Routing Rosner: Peace Is Not A Dirty Word

Shmuel Rosner's piece in the NYTimes is quite ingenuous.

While the headline asks

How Did ‘Peace’ Become a Dirty Word in Israel?

in the body of his text we have this

How has “peace” become such a politically charged term? Jews include the word “shalom,” or peace, in their daily prayers; they use the word as a greeting regularly. But in the political arena, many Israelis are no longer willing to say that peace is their goal for their country, because they fear that saying so will make them sound fainthearted or deluded or — God forbid! — like leftists.

Israelis have developed two strategies as they shun the politically poisonous word “peace.” The right generally avoids the subject entirely. Since it believes peace is not a realistic goal, there is nothing to talk about. 

and in addition, there's this:

by “peace” in this context, I mean what Mr. Rabin wanted: a concrete and stable peace with their Palestinian neighbors. 

But we know what Rabin wanted, and what he didn't want, and it wasn't what the Israeli Left is promoting.

A month before he was assassinated, he spoke in the Knesset in a debate on an Interim Agreement arrangement as part of the Oslo Process and said:

In the framework of the permanent solution, we aspire to reach, first and foremost, the State of Israel as a Jewish state, at least 80% of whose citizens will be, and are, Jews.

At the same time, we also promise that the non-Jewish citizens of Israel -- Muslim, Christian, Druze and others -- will enjoy full personal, religious and civil rights, like those of any Israeli citizen. Judaism and racism are diametrically opposed.

We view the permanent solution in the framework of State of Israel which will include most of the area of the Land of Israel as it was under the rule of the British Mandate, and alongside it a Palestinian entity which will be a home to most of the Palestinian residents living in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

We would like this to be an entity which is less than a state, and which will independently run the lives of the Palestinians under its authority. The borders of the State of Israel, during the permanent solution, will be beyond the lines which existed before the Six Day War. We will not return to the 4 June 1967 lines.

And these are the main changes, not all of them, which we envision and want in the permanent solution:

A. First and foremost, united Jerusalem, which will include both Ma'ale Adumim and Givat Ze'ev -- as the capital of Israel, under Israeli sovereignty, while preserving the rights of the members of the other faiths, Christianity and Islam, to freedom of access and freedom of worship in their holy places, according to the customs of their faiths.

B. The security border of the State of Israel will be located in the Jordan Valley, in the broadest meaning of that term.

C. Changes which will include the addition of Gush Etzion, Efrat, Beitar and other communities, most of which are in the area east of what was the "Green Line," prior to the Six Day War.

D. The establishment of blocs of settlements in Judea and Samaria, like the one in Gush Katif.

The Left when never accept this today (and it didn't then). They even make up stories based on hearsay that Rabin really didn't believe in what he said.

What is true is that the term "peace" has been sullied, denuded of what it should mean.

It should mean a Jewish state. Security. Freedom of worship at Jewish holy sites. It should mean reconstituting the Jewish national home. It should mean a loyal citizenry who deserve and require full civil liberties, rights and freedoms, without discrimination.

And for that we have the Left, both pre-state and post-Oslo to 'thank' for that peace is viewed with trepidation and disbelief.

(h/t=MP)

^

Bashir's BS

Who holds this opinion?

There is an image of a powerful Zionist Left in Israel. I want to make it clear that within the Israeli society there are few people who believe in peace, inclusivity and justice. Israel is a very divided society and it has its own dynamics but when it comes to the Palestinian cause it orchestrates the same symphony. Israel responds like a tribe. It plays tribal politics and it has no room to accommodate different opinions. I am surprised at the tribalism and pathological narcissism practised in Israel.

I feel seriously disappointed as an academic and scholar that within the Israeli intellectual landscape there are few voices talking of justice. It is often heard that they want to live in peace like normal human beings. Then why deprive the right of others to also live in peace? They say that they want their children to be safe and not terrorised by violence. Then for God's sake, why do they terrorise the children of others? Where are the principles of reciprocity?

If this so-called Zionist Left continues to use the same logic, then I see little progress towards any kind of peace. The Zionist Left favours the two-state solution not in the name of justice but because it wants to get rid of the Palestinian minority still living in Israel. If this is the way
the Zionist Left behaves - and the world looks upon it as lovers of peace -then we are in trouble.

Professor Bashir Bashir, 32, is an alumni of the London School of Economics and Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is an Israeli citizen and a research fellow in the Gilo Centre for Citizenship, Democracy and Civic Education at the Hebrew University and the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute. Bashir is co-editor of ‘The Politics of Reconciliation in Multicultural Societies', (Oxford University Press, 2008).

And Heeeeeeere's The "Peace Camp"

Israeli

1. New Profile: A feminist pluralistic organization comprising males and females; its long-term goal is to alter Israeli society from militaristic to civil. New Profile opposes the occupation. Due to the present situation, much of its work is in supporting conscientious objectors--from pacifists to persons who do not wish to enlist because they oppose the Occupation. NP also supports youngsters who do not wish to enlist for other reasons (e.g., economic).

2. Ta'ayush Jewish-Arab Partnership: Ta’ayush’s aims are both political and humanitarian. It is not as active as it was in past years, but still continues to be active in the South Hebron hills area.
email info@taayush.org

3. "Bat Shalom, Women's Peace Organization"

mailto:batshalo@netvision.net.il

4. B'Tselem - The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. B’tselem (which means ‘in the image of’) monitors the situation and furnishes informative reports that can be obtained in hard copy and read on the internet. 02 673 5599

5. Coalition of Women for a Just Peace

mailto:CWJP@yahoogroups.com

6. Gush Shalom Israel-Palestine Peace Bloc [begun and led by Uri Avnery]
mailto:info@gush-shalom.org
One can also subscribe to TOI-> Billboard (The Other Israel email updates) via otherisr@actcom.co.il)?

7. ICAHD Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions coordinator Jeff Halper mailto:icahd@zahav.net.il; also, for information phone Amos Gvirtz 09 952 3261;

8. Physicians for Human Rights - Israel mail@phr.org.il 03 687 3718

9. Public Committee Against Torture in Israel - Executive Director - Hannah Friedman / pcati@netvision.net.il 02 642 6275

10. Rabbis For Human Rights
mail to info@rhr.israel.net 02 563 7731

11. Re'ut-Sadaka - Jewish-Arab Youth Organization for Peace and Democracy
mailto:reut@inter.net.il

12. Courage to Refuse (Ometz L'Sarev) [The organization has closed its office, but its website continues to be updated and contains interesting reading.] An organization of Reservists who signed an open letter to PM Sharon stating their reasons for refusing to serve in the Territories and their opposition to the Occupation. The original letter was signed by 50. At its height, the organization had about 650 members, all who refused to serve in the OPTs (Occupied Palestinian Territories).

13. Yesh Gvul
Reservists who refuse to serve in the territories. Began during the Lebanese War, and was revived with the 2nd intifada /

14. Shministim Refusal Movement [12th graders who wrote and signed an open letter to the PM and Min. of Defense stating their reasons for refusing to enlist in the mlitary; there have been 2 such letters]

15. Shovrim Shtika [Breaking the Silence], an organization whose dual purpose is on the one hand to make known how the Israeli military conducts itself in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and on the other to give the discharged soldier a platform on which to unload things that he/she might have sitting on his/her conscience. To achieve this double aim, Shovrim Shtika encourages discharged soldiers (including reservists) to testify regarding their conduct and acts when serving in the OPTs.

see also

16. Machsom Watch [i.e., Checkpoint Watch] A women’s organization that monitors soldiers’ conduct at check points, reports human rights abuses, and attempts to mediate between Palestinians and the military when necessary.
http://www.ambosite.com/mWatch/eng/homePageEng.asp?link=homePage&lang=eng

17. Women`s Organization for Political Prisoners (WOFPP)
WOFPP aims to “promote the release” of all political prisoners, and to support female political prisoners in Israeli jails. The women jailed are mainly Palestinian, but WOFPP includes also Israeli women charged with political crimes (e.g., Leyla Mosenson). WOFPP periodically reports on the situation with prisoners so as to inform. www.wofpp.org

18. Windows—Palestinian-Israeli cooperation www.win-peace.org

19. Neve Shalom/Wahat as-Salam. Israeli-Palestinian community which has educational and cultural programs. www.nswas.com/sfp

20. Zochrot aims to “recognize the moral debt for the wrong doings caused to the Palestinian people, by the Israeli state and its institutions.”

“ ‘Al Nakba’ (The disaster - in Arabic) is the name for the demolishing and the ruining of Palestinians villages and cities, and the deportation of their inhabitants, in 1948 and 1967. The disaster of the Palestinians is silenced and is absent from the physical and cultural view of Israel. The aim of Zochrot is to recognize the moral debt for the wrong doings caused to the Palestinian people, by the Israeli state and its institutions,” via a variety of activities. http://www.nakbainhebrew.org/index.php?lang=english

21. Yesh Din [There is Law] This organization investigates and deals with cases involving settler violence and misdeeds against Palestinians. www.yesh-din.org info@yesh-din.org 03 516 8563

22. The Occupation Magazine www.kibush.co.il This is a journal rather than an activist organization, but it contains many of the materials found in the above, as well as commentaries, statistics, etc. Worth reading.

23. This is a Website intended to inform containing testimonies from Palestinians and others. The site is the initiative of Aya Kanuke and Tamar Goldschmidt, who continue to manage it. Its materials are well worth reading and videos well worth viewing.
www.mahsanmilim.com

24. Combatants for Peace: A group of Palestinians and Israelis who formerly were actively involved in violence—either as soldiers in the Israeli military or as Palestinian freedom fighters—who have decided to forego violence and to abide by the following principles: “We no longer believe that the conflict can be resolved through violence. We believe that the blood shed will not end unless we act together to terminate the occupation and stop all forms of violence. We call for the establishment of a Palestinian State, alongside the State of Israel. The two states can exist in peace and security beside each other. We will use only non-violent means to achieve our goals and call for both societies to end violence. “ http://www.combatantsforpeace.org/

25. Anarchists Against the Wall
http://www.awalls.org/about_aatw
info@awalls.org

26. 5th Mother
http://www.the-5th-mom.org/eng/home.htm
5thmom@gmail.com

==============================================

International Organizations

27. International Solidarity Movement
http://www.palsolidarity.org/

28. International Women's Peace Service http://www.womenspeacepalestine.org/

29. Christian Peacekeeper Teams (CPT)
http://www.cpt.org/hebron/hebron.php

30. Ecuminical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel http://www.eappi.org/ eappi-co@jrol.com
02 628 9402

Palestinian Organizatiions [thanks to Taka Nakahara for help with the Palestinian organizations]

31. Palestinian Red Crescent Society
Important among other things for statistics regarding Palestinians who have been killed and wounded by the Israeli forces, updated almost daily http://www.palestinercs.org/

32. Sumoud [Palestinian]
A political prisoner solidarity Group
This website contains statistics and much information. Worth visiting.
http://sumoud.tao.ca/?q=node/view/76

East Jerusalem

32. Middle East Nonviolence and Democracy (MEND) PO Box 66558 Beit Hanina, East Jerusalem info@mendonline.org http://www.mendonline.org
Tel: Fax/ +972-2-6567310/11

33. The Palestinian Environmental NGOs Network(PENGON) PO Box 25220 Beit Hanina, Jerusalem Palestine
Tel: +972-2-2971505
Fax: +972-2-2975123
http://www.pengon.org/
info@pengon.org

Ramallah/Al-Bireh Area

34. Bil’in Popular Committee
http://www.bilin-village.org/english/
bel3en@yahoo.com
Abdullah Abu Rahme : 054-725-8210
Mohammed Khatib : 054-557-3285

35. The Palestinian Association for Cultural Exchange (PACE) Ramallah, Palestine Nablus main road, Al-Bireh http://www.pace.ps/
Tel: + 972-2-2407610

36. Al Haq
http://www.alhaq.org/
Ramallah, (0)2 2956421
E-mail shawan@alhaq.org

37. PYALARA
http://www.pyalara.org/
Orabi Building, Ground & 2nd floors , Jerusalem-Ramallah St., Al-Biereh
Tel/Fax: +972-2-2406280/1 pyalara@pyalara.org

38. Panorama
http://www.panoramacenter.org
Ramallah Office
AlAhliyya College St. , Cairo Amman Bank Bldg. 3rd Floor.
P.o.Box : 2049.
Tel. No : +(972)/(970) - 2 - 295 - 9618/23 Fax : +(972) - 2 - 298 - 1824
E-mail: panorama@panoramacenter.org

Bethlehem/Beit Sahour Area

39. Holy Land Trust (Bethlehem)
http://www.holylandtrust.org/
Tel:02-2765930
FAX 02-2765931

40. The Palestinian Center for Rapproachement between People (Beit Sahour)
02-277-2018
http://www.pcr.ps/

41. Siraj Center for Holy Land Studies (Beit Sahour)
Telefax: +972 2 274 8590
Website: http://www.sirajcenter.org
Email: info@sirajcenter.org

42. Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, Umm Salamuna Mahmoud Zawahira 0599586004

43. The Palestinian Center for Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation
(http://www.ccrr-pal.org/) Bethlehem
+972-2-2745475

44. Al-Hares Center for Studies & Media
02-2750105/2764926 (Bethlehem)
0599-887849
alhares99@palnet.com
info@alhares.org
http://www.alhares.org

45. Open Bethlehem
02-2777993 (Bethlehem)
nida.rish@gmail.com
http://www.openbethlehem.org

45. Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center (WI’AM)
02-2770513/7333 (Bethlehem)
alaslah@planet.edu
http://alaslah.org/

Hebron Area

46. LIBRARY ON WHEELS For Non-violence and Peace http://www.lownp.com/
Tel: (972) 2 583 5146/ 0522-229897
Fax: (972) 2 583 5127
lownp@palnet.com

47. Land Research Center
http://www.lrcj.org
Tel (temporary): +972-2-2217239
Mobile: +972-50-507931
E-mail : lrc@palnet.com

48. International Palestinian Youth League
http://www.ipyl.org/
Jaffa Street - Al Isra?a Bldg., 5th floor
P.O.Box 618, Hebron, Palestine
Tel: +972-2-2229131

=======================

UPDATE
------

a few corrections and many additions to the list of activist organizations:-

1. Machsom Watch

The correct link to MS is http://www.machsomwatch.org/; The one that you (or some of you) apparently received was not one that I put on, and I have no idea of how it got there!

27. THE ISRAELI COMMITTEE FOR THE PALESTINIAN PRISONERS

The Committee is an Israeli organization, which firmly believes that there can be no peace between Israel and Palestine so long as thousands of Palestinian so-called “security prisoners” and hundreds of administrative detainees continue to be held in Israeli prisons.

Members of the Committee believe that the Palestinian prisoners can and should play a significant role in advancing the peace process and in spreading the message that co-existence in the Middle East is indeed possible – but only if Israeli society pays attention to their hardships and puts an end to the systematic institutional discrimination against them – which exists first at the judicial level, and later on with regard to their imprisonment conditions and parole opportunities.

Anat Matar, matar@post.tau.ac.il, +972 3 5408977

Sanna Salame +972 544 805040

Tamar Berger tberger@netvision.net.il

------------------------------------------

A directory of many more organizations:-

http://www.bpf.org/html/turning_wheel/archive/documents/PalestiniansIsraelisTogethe.pdf

==================

the AIC (Alternative Information Center) in 1999-2000 put out an extensive list with much info. Have not checked availability.

----------------

middleway.org,
sulha.org ,
sha'ar la'adam ,
abraham fund ,
compassionatelistening.org;
bereaved parents association

also: arab-jewish cooperative projects, such as:
the bi-cultural/bi-lingual schools
the arab-jewish youth symphony
the midrasha b'oranim arab-jewish textual study and dialogue group (which was my own form of non-violent "activism" for four years)

==================

this website lists a great many organizations whose criterion is Israeli-Palestinian co-existence, and is worth checking out

http://www.bpf.org/html/turning_wheel/archive/documents/PalestiniansIsraelisTogethe.pdf

-------------------------------------------------

Operative in the Salfit Governate: "women for life" with Fatima Asi as coordinator.


Other links can be found at the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) site:
Campaigns
Human Rights
Jerusalem
News & Media

Refugees
http://palestinesolidaritycampaign.org/links.asp?LinkCat=102

and Len & Libby Traubman's dialog activities

Left-of-Center or Left Is Center

The secret of the radical Left, our progressives, is that, through their ability (an analysis I can't go into here right now) to commandeer the position of "elite" in the crucial communicative public opinion fields and then self-praise themselves in it (media, theater, literature, culture) to further enhance their reputations. They are Left but appropriate the center.

I say this after reading Leonard Fein's mea culpafor having allowed the Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria to grow which turned the Six Days War victory into something else in The Forward:-

Few sweet victories have ever turned sour quite so quickly or comprehensively.

That’s not the standard view, I know, though it is increasingly accepted by Israelis to the left of center — not that any of them would have preferred defeat. True, peace with Egypt and Jordan have also happened and would perhaps not have without the 1967 victory. No small thing. But the victory left Israel the unwelcome occupier of 26,000 square miles of additional territory — the Sinai, Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights.

The occupation, it was widely assumed, would be temporary. In Sinai, it lasted 11 years; in Gaza, 38. But the West Bank lingers, a tumor that grows. As Gershom Gorenberg brilliantly details in his book “The Accidental Empire,” just seven months after the war there were already 800 Jewish settlers in the West Bank. The settlement project was advanced by Shimon Peres, Yigal Allon and Moshe Dayan, all stalwarts of the left, and soon enough it was taken up as a messianic project by Gush Emunim, then advanced with varying degrees of enthusiasm by Begin, Rabin, Netanyahu, Barak and Sharon.

Now, 40 years later, there are some 250,000 Jewish settlers in 120 officially recognized West Bank settlements, an indeterminate (but relatively small) number in 102 (or so) illegal outposts, many of them on land privately owned by Palestinians, 16,000 on the Golan and 180,000 in annexed areas of East Jerusalem...

...The passions of the settlers have become a central fact of Israeli public life, rendering the settlements a trap, and the misery and hatred of two generations of Palestinians are a constant sorrow and an ongoing threat. Forty years: Here and there, a lush oasis. But mostly a desert; wandering, stumbling, no promised time in view.

I repeat - the desert is the Arab refusal to recognize Jewish nationalism and all that it means: a free, sovereign political power controlling its national homeland.