013), ‘Experience du maire de Sdérot’, paper given at JCall trip to Israel and Palestinian Territories, Tel Aviv. I still have to finish its transcription it as well as Dany Lazar’s about the Other Voice NGO

En présence de Nomika Tsion du Kibboutz Saad qui a organisé la journée.
Il commence sa présentation par un film de 2,5 mn présentant la réalité des attaques de rockets sur la ville, réalisé en mai 2007.
Jusqu’à Avril 2001, Sédrot était une ville calme et inconnu du public. Depuis 13 ans, 8000 rockets se sont abbatues sur la ville. Tout le monde ici sait exactement à quoi correspondent 15 secondes, c’est le temps qui sépare la vie de la mort (si on ne se trouve pas très vite un abri). La maison dans laquelle nous nous sommes réunis est un jardin d’enfant “bunkerisé” construit à la mémoire de deux petuties filles d’origine éthiopienne qui trouvèrent la mort sous les rockets.
Tséva Adom est le nom de la sirène prévenant qu’il reste 15 secondes pour se réfugier. Imaginez le dilemne pour les parents qui dans se laps de temps au milieu de la nuit doivent récupérer trois enfants…les choix qu’une telle situation impose.
Les enfants de 12 ans ne connaissent pas d’autre modus “vivendi”. 7300 personnes ici sont atteintes par des traumatismes divers, 30% de la population. On a ici 4 fois plus de psychologues et travailleurs sociaux que dans le reste du pays. Jusqu’en 2009, silence radio de la part des autorités. 30% de la population s’est alors dirigée vers les autres parties du pays. Aucun enfant des deux côtés de la frontière ne devrait connaitre cette situation.
Je ne peux rien pour les enfants de Gaza mais je ne suis pas celui qui tire. Le choix politique des citoyens de Gaza est à l’origine de ce problème. Nous sommes dans l’endroit le plus épineux du conflit Israélo-palestinien. Nous aimerions retrouver

Chemla, David (2013), ‘Présentation du programme’, paper given at JCall trip to Israel and Palestinian Territories, Tel Aviv, 27 avril 2013.

intro Chemla, participants de 6 pays différents, 98 participants. questions logistiques, programme définitif. Nos chauffeurs viennent du territoire des Fermes de Chebaa.

Fayed, Salam (2013), ‘a state, justice, coexistence and freedom, the experience of a Palestinian Prime Minister’, paper given at JCall trip to Israel and Palestinian Territories, Tel Aviv, 30 avril 2012.

Welcome.

Listens to Gérard Hunger explaining and presenting JCall (combatting settlements in the West bank and convincing our governments to adopt our position and adopt a peaceful solution. Since 2010 we created our organization and are sustained by various MPs. Here to discuss with various personalities. How can we be efficient?

 

Speech

 

We have a lot in common, we are together to obtain peace with our israeli neignbours. complete peace, justice for all and security concerns not only the israeli but us as well.

 

Within these broad parameters, a solution can be found. All that is required is the recognition of the inevitability of the coexistence of the inhabitants. Inevitability of the emergence of the State of Palestine.

 

Freedom for all inhabitants to pursue happiness as like all people from all over the world. Until then, the risk is continuing. It’s a rough neighbourhood.

 

Status quoi cannot be sustained and the sooner we get to the point that it is understood by people on both sides we know where we are going the better. I’m convinced that the State of Palestine will happen. But there is a lot of conditions. If we build a state, we need to project its reality on the ground. We need to provide adequately and comfortably services that people need. High standards of the world have to be met.

 

Not only are we required to build our state, but given the history of this conflict and the international mindset, there is no going around the statehood and its high standards even at the sacrifice of our people.

 

For that we need all support from all parts. You need to attend this.

 

What kind of state  do we want to achieve? We want to meet the universal standards. Contents really matters, values on which to found the State, this program started with a vision in  2009 of what we want: a state, justice, coexistence and freedom.

 

Almost like a constitution and we projected it sectorally bottom up to ensure that each segment of governance is consistent with the standards . We got a recognition of success in Brussels in 2011 with the IMF, World Bank and UN certified reports that Palestine had met the criteria.

 

Politically we still needed to make our case that although we have the full rights, we still need to qualify for the Statehood.

 

Universtal recognition but set of conditions: need for Palestinians to prove that they are worth it. If a good government is a qualification for freedom  I have a list of governments who do not qualify. It is not a fair test. Is good governance good or bad for us, if it is , let’s just do it.

Major aspirations behind this were political. We had already started before and it was suppose to bring about the creation of a mindset of possibility.

Hope as opposed to hopelessness, can do spirit instead of belligerence. Choices were clear and right choices were very obvious. The only way to get a state is to aspire ourselves to build in the face of adversity. We have the full right to resist but it-s important to focus on the real notion of resistance. Defining resistance to mean good services, security. The highest form of resistance is what you do to resist violence.

 

Right to good education, healthcare. We win everytime we have electricity, clear water and build our statehoood. Details matter. If we don’t have these things and don’t create an environment which is  hospitable, people will leave. It’s my firm view that if we act as a state, we are actually one.

 

if we really succeed, it’s going to be easier for political leadership in Israel to accept us. Little achievement so far, completely insignificant success. I failed to convice the international partners.

 

IMF recognition was a great achievement for us when only 70 countries actually do qualify I still thought it wasn-t good enough.

 

there was a lot of resistance from industrial countries

 

What happened there is significant: seeking to excel. We got there. Politically we have to translate this yet.

 

 

My message to you is the same that I tell to my countrymen: I don’t know how long it will take but I know this will happen. We should think that it’s a longer rather than shorter term, but still prepare that it happens sooner than you think.

 

Our Task is to minimize the occurrence of dramatic things. We have to ensure that we are on the playing team and not on the benches.

 

Berlin one day before the wall came down. Went to East Berlin. Check point and how quiet it was. Security was very serious, monopoly money, but struck by devastatingly quiet, irreally so. Nothing came close to remotely suggest that the wall would come down one year later.

 

When did the first drop get into that bottle, what drop counts? The important thing is for us to position ourselves. We don’t have to complain or cry no matter how legitimate it is. We have to transform ourselves in a people of doers.

 

I know you press for the 2 state solution, but that’s a huge undertaking. Details matter. issues related to basic rights, right to life issues must be addressed.l Until we can guarantee other rights, it’s essential.

 

Our people being able to access drinking water when drinking water exists. Lack of access to drinking water (example of the Jordan). huge water pipleline going to feed the settlement without our people accessing it…the worst it comes from a Palestinian spring. Water tanks are being confiscated by the Israeli army. Anything adverse is explained in terms of security by the Israelis.

 

Mega projects are one thing but let’s first make sure we have the basics. That must happen, we have to talk to each other and in parallel go paying attention to day to day issues. the question of numbers shouldn’t count.

 

The way the Israeli army deals with non violent protests. It should not be dealt with inappropriate weapons. Sometimes these people die. Today a Palestinian and a settler were killed south of Nablus, but otherwise this has been an extremely good period of calm. Non violence is key. Let’s avoid violence, settlers’ violence. Stop demolition by settlers.

 

Foundation for the recreation of a sense of  hope both for Israelis and Palestinians. No one can be OK if their neighbor isn’t. Sense of oneness. I believe in the strength of people of good will like you, with a heart to recreate that hope and sense of possibility that will make this region different one day

 

Q AND A

 

Henry questions: on a daily operation we try to create more confidence between people: triangle with municipalities for example. We still face one problem is that the Palestinian municipality says no.

R: we are already doing it and are involved in it and several municipalities cooperate such as the north and Jenin area, even bilateral without an international presence. I can contribute to giving you contacts.

FRANCOIS NORDMAN, Former Swiss Ambassador: Does palestinian situation survive in the international eco crisis.

R: not much effect. Beginning 2010 drop of an aid and then we started having problems. money didn’t come in a way consistent with budget. Private sector didn’t invest more due to the context (area C, in charge of people everywhere even without eco activity) and eco crisis contributed to the slow down, simple slow down as we keep growing. We trying to decrease our deficit further. Not satisfactory yet. Eco should grow in double digit if we are allowed to be next door to a large eco and have access to export. We have the fundamentals and the regulatory framework but we need the context and end of eco crisis.

DAVID CALEF: after his resignation what will happen. It will be Very difficult for someone else. we are still going to be under scrutiny. It’s however impossible to undo what I’ve done. I believe this will prove

US GOVERMENT (DAVID): Let s wait and see. Even when they were no negotiations, we were engaged in conversation,. Europe should get involved as well. I think it’s important for you to act now. We all now have something to fall back on it’s no longer status quo ante as we have progressed.

Jacobson (2013), ‘Forum of NGO for peace’, paper given at JCall trip to Israel and Palestinian Territories, Tel Aviv.

since 6 years. iSRAELI PALESTINIAN PEACE FORUM to consolidate the NGOs in Palestine and provide them with resources. Mainly occupied to serve the various orgainsitions for 2-3 years. We understood that we needed an umbrella organization with a political message. Forum consists of 50 israel and 35 palestinian NGOs. Symetry in the decision making process. Different sizes and agendas (religion, enverionment, education). Survival of Israel is the 2 state soultion is commun denominator.
Forum acts together in a joint steering committee and acts separately.
Jerusalem committeeetc.
Quite a number of joint activities, In Jericho in winter. Antinormalizaton movment is an obstacle, But on the lower level of NGOs, there are a lot of things going together with trust being established between sides. Still a number of problems, but not so bad.
Main function as a forum is towards to the world community and internally. We are trying to see what is moving the Israeli society and the psychological resistence in Isreali society towards a peace settlement.
Collective paranoia in israeli society creates political behaviour and fear of change.
Same about palestinian traumas.
We are in contact with the world community: EU, USA, Latin America
after so many years of conflict, there isn’t enough internal energy. We need a greater involvement of the world community if we want to make progress.
The world, by and large, are sick and tired: let them bleed to death! We NEED their involvement
Arab league initiative needs pressure from below to suggest to European Govenrment to give their logistical basis for a large scale assembly of ARI and IPI
tHIS cannot be disregarded by the Israli govement.
It’s hard to work against a relatively comfortable status quo.

Kabar, Ryad (2013), ‘The Arab-Palestinian Israelis’, paper given at JCall trip to Israel and Palestinian Territories, Tel Aviv.

I am an israeli and I know more about religion than Yaniv. I am from Barqa village. I am the director of the Jewish arab center. I came here to volunteer and then worked here until I became a mayor for 5 years and came back to GH.
1,5 million arab israeli. Ici depuis 1948. Les palestiniens sont sous occupation depuis 1967 mais ne sont pas Israéliens comme moi. Ce qui nous caractérise est que nous sommes une minorité autochtone. Ce sont les juifs qui sont les immigrés ici. Nous sommes la minorité la plus réaliste de la région : nous disons aux palestiniens arrêtez de réver à jeter les israéliens à la mer et aux israéliens arrêtez de rêver et rendez les territoires occupés. Nous avons été citoyens mais nous vivions jusqu’en 1961-62 Pendant les guerre aucun acte de violence commis par des arabes israéliens. Je ne souhaite à aucune minorité notre situation d’avoir une fidélité à un état qui est en guerre contre la minorité à laquelle nous appartenons.
Notre identité double d’israéliens et palestiniens s’est éveillée après la première guerre du Liban qui a opposé Israël directement aux Palestiniens. Là s’est réveillé notre identité, surtout avec la vague d’immigration des russes qui a entrainé un racisme inconnu auparavant.
Nous avons un statut égal dans société israélienne, les mêmes droits mais nous nous sentons des citoyens de seconde classe. Objectif: égalité et notre communauté. Nous nous battons au sein de 3 partis politiques (Hadach israélo-palestinienne et deux autres seulement arabes). Plus ce processus marche plus forte est notre identité israélienne. 2 peuples et deux Etats. Ce jour là nous deviendrons une minorité comme vous l’êtes dans votre diaspora. Israël est notre patrie comme la France est la votre. Citoyens israéliens avec des attaches avec l’Etat Palestinien avec lequel nous serions en paix.
La solution 2Peuples 2Etat est la seule viable car nous “barouch hachem”, nous faisons plus d’enfants puisque nous pouvons nous marier plusieurs fois et donc à long terme ce serait au détriment de la société israélienne juive.
Je pense que c’est le moment de faire la paix. La génération de mon père a connu le gouvernement militaire, s’est faite prendre sa terre et a eu peur. Ma génération a découvert a culture juive et la société israélienne. Mon fils aspire aux mêmes choses que les autres jeunes israéliens et ne se contentera pas d’un statut de seconde classe.
64 régionaux conseils de villes arabes.
Négev Bédouins, Centre Musulmans, Druze chrétiens et musulmans en Galilée 20% de la population. Nous travaillons, nous sommes bien intégrés et comme les israéliens nous voulons que nos enfants soient médecins ou avocats.
30% des médecins israéliens sont arabes.
Nous sommes très forts en foot (Sahtine est le champion d’Israël, ils joueront contre le Betar Jerusalem. 3 footballers arabes israéliens jouent dans l’équipe du portugal, équipe que suit la population israélienne pour cette raison)
Ceux qui réussisent parmi nous sont acceptés…comme c’est le cas dans le monde!
Religion? sur les 20% d’arabers israéliens, 80% sont musulmans. mOUVEMENT Islamiste s’est développé depuis la Journée de la Terre en 1985. Il se développe dans deux direction. Le groupe du nord, les gens ne votent pas et ne sont pas représentés à la Knesset. Dans le sud, deux députés islamistes. Je prie 5 fois par jours mais je ne me considère pas comme religieux. Ma femme est allée à l’école juive, ma fille ne porte pas le voile, mon fils est avocat et n’est pas religieux.
LIEN DE SOLIDARITE entre les israéliens pauvres et les palestiniens? agriculture et industrie jusqu’en 48. après la guerre, nous avons perdu nos terres donc notre subsistance. On les a expulsés. Jusqu’en 67 difficultés à circuler mais maintenant
Am Israel Hai: Les arabes construisent et les Juifs israéliens vivent et les druzes gardent.
4 fois plus de pauvres parmi les arabes que par rapport aux juifs. Mais si on compare notre situation socio-eco est bien meilleure que la plupart des arabes de par le monde. Mais pour obtenir des subventions c’est un peu plus dûr pour nous.
Session des questions:
Nous avons participé dans les manifs de 2011 mais nous sommes globalement déçus par l’Etat car bien que représentés à la Knesset (dans le Meretz et dans les partis arabes), notre situation n’a pas vraiment vu d’amélioration.
La majorité des Israéliens arabes sont optimistes comme je le suis. Mais on a aussi des critique à l’égard de l’Etat mais nous avons aussi des critiques sur nous-mêmes car nous n’aimons pas les critiques. Nous ne contestons pas que l’hébreu soit la langue majoritaire, mais nous avons aussi du désespoir car lorsque des attentats atteignent des palestiniens, nous déplorons les lois racistes.
Dans quelles instances êtes-vous traités comme citoyens de second zone? Nous n’avons pas le contrôle de la terre. Nous avons voté pour Rabin et nous sommes senti bien depuis Oslo. Je peux avoir n’importe quel travail, mais à diplôme égal je dois être meilleur que le juif pour décrocher un job. Mais souvent ce sont les juifs qui parlent en totre nom. Nous devons parler nous-mêmes. Je serai en France autour du 10 juin 2013 pour une réunion de maires juifs et arabes.

Khoury, Saman (2013), ‘Jerusalem and the 2012 aftermath’, paper given at JCall trip to Israel and Palestinian Territories, Tel Aviv, April 30, 2013.

starts where abdallah ended. We made an extraordinary compromise on the land which used to be theirs. All what remains from my own village is its church built by my grand-father. For us to make this compromise that we accept less than 22% is that we have a viable, continuous and that the green line is actually a red line. East of green line, almost one million colonizers. French use the right term with colonies and not settlements.
STATUS OF JERUSALEM

A war crime and ethnic cleanising is taking place
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER NOV 2012 and palestinian statehood at the UN ON The 1967 borders which is accepted as the Palestinian borders. We have a new situation. I caution those 1 million colons and their infrastructures which are contradicting international law. We’ll see action taken against them in the International Criminal courts as they took our land on the ground of security.
I want security for myself but also for my neighbour. Israelis should realize and do the same thing. Pretext of security is actually an excuse for land grabbing and Jerusalem is an integral part of the issue.

Rinawie-Zoabi, Ghaida (2013), ‘The new Political Palestinian Israeli leadership’, paper given at JCall trip to Israel and Palestinian Territories, Tel Aviv.

Palestinian Arabs situation.
Current situation of the PA Community and future anticipations regarding our communitiy and our relations with the Israeli
Indigenous population. 20% of total population. Mostly living in small town and villages. Most of us are educated in a separate educational system. Most of the arab schools are run by Israeli minitry of Education. All the arab communities are in the bottom of the social ladder. 40% between the age of 1 to 25. Average of 3 to 4 kids. In the Negev 5-6. Our community has a majority of Muslems, but we have christian and druze minorites. Most Palestinians became refugees after 1948 and 20% of the total palestinian population remained in their home. 48-60s, we were run by Military rule and passes. after 1967, a new era started for Palestinians in Israel till the Oslo agreement. The political leadership made two claims: 2STATE SOLUTION and Civil rights within our own community.
Lots of people wanted us to be a bridge for peace…but it didn’t happen. 2nd Intifada, young people in our community protested and 13 were killed. 2006, second war on Lebanon. Hezbollah missiles were shooting at Gallil in general and us as weell. All the casulties were from our community. This absurd situation made us think that we don’t have any back up from the PLO, international community, arab world and our state. New voices became strong within us. We need to be proactive. We need to come up with activist initiative to talk with the State about our citizenship. I’m naturally palestinian. I don’t know how to organize my community to affect the decision making in the satate. We need to professionalize our institution more and more. Lots of changes: 3 major groups: youth (20-35) is the majority, very affected by globalization and social media, Women (get more and more into public sphere, for example 52% of BA, more and more in academia, NGOs, business at management level, in culture and art, a similar way as in the Arab world.and final group, the Leadership (two major voices: a traditional voice, people from old school combatting on the prejudice and racism ground, an approach which I respect but also new leadership: reality is something you as a community can change if you professionalize yourself and get a collectiv agenda on what you want . I will participate in the next elections. I don’t represent anybody but myself.
Employers should be subsidized to employ more arabs. Educational system in arab communities is very low. Good people come from private schools…Goverment budget is very low for Palestinian schools. My nationality is Palestinian. my mothertongue is arabic, we were forced to sing the tikva, it bothered me. My culture is moslem.
Arab community is very divided, one state solution, two state solution, communist political school, pragmatic approach, islamic movement divided into two: israel is our state and we need to have a dialogue with them and one is more fundamentalist waiting for the Islamic Califate.In the last couple of years, pressure from Israeli institution to enroll in the army to get better life opportunity. But we look at the Druze. Now, for a civil service, I agree but I claim that the State has to give me my citizens rights.
I’m a secular moslem, I need to be free to do what I want. Regarding the islamization in the arab world, In general it’s a world trend to getting back to tradition and conservatism. but in the long run, things will change. Look at women in Saudi Kingdom.

Sagee, Yaniv (2013), ‘Presentation of the Givat Haviva Centre ‘, paper given at JCall trip to Israel and Palestinian Territories, Tel Aviv.

overview of what is Givat Haviva, our history and mission . We share the same values with you. Built in 1949. This beautifu green campus was a british army base in the desert. The land belonged to kibboutz Maanit which belonged to the Hachomer Hatsaïr. This kibboutz had a member, Haviva Right was a relative to a song writer. She was killed by the Nazis. She was dedicated to values Israel should have kept till today. This center is dedicated to her legacy. 3 MAJOR VALUES: Zionism, socialism and brotherhood of all people. There isn’t any zionism without the other two components. We see ourselves as zionists. This center was built one year before the Independence. 5 Centers have been working here since the origins.

Jewish Arab Center for peace
1963 founding of this center to teach arabic. To live together we should understand each others.
During the years, we divelopted many programs based on coexistence (MISSION) based on dialogue.(TOOLS)
Learning about the narrative of each others.
In the last 4 years, we understood this isn’t good enough. We viewed that we had a very minor impact in Israel. Stream went exactly the opposite way. We read scholars from Haifa University (Daniel Bar-tal) and they were telling us this concept wasn’t going to have an impact. So we developed new perspectives.
MISSION: Instead of speaking of coexistence, we decided to speak of Shared Society. Each should sustain the uniqueness of its nature but building on a partnership as citizens living in Israel.
Tools: instead of dialogue which meant understand and respect the difference, we decided to ACT together. Programme based on doing together thing which helps creating a partnership of sustainable society.
PROGRAMME: Advocacy for a change through political change and government. Let’s educate to better connect. If you don’t know the people, that helps hatred to grow and we don’t want to live with each other (66% of Israeli population).
We can’t leave the society. So our decision was to base our action on the community. We’d create partnership between neighbouring communities that normally in Israel wouldn’t have anything to do with each other: “shared communities” (Kfar-Koufar Qara, 17000 arab citizens connect to Pardess Hannah 10 mn away from KK 30000 citizens). 5 goals for our vision of influence:

influence community itself for more tolerance and respecting of the other community and develop community skills
Connection between the two through several field, To make them good neighbours
Whole region: two mayors committed to each other can make change to the region regarding police, fire, border, tourism, economical mechanisms as an echo.
National level: we’ll create a network of partnership throughout all of Israel. This will change the national discourse. To see their neighbours as partners and not enemies.
We believe that can sustain Israel and Democracy and use peace.
20 very important french Immams came to Givat Haviva and asked us to come and teach them this model in France. We want this model to be used worldwide.

5 parameters for this programme:
has to be a long term community programme (4 years)
multigenerational programme (from 10 to 80, genders and all components of community)
wholistic programme not just education (culture, arts too)
top-down and bottom up programme: boned programme: face-to-face. New language, we work with the mayors. Top officials in the communities are part of the same steering committee.
critical mass of activities in one place: 3000 teenagers go through the programme. they come back convinced, but their relatives aren’t convinced. Eventually it’s like taking a full spoon of sugar into the dead sea. If each member of the family is involved, this makes a critical mass which actually makes a change.
12 programmes at once (4 kids, 4 women, 4 senior citizens) and the talk around is starting to change.
Association de soutien à GH a été fondée à la suite du précédent voyage JCall. Visite to programme SS en France.
Males are not directly targetted by the programme because women are more enthusiastic at getting together. Empowerment (cooking for peace, meeting special recipes of our tradition in order to give who we are, then after cooking we sit and talk about how women can bring up change in the country, a women programme for health: how to save life when there’s an emergency crisis and hiking the region in order to learn about the region through the eyes of the others
Business entrepreneurship should include men, but so far no specific programme.
Funding of the programme: we received support from an American Foundation, now we have 3 pairs, but we need further funding.
Vision for the main sponsor, we are aiming at the Israeli government. This programme has been adopted by the Council for Local Municipalities as a best practice model. The government stopped funding by mid-year but the new minister gave us reasons to hope.
Marriages in this region: this happens, but this isn’t in our aim as we want both parts to keep their identities.

Other important centers
Yad Yaari, research and archives of kibboutz mouvement. what lessons about social justice
Moreshet, deals with the Holocaust specifically linked by youth movement, built by survivors which had lead uprisings in the ghettos.
International Center of Givat Haviva: serve as a host to those who want to know our center
art center: art for people of the area shared by jewish and arab citizens, but also P2P meetings. Using art as tools to bring jews and arab to work and create together.

Sharoni, Nathan (2013), ‘The two state solution is the only solution.’ paper given at JCall trip to Israel and Palestinian Territories, Tel Aviv.

Hope you’ll meet on a conference next year with jewish communities from around the world to pressure to make the right move. Israel wants to make up its mind what country it wants to be. If it wants to remain a jewish state and a democracy, we need two countries.
before to get the negotiation issue, we should deal with the MiddleEast ridge. Arab leaders in the countries where spring took place and others have now discovered that they have to listen to the voice of the street. Up to then tendency was the opposite way. Change to quite an extent and it affects us.
We have to have a negotiation with the Palestinians. It will decrease the negative public opinion in arab countries vis-àvis israel. It doesn’t mean they’ll love us but it will reduce their level of hatred toward us. Israel with Suni arab countires. Common threat to countries in the gulf: Iranian influence. King Abadallah is afraid of Syirian situation penetrating into Jordan. Enough commun interest between us and the suni arab countries.
Dangers: there is no risk of what is being called in America an intensive war between arab countries and Israel. A yom kippour war’s chances are negligible if not 0. No such trheat in the forseable futurel Iran doesn’t have an expeditionary army to come and fight in our borders. Threat stands from groups: Hesbollah, Hamas, driven by AlQaida: missiles, rockets and terror. May cause dammage and casulty and money but not threat for existence.
Threat comes from Iranian nuclear capability. They have the capability to reach a nuclear weapon if they decide to do it. The issue is what is our estimation of whether they are going to use it or not. Personally, picking info where I can, I believe the Iranian leadership isn’t suicidal. It assumes that we do have a certain capablity, by far larger then theirs and if they think of using a nuclear weapon aginst Israel, the retaliation will be of a magnitude that makes it impossible for them to use it. We have to be ready to deter the iranians to use it. Attacking Israeli facilities from Israel, the glove is too big on our hand. America can do it. I hope that no one in Israel in a sane state of mind will launch that kind of attack as long as we don’t have a war declared against them. If we did so is that we open a war. With one missile a week they can paralyse Israel. No plane, no ships, no insurance in the world…When you open a war with a country 12 000 km away from us is a terribly risky issue. Wisdom of a very strong intelligence system and a wise leadership.
Strategic depth of the border. Palestinian State is no threat, will be demiliterized. Their airspace will be controled by Israel. All this was discussed and agreed upon ever though not in writing. Major 4 issues are Borders, Refugees, Jerusalem and Security.
Security: with the interest of Palestinian autority to exercise control over their population, things are being kept on a very low level.
Jerusalem issue I will not discuss.
Refugees: main interst for us to have a common denominator with suni countries is to provide a backing for Palestinian leaders by arab countries. These suni countries will replace what Mubarak once represented for them.
We should put a time limit to negotiations. We have been talking to oneanother for 19 years. If we are not able to reach an agreemenet with the Palesitinans to save ourselves from ourselves, we’ll need to make an unilateral withdrawal. But we have to maintain our integrity as a democratic and jewish state.
By doing it and removing some of the settlements and moveing the army from some of the territories, we will get a new legitimacy that if something goes wrong we’ll have the legitimacy to react.
How can you bring Abu Mazen to the negotiating table? Negotiations don’t take place out of love but out of necessity. We should trigger to create interest. He doesn’t believe us, we don’t believe him but we need an uncle who pushes us.
Unilateral Withdrawal: 25,000 familiesin all the territories incl. Jerusalem. So first we need a plan on how to move them from one place to another. A large number, with proper compensation, is ready to move. A small group won’t want to move, so don’t move, stay where you are! We have to think in terms of how the move will take place.
3 major blocks and one small block..
How about the Hamas: Hamas is basically a probelm of Abu Mazen. Our problem is the activity of the Hamas. We already negotiated with the Hamas when we had to and when they had to. Hamas will never become zionist, but it had created a state in Gaza, with a governement, with institutions. The tendency and interest is to keep governing, so to that end, they will move to the profit of Abu Mazen. If they become a problem, we’ll have to act: we could move into force into Gaza. Do we want to do it and does it help on a larger scale? How is it being perceived by Arab negotitions? tHERE ISN’t a full proof solution and in many cases it’s a trial and error.
We’ll have to go step by step. Arab kingdoms are pouring money into terrorist organisation to protect themselves, but their interest is to stay strong against Iran.
It boild down again to leadership.
It’s our job to convince the Israeli public. Even there, there is a split of opinion. You should ask to meet our leadership, talk to them about the diaspora feeling.
We will never recognize the right of return because that’s the end of Israel.
Token number as a sign of good will.

Zourbi, Zourbi (2013), ‘Irony and Non-Violent approach.’ paper given at JCall trip to Israel and Palestinian Territories, Tel Aviv. 

Neki vient de grande bretagne l’accompagne dans le cadre de son apprentissage de pasteur.

you can call me by either name! Uplifted by your visit and purpose working for justice and peace. To sea people from Europe connected to Israel as well as to peace. This is the recipy for a less troubled road.
Happy to see people to feel for others.
We are not against jews, we are against occupation. Jews, moslems and christians are all disfunctional children of Abraham as a family.
occupied toilet joke.
occupation job.

We started the peace process with Israelis as a quantum leap but it didn’t result in qualitative leap. This peace process was not peace nor process. Palestinians felt they were on the table and not at the table. Many challenges for peace process but it remains essential and we need a jump start for it. Art of delaying the inevitability. Inevitable is the living together of israelis and palestinians.

I decided that instead of cursing darkness, let’s find a candle. Our centre is Agape, harmony, to help solve conflicts in our society. We are trying to do so among ourselves and using non-violent conflict tranflormation.

Jerusalem arbitration center to solve conflicts in the communities. We had training there and in Washington DC. But this all stopped since the deteriorationl Anyhow, we ontinued to work in the palestinian circles and we try to help young people to use their anger in more constructive ways instead of competing to victimated.

We work with the use in one way or another through other conflicting areas such as South Africa, Northern Island, Balkans, Koreas, to have lessons learnt from those who made it or those who are still thriving to make it.

We don’t want them again to feel lonely. Programs also for women as our society is still patriarchical. We are working on resolution 1325 and gender equality. In the desert we didn’t need to ask women for direction but now we do.

No post-trauma but trauma still.

Most of the children have nightmares, bad achievement at school, all subject to trauma and paranoïa. All stress-related sicknesses.

International programs (Canada, Japan, Europe…) where israelis are also present.

Call for hope at a time of hopelessness and helplessness.

We are against occupation but work nonviolently.

Pro-peace camp in Israel: we are trying to help them to get rid of occupation to save the soul of Israel. This situation not only demoralizes us but also the israelis.

Shift from guilt and blaming to acting instead of pointing the finger: let’s assume collective responsibility. We need to find ways to relate to each other. We are also calling for transformation. We need this at all level from individual to state level. No one yet has transformed, but in fact things already have changed.

Peace also implies strong economy. We need to empower our economy.

Absence of honest arbitrators. To empower the weak and bring the strong to their senses. We believe in restaurative justice. win-win solution to be seeked.

“Sorry is not enough, I need chocolate”. Naqba happened, but we need to look forward to a better situation. Don’t be afraid to be called self-hating jews. You are going a good job for your country and for Israel. Peace is regional and international. Palestinian leadership under Abbas is the most moderate one.

Peace and justice for all, inclusive security, culture of acceptance, work together under umbrella of dialogue.

You and I are in the diaspora and are the best placed for justice and peace. Jerusalem should be the capital for both and spiritual capital for the whole world. Release all the prisoners. Work hard to stop all kind of violence.

All kind of violence should be stopped, state-violence, environmental etc…no more pointing fingers. Why checkpoints in the west bank.

613 check points to be transformed into good work.

Story of lion and the lamb.

We need the heart to heart communication.

1/3 of the male population has been in jail among the palestinians. Not necessarily for wrong doing. We are guilty until proven innocent according to the habeas corpus british theory.

Walls are no response. Never again, but not only for jews.

20,000 student graduate without jobs, healthcare is poor. Palesteid.

the only thing we learn from history is that we never learn from history.

100s of kids in summer camps. We do training in peer mediation, dialogue, dance and art therapy,

exchange programs for yuth 1500 young people we work with

70-100 women clubs.

people from city and refugee camps. 100 + volunteers and 30 interns from different parts of the world from 3 weeks to 3 months.

If a divorce as Amos Oz claims, let it be on equal footing!

Zourbi from the United States of Palestine.

28 refugee camps 58 in the whole arab world. Jordanians are palestinians by the way…

Right to return and/or compensation. Fair solution to the refugees. Palestinians are ready to have these 22.7% of their land back as their own state.

There should be a recognition of the UN resolution and this will pave the road to a solution for the refugees.

We’d like to have a safe heaven called home too.

There is still place for a 2 state solution but it should be a quick process.

Dilemna of democracy. Anything can come out. We need a better atmosphere to counter extremism which is about to hijack the road

Horses are born but human beings are made.

there a myriads of peace initiative. If there is a will, there’s a way. The most applicable is the Arab plan. There will be no normalization without the ending of occupation.

Palestinians think that nothing has changed except for the worse. 70% of the palestinians are less than 30.

New frame for P2P, lobby to say to Israel to end occupation. Cessation of all kind of violence. It’s our last chance if we want to live together and have a new approach. Otherwise the future will be bleak because power corrupts but lack of power corrupts too!.