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.
Gershon Baskin shares his insights on how he was instrumental in mediating between the Hamas and Israeli governments, which eventually brought about the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit after more than five years in captivity.

Kein Ort ist wie die Heimat

Während viele Israelis das Land verlassen oder mit dem Gedanken spielen, will unser Autor hier bleiben – nicht (mehr) als Zionist. Sondern als jemand, der die Hoffnung nicht aufgibt, dass Israel seine Apartheidspolitik eines Tages aufgibt. Denn: «Wir müssen uns immer vor Augen halten, dass einige der wichtigsten, bedeutendsten und weltbewegenden Ereignisse in der Geschichte nicht vorhergesagt oder erahnt werden konnten.»

By Gershon Baskin, ago