| Jewish European network for Israel & for peace |
This year 2013 ends better than it started. A year ago, the situation in tne Middle-East seemed deadlocked: on one hand, the Palestinian Authority was trying to be accepted as a fully-fledged member of the U.N., hoping to use this new status to put pressure upon Israel; on the other hand, Benjamin Netanyahou threatened to engage a military attack on Iran while maintaining the status quo towards the Palestinians.
Today, the current negotiations in Geneva have so far put at bay the risk of a conflict with Iran. And the negotiations launched last July under the auspices of the US have allowed the resumption of a political process stalled for four years.
In spite of the prevailing skepticism, the relaunching of these negotiations has already succeeded in putting the Israeli-Palestinian issue at the heart of the concerns of the Israeli population and of its political leaders who are starting to understand that the status quo is not an option anymore. The harbinger of this change being the record attendance at the two recent meetings that took place this December in Tel Aviv, the first one organized by the Geneva Initiative for its tenth anniversary, and the second one organized by Shalom Ahshav1, gathering the different trends of the Israeli left. Apart from the large audience attending these meetings, the presence of many young people among the participants was most meaningful. Yes, the Israeli youth feel concerned by the conflict. Of course, it cannot be compared with the rallying that took place at the time of the Israeli-Egyptian negotiations and initiated the founding of Shalom Ahshav, but weariness and indifference to the conflict have prevailed for so many years in the public opinion that it is reassuring to observe this arousal of consciousness.
Concluding an article devoted to the prospects of success of the current negotiations, Professor Gilbett Benayoun, President of the Aix Group, writes on our website2:
“Without being naive and staunchly optimistic, we feel we could be pleasantly surprised by the outcome of the negotiations. The worst is never certain.“
In this case, dear friends and members, we must remain vigilant. In 2014, we will continue to make our voice heard, the voice of reason, the only one able to save the Two State Solution that will ensure that the State of Israel remains a democratic State, with a Jewish majority.
Help us to make this voice heard. It is still time to pay your membership dues for 2013 online if you have not done it yet. If you wish, you may also support our action according to your time and your availability here :
http://en.jcall.eu/membershipdonation
Counting on your help,
We wish you a very happy holiday season
JCall’s staff
See subtitled in English excerpts of key interventions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzVERHyDDpU&feature=youtu.be
and complete response in English by Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of J Street:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-IpFryj47U
