Gershon Baskin focused on the lessons that should be learned from the failures of Israeli Palestinian peace processes and offered conclusions regarding future prospects.




Gershon Baskin at George Mason

Gershon Baskin at George Mason

On April 29, 2015 at George Mason University, Gershon Baskin spoke about the Israeli Palestinian Peace process, focusing on lessons learned from 22 years of failed agreements

Gershon began his presentation by asking “Israeli Palestinian – is it still possible?” He shared his insights on how twenty two years of failed peace process have left the public on both sides of the conflict with a deep sense that there is no partner for peace and that peace is not possible. Israel and the PLO signed six agreements over the years and all of them were breached. Many lessons can be drawn from the long years of experience in negotiations and in implementation (and non-implementation) of agreements. His lecture focused on the lessons that should be learned from the failures of Israeli Palestinian peace processes and conclusions will be offered regarding future prospects. The lessons learned have clear prescriptive dimensions for other conflicts and peace processes as well.

Israeli Palestinian – is it still possible? Twenty two years of failed peace process have left the public on both sides of the conflict with a deep sense that there is no partner for peace and that peace is not possible. Israel and the PLO signed six agreements over the years and all of them were breached. Many lessons can be drawn from the long years of experience in negotiations and in implementation (and non-implementation) of agreements. This lecture will focus on the lessons that should be learned from the failures of Israeli Palestinian peace processes and conclusions will be offered regarding future prospects. The lessons learned have clear prescriptive dimensions for other conflicts and peace processes as well.

Carol Daniel Kasbari, conflict transformation specialist and veteran facilitator for groups in conflict in the Middle East since 1995 moderated the session. Carol managed several USAID programs through local and international NGO’s such as Search for Common Ground, Catholic Relief Services and other in various fields such as in media, dialogue, education and advocacy. She worked with numerous groups such as wounded crossing borders, senior media professionals, high school educators, women activists and many others in Israel, Palestine, Turkey, Greece and Bosnia. She was the co-founder and director of the Israeli Palestinian Media Forum (IPMF) and a consultant for UNESCO’s division of Freedom of Expression for 8 years. In 2011, she held a powerful TEDx talk on “Going beyond the Dialogue of Words” to illustrate through her personal experience the numerous ways to act and reach out to the other, to cross the emotional and physical borders to create a dialogue of actions:

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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.