Discussing the Middle East While Avoiding Hemiplegia: the Israeli Representatives Present at the 2010 MEDays Forum
Any true dialogue about peace in the Middle East must include the participation of representatives from all major parties involved in the conflict. For this reason, the MEDays Forum once again invited moderate Palestinian, Israeli, American, European and Arab voices.
As underlined by the chief negotiator of the Palestinian Authority, Saeb Erakat, every leader invited to speak about the Middle East during the MEDays Forum has a particularity: He belongs to the "Peace Camp" regardless of if he is Isaeli or Palestinian, Jewish or Muslim. Religion and nationality should not be determining factors when it comes to talking about the peace process. All must work together to come up with new proposals to renew, with wide support, the peace process.
The Israeli speakers present at the conference are as follows:
Daniel Ben Simon: Member of the Israeli Knesset, Israel Labor Party Parliamentary Group Chairman
Born in Meknes, Daniel Ben Simon lived in Morocco for 16 years. He is a member of the Israel Labor Party. The Labor party forms part of the Netanyahu government’s coalition, but does not support the current government’s policies. Mr. Ben Simon stressed during the Forum that there is no opposition to peace in Israel, and that debate in Israeli politics revolves around the price of peace. He pointed out that Israeli civil society wants peace, and that the current government leadership represents a minority view within the country.
“Morocco is a country that should be seen as an example. I studied Arabic, Hebrew and French in Meknes. I was neighbors with everyone and it was a natural life… Morocco is the promised land for peace negotiations.”
Yossi Beilin: President of Beilink, Business Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Geneva Initiative of Israel
Dr. Beilin’s career of public service began in 1984 with his appointment as Cabinet Secretary. A member of the labor party and the Israeli Knesset for twenty years, Dr. Beilin has held various ministerial positions, including: Deputy Foreign Minister, Deputy Finance Minister, Minister of Economy and Planning, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Minister for Religious Affairs, and Minister of Justice.
Yossi Beilin is a leading proponent of the peace process and serves as the Co-chairman of the Geneva Initiative with Palestinian Yasser Abed-Rabbo.
“The Geneva Initiative is the only proposed solution with hundreds of pages which is agreed upon by mainstream Israelis and mainstream Palestinians who gave their signatures to it and stand by it.”
Ahmad Al Tibi: Member of the Israeli Knesset, Secretary General of Ta'al
Ahmad Al Tibi is an Arab member of the Israeli Knesset and represents the Arab minority. He formerly was a mediator between the PLO and Israel and was an advisor to Palestinian negotiators. Dr. Al Tibi lives in East Jerusalem and works on a daily basis to improve the lives of Palestinians through politics.
“Twenty percent of the population of Israel is made up of Arab-Israelis whom have lived on the land since before 1948. Thirty years ago, Liberman came from Moldavia, and he has more rights than us. We are citizens of the same state but are not equal.”
Gideon Levy: Journalist at Haaretz
Gideon Levy works for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, and is the writer of the weekly column Twilight Zone, which covers the Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza over the last twenty years. He also writes political editorials, mainly about the relations between the Palestinians and the Israelis. He is an outspoken critic of current Israeli leadership, and calls for peace.
“What price of peace? There is no price because the occupied territories are stolen. For Israel, it’s not a price, it’s an award. Israel will be the one that gains the most out of the peace.”
Bruce Maddy-Weitzman: Marcia Israel Senior Research Fellow at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies, Tel Aviv University
Dr. Maddy-Weitzman is an Israeli scholar who has studied the Middle East Peace Process, the Arab state system and the Maghreb. He contributed his academic knowledge to the panel discussion on the Arab Peace Initiative and highlighted the sticking points which have prevented the Initiative from taking root.
“Civil society is important to promote peace in Israel and the region. Seeds of civil society are visible in Morocco.”
