Gershon Baskin

Gershon Baskin believes that peace can only be reached through a negotiated agreement and that the only way to conduct successful Israeli-Palestinian negotiations is through a secret back channel.

Gershon Baskin believes that it is not a question of Right or Left – as he told young Mexican Jewish students. It is a question of whether or not you are a Zionist.

Gershon Baskin. during the years of the Oslo Peace Process (1994-1997), was an advisor to Prime Ministers’ Rabin and Peres special team on the Peace Process, where he reported directly to Peres on policies and negotiations with the Palestinians.

Gershon Baskin believes that we must rid ourselves from the policies of separation which isolate Israel and in its stead adopt a vision of securing a future based on being part of our region, of cooperating with our neighbors for our mutual benefit.

Gershon Baskin could easily propose a list of “if, then” statements, but he thinks that it is best left in the hands of the Russian conveners, and Netanyahu and Abbas, of course. If the meeting of the leaders does take place in Russia, or anywhere else, it is absolutely essential that it is not wasted solely for a photo-op, or worse – to prove, once again, that the other side does not want peace. Concrete steps with concrete outcomes must be the result of such a meeting.

Gershon Baskin thinks that the task of getting Netanyahu and Abbas to agree to anything is daunting, yet with very limited expectations, it might actually be possible to get the parties talking once again.

Gershon Baskin believes that cooperation builds understanding and peace – no peace was ever made by not talking.

Gershon Baskin believes that the security apparatus, economic agreements, mechanism for cooperation across the borders – all aspects of the relations between Israel and a Palestine-Jordan confederation could be planned and negotiated in advance and the end result would be a much more secure peace for all.

Gershon Baskin senses that over the past months some of our politicians and military folk have been speaking about the need to confront the economic and environmental disaster facing nearly two million people in Gaza.

Gershon Baskin believes that if there is one thing clear as day, it is that the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank want to have their say on their leadership in a democratic way.