Sunday, April 09, 2006

Appendix G.
Reconciliation between Palestinian and Jewish Israeli people and their neighbours

The appendix below is the result of some informal research conducted by the author on the conflict between Palestinian and Jewish People during his time in Europe, North America and Israel. The statements of resentment were compiled following the author’s discussions with Palestinians and Jews within Israel or in the diaspora. The responses to these statements are the author’s views.

Present examples of reconciliation

Palestinian Muslim, Christian and Druze examples of reconciliation:

· Palestinian NGOs like:
Palestinian Center for Rapproachment,
Sabeel,
Musalaha.
· Examples of normally peaceable Arab-Jewish communities: Haifa and Akko.
· Establishment of joint Arab-Jewish village of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam.
· Joint Arab-Jewish primary school for example Neve Shalom .
· Past peace rallies for example in Tel Aviv 1982 - up to 1 million protestors against the war in Lebanon as well as outcry at the Sabra and Shatila massacre.
· Recognition of the right for the State of Israel to exist by the Palestinian Authority (1990‘s).

Jewish examples of reconciliation (in Israel):

· Work of Israeli Jewish NGOs like:
Rabbis for Human Rights,
B’Tselem (The Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories),
The Alternate Information Centre,
Givat Haviva,
Peace Now,
New Israel Fund,
Women in Black,
Bat Shalom,
Coalition of Women for a Just Peace,
Israeli Committee Against Housing Demolitions,
Action Committee for a democratic state,
Yesh Gvuel (There is a Limit).
· Examples of normally peaceable Arab-Jewish communities: Haifa and Akko.
· Establishment of joint Arab-Jewish village of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam.
· Joint Arab-Jewish primary school for example Neve Shalom.
· Past peace rallies by the thousands in for example Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
· Actions of individual soldiers, who failed to shoot to kill, when they may have been able to do so and would not be held responsible. (e.g. The helicopter pilot ordered to fire onto a house with alleged terrorists inside, 2002).
· Actions of conscientious objecting reservists e.g. during the Intifada of 2000-2001, 600 reserve soldiers were jailed, and 2500 reservists went absent without leave. In addition thousands of others became ‘grey conscientious objector’, that is they had fabricated medical or personal reasons why they should not be called for duty (Sunday Telegraph, UK 1 April 2001).
· Actions of conscientious objecting conscripts e.g. in 2002 approximately 350 were in jail (see Yesh Gvul).
· Withdrawal of Israel and the relocation of settlements from Sinai (1982).
· Withdrawal of Israel from Lebanon (May 2000).
· Actions of Jewish Israeli journalists critical of the occupation and/or injustices to that Palestinian minority in Israel e.g. Amira Hass, Tom Segev and Gideon Levy.
· Actions of former politicians e.g. Uri Avnery

Jewish examples of reconciliation (outside Israel)

Work of Jewish NGOs for example
Jews against the Occupation (International),
Just Peace (UK),
Deir Yassin Remembered (UK),
Jews for Equal Justice (Madison, Wisconsin),
Jews who support the right of return,
A Jewish Voice for Peace,
Not in my Name - Jewish Unity for a Just Peace Organizing Committee (USA),
Jews who oppose the Occupation (USA).

Work of peace organisations e.g. Seeds of Peace.

Arab/Muslim countries’ examples of reconciliation:

· Recognition of the state of Israel by Jordan and Egypt
· Peace treaties by Egypt (1979) and Jordan (1994). The negative consequences to Egypt from this were: (1) Egypt was ostracised by the Arab League e.g. headquarters of the Arab League were temporarily moved from Cairo, but were eventually re-established in the early 1980s; (2) The Egyptian president Sadat was assassinated in 1981.
· Jordan’s decision (Aug 1995) to rescind its adherence to the Arab League boycott of Israel.
· Opening of diplomatic missions or liaison offices by Morocco (March 1995), Mauritania (May 1996), and Tunisia (May 1996) in Tel Aviv.
· Opening of trade offices by Oman (August 1996) in Tel Aviv.
· Reciprocal tourism between Jordan, Egypt and Israel.

Arab/Muslim countries’ reconciliation to Palestinians

· The late King Hussein of Jordan renounced his claim to the West Bank. His grandfather King Abdullah I had annexed this in 1949 via secret deals with Golda Meir. Thus the kingdom of Transjordan extended to become Jordan. Abdullah was assassinated in 1951 as a consequence of his apparent betrayal.