Gershon BaskinGershon Baskin
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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.
Jews crowd onto a British army armoured car as they celebrate in downtown Jerusalem the morning after the United Nations voted on November 29, 1947 to partition Palestine which paved the way for the creation of the State of Israel on May 15, 1948. . (photo credit:REUTERS)
Insights

Israel can’t be both a Jewish state and a liberal democracy

Gershon Baskin believes that in order to protect the liberal democracy of Israel, Israel must be the state of all of its citizens, where every citizen and every group of citizens has the same right to the same rights – including the right to express and foster their separate identity.

By Gershon Baskin, 3 yearsJuly 13, 2023 ago
UNSCOP (3 September 1947) and UN Ad Hoc Committee (25 November 1947) partition plans. The UN Ad Hoc committee proposal was voted on in the resolution.
Insights

The great challenge: The solution has to come from us, not the outside

Gershon Baskin thinks that none of our leaders are leading us to any kind of future that promises us life and security and that has to change. He recommends that the change has to be made by us.

By Gershon Baskin, 3 yearsJuly 6, 2023 ago
Hamas militants display weapons in front of a destroyed house east of Gaza City, Aug. 27, 2014. (photo by REUTERS/Majdi Fathi)
Insights

Israel must end violence in West Bank to protect Israelis and Palestinians

Gershon Baskin feels that a majority of Palestinians support the use of violence against Israelis and that we are at a new boiling point where it could be quite easy for the situation to spin out of control.

By Gershon Baskin, 3 yearsJune 29, 2023 ago
Gershon Baskin
Insights

The Futility of it All

Gershon Baskin firmly believes that one day the people’s of the Middle East will penetrate each other’s hearts and minds and they will, with great difficulty, pave a path of peace that will one day even lead to reconciliation.

By Gershon Baskin, 3 yearsJune 21, 2023 ago
Gershon Baskin and Mahmoud Abbas
Insights

Clarity of intentions, actions of consequence is what is required

Gershon Baskin senses that without finding the moral courage and fortitude to take such actions, the situation could become much worse than it already is.

By Gershon Baskin, 3 yearsJune 15, 2023 ago
Activists, including Israelis and Palestinians, take part in a demonstration in support of peace near Jericho. (photo credit:REUTERS)
Insights

Why do I fight for Israeli-Palestinian peace?

Gershon Baskin believes that without having a solution to this conflict, he will continue to work every day to try to help us all to find the path back to the negotiating table and back to the hope that we will live in peace.

By Gershon Baskin, 3 yearsJune 8, 2023 ago
Palestine Flag
Insights

The Palestinian flag should not be a contentious symbol

Gershon Baskin feels that will proudly waving the Palestinian flag is a provocation, but it is less about “identifying with a terrorist organization” or with the enemy, and more about protecting our democratic rights for free expression.

By Gershon Baskin, 3 yearsJune 1, 2023 ago
UNSCOP (3 September 1947) and UN Ad Hoc Committee (25 November 1947) partition plans. The UN Ad Hoc committee proposal was voted on in the resolution.
Insights

Israel is divided – can we learn to live and adapt?

Gershon Baskin feels that we need to adopt a new way of thinking; one in which all segments of the population – from the river to the sea – can sit round the table together.

By Gershon Baskin, 3 yearsMay 25, 2023 ago
A Palestinian youth looks out at the destruction in part of Gaza City's al-Tufah neighborhood on Wednesday during the cease-fire. Photo by Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images
Insights

Israel’s Gaza ops against Palestinian terror never accomplishes anything

Gershon Baskin feels that it is time to put Israel’s amazing intelligence apparatus to much more intelligent use – developing the strategies and means for avoiding future rounds of fighting.

By Gershon Baskin, 3 yearsMay 18, 2023 ago
Rain clouds are seen over the Dome of the Rock, on the compound known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif, and to Jews as Temple Mount, in Jerusalem's Old City October 30, 2009. REUTERS/Darren Whiteside
Insights

The false unity of Jerusalem: Why I cannot celebrate Israel’s capital

Gershon Baskin believes that Jerusalem is Israel and is also Palestinian. Jerusalem is Jewish and it is also Muslim and Christian. Jerusalem is a city that belongs to the whole world and to all of humanity. But in order for Jerusalem to be celebrated as unified, it must truly be a city of humanity.

By Gershon Baskin, 3 yearsMay 11, 2023 ago

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The Negotiator: Freeing Gilad Shalit from Hamas

The Negotiator: Freeing Gilad Shalit from Hamas
Click here to Buy The Negotiator: Freeing Gilad Schalit from Hamas
In 2006, Gilad Schalit was kidnapped by a group of Gaza militants. Decades of animosity and distrust thwarted any attempt at a prisoner exchange. THE NEGOTIATOR is the firsthand account of Gershon Baskin, who made it his mission to liberate Gilad Schalit. Baskin drew on his ties to Hamas to create a secret back channel and succeeded where official mediators had failed, paving the way for the deal that brought Gilad home.
Click here to Buy The Negotiator: Freeing Gilad Schalit from Hamas
Click here to Buy the Book in Hebrew
Click here to learn more about the book

In Pursuit of Peace in Israel & Palestine


In his latest book, In Pursuit of Peace in Israel & Palestine, Gershon Baskin reveals how relations in the Middle East are based on justified fear, influenced by lack of human contact and reinforced by continued violence that solidify patterns of thinking and behavior that negatively influence public policies.

Buy In Pursuit of Peace in Israel & Palestine

Freeing Gilad: The Secret Back Channel

freeinggiladcover335
"Free Gilad" is the story of an unprecedented secret communication channel developed by Gershon Baskin developed that made a decisive contribution towards the release of Gilad Shalit.
Click Here to Order the Book and Learn More
Click Here to buy The Negotiator: Freeing Gilad Schalit from Hamas


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