ALEPH Affiliate Ner Tamid hosted Gershon Baskin, Ph.D, Israeli CEO and founder of the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI) with a series of learning opportunities. Participants heared about the IPCRI and find out about pathways to peace in Jerusalem from someone who is working on the ground. The events were co-sponsored by PeaceWalk Tucson.

Gershon Baskin initiated the founding of IPCRI in 1988 following ten years in the field of Jewish-Arab relations within Israel, at Interns for Peace, the Ministry of Education and Executive Director of the Institute for Education for Jewish-Arab Coexistence. Gershon has published books and hundreds of articles in the Hebrew, English and Arabic press about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict including: A Model Interim Agreement, Aspects of Internal Security in During the Interim Period, The Future of Jerusalem, How to Conduct Business in the Palestinian Territories, The Future of the Israeli Settlements in Final Status Negotiation, and more. Gershon meets regularly with Israeli and Palestinian policy makers as well as international diplomats and organizations. Gershon was a member of the Jerusalem Experts Committee established by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office during the Final Status Negotiations in 2000-2001.

Dr. Baskin’s schedule included Friday Noon prayers at the Islamic Center of Tucson (ICT), Friday night Dinner, Shabbat Services that included a talk by Gershon and a Saturday evening dinner and reception,

Gershon Baskin was very open and spoke very candid about the Israel/Palestine situation and how it could handled, or not.

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Gershon Baskin

Gershon Baskin is one of the most recognizable names in the Middle East Peace process. He is a political and social entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to peace between Israel and its neighbors. His dedication to creating a culture of peace and environmental awareness, coupled with his impeccable integrity, has earned him the trust of the leaders of all sides of the century old conflict. Few people have such far-reaching and positive impacts on promoting peace, security, prosperity and bi-national relationships. Gershon is an advisor to Israeli, Palestinian and International Prime Ministers on the Middle East Peace Process and the founder and director of IPCRI, the Israeli-Palestinian Public Policy Institute. He was the initiator and negotiator of the secret back channel between Israel and Hamas for the release of 1,027 prisoners – mainly Palestinians and Arab-Israelis of which 280 were sentenced to life in prison, including Yahya Sinwar, the current Palestinian leader of the Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The prisoners were imprisoned for planning and perpetrating various attacks against Jewish targets that resulted in the killing of 569 Israelis in exchange for one Israeli soldier, Gilad Schalit. Gershon is actively involved in research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, environmental security, political strategy, peace education, economics, culture and in the development of affordable solar projects with the goal of providing clean electricity for 50 million people by 2020. He is a founding member of Kol Ezraheiha-Kol Muwanteneiha (All of the Citizens) political party in Israel. He is now directing The Holy Land Bond and is the Middle East Director for ICO – International Communities Organization - a UK based NGO working in conflict zones with failed peace processes.