Gershon Baskin discusses the the role of the United States administration in the peace process.

IPCRI co-director, Gershon Baskin participated in Pathways to Peace Conference at the Central Connecticut State University.

On April 16-17, the Pathways for Peace Conference on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict took place in Conneticut. IPCRI co-director, Gershon Baskin discussed the the role of the United States administration in the peace process.

Pathways to Peace was the second annual International Academic Conference to take place at Central Connecticut State University, USA. The goal of the conference was to emphasize the contribution that scholarship and social scientific research can bring to the reconciliation process between the Israelis and the Palestinians who are involved in the longest conflict of modern times.

About 60 people participated in presentations and open panel discussions in the Pathways to Peace Conference. The conference was a successful effort in building a coalition of moderates, not restricted to Israelis and Palestinians or Arabs and Jews, but inclusive of all people who believe in peace and can contribute to a just and comprehensive solution to the conflict.

The major conclusion gained from the conference was an awareness of the great degree of consensus between Palestinians and Jewish Israelis, however the presence of many unrelated factors continues to prevent the parties from brokering an agreement.

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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.