Gershon Baskin shares his perspectives of the Gilad Shalit prisoner swap with a focus on the Background and Political Implications at the Utrikespolitiska Institutet (The Swedish Institute of International Affairs) a public-service organization located in Stockholm, Sweden. It was founded in 1938 as a politically independent institute supporting research and education in international political issues.
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Part 2
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.
Gershon Baskin believes that the Palestinians can help to end the war in Gaza by moving forward on the Gaza governance issue without any negotiations with Israel.
Gershon Baskin warns us not to think that Trump will save Israel if Israel tries to commit political suicide.
Gershon Baskin believes that there is room for negotiations and possibilities for reaching agreements, but the negotiations must be ongoing without stop and they must be conducted as directly as possible