JCall – the European Jewish call for reason – calls upon the International Community, particularly the United States and the European Union, to put together all the necessary conditions towards a final conclusion of a peace agreement in the Middle East.
A year after the launch of the «Appeal to reason », in Brussels, more than 400 delegates from France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, met in Paris and reached the following conclusions:
1. The complete stalemate in the Middle East Peace Process and the wave of revolutionary movements sweeping through the Arab World confirm the accuracy of the appeal launched in Brussels on May 3 2010 and make the issues referred to, even more pressing.
2. The launch of the appeal generated great support across Europe as well as harsh criticism by proponents of the status quo, which demonstrates the relevance of Jcall’s message. It is therefore necessary to move further at an organisational level as well as an operational one.
It has therefore been decided:
1. To expand Jcall from an appeal to a pan-European movement. David Chemla, secretary of JCall France, has assumed the position of its Secretary General
2. The European committee will be composed of members of the different National JCalls
The basic principles managing the JCall campaigns as outlined a year ago remain fully valid:
1. JCall is a manifestation of the Jewish European Civil Society, which is deeply committed to the existence and the security of the State of Israel.
2. JCall believes that the survival of the State of Israel and its security can only be guaranteed by Israel ending the occupation of Palestinian Territories and the creation of a sovereign Palestinian State along its borders.
3. JCall witnesses the unprecedented isolation of the Israeli Government on the International Arena, isolation that is in great part the outcome of its current settlement policy within the Palestinian Territories.
4. JCall calls on both parties to return as quickly as possible to the negotiating table and to resume talks based on internationally recognised criteria including: The Oslo Agreement, The Clinton parameters, The 2003 “Road map” and underlined in President Obama May 2011 speech.
5. JCall recognizes the current stalemate within the Palestinian society, of which some components still do not recognize the right of the State of Israel to exist.
6. JCall calls upon the International Community, particularly the United States and the European Union, to put together all the necessary conditions towards a final conclusion of a peace agreement whose main criteria’s are widely known for a long time. JCall will support any initiative that would lead in that direction.
7. JCall calls upon all European Jews to support these efforts, by drawing a clear line between their unconditional support for the State and the people of Israel and the necessary democratic debate around the policies of its Government. In light of this, European Jews are worried about the growing tendency within certain parts of the European Society to delegitimize the State of Israel by proceeding to an unacceptable mix up between the State, its essence, its founding ideology on the one hand and the policies of its governments on the other. This attitude can only compromise the goal of 2 States for 2 people.
